Duval County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Duval County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 54% of US counties. It ranks 128th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $9.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,011 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (flooding). Only 23 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $299,000 on 17 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Duval County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 94.9 | $6M | ||
| Inland flooding | 28.6 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 73.3 | $587K | ||
| Hurricane | 74.8 | $529K | ||
| Hail | 73.3 | $358K | ||
| Tornado | 31.8 | $314K | ||
| Strong wind | 15.5 | $72K | ||
| Ice storm | 48.1 | $43K | ||
| Wildfire | 52.4 | $30K | ||
| Drought | 33.7 | $20K | ||
| Lightning | 5.3 | $9K | ||
| Winter weather | 10.2 | $4K | ||
| Earthquake | 7.9 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 7.7 | $9 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Duval County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 214 storm reports in Duval County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $8.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 18, 1965.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 1965 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 1993 | F1 | Ramirez | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 1974 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 24, 1971 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2013 | Hail | Benavides | $5M |
| Mar 31, 2013 | Hail | Freer | $1M |
| Apr 8, 1993 | Tornado | Ramirez | $500K |
| Jun 6, 1983 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Oct 27, 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | San Jose | $150K |
| May 15, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Benavides | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 19, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1851, 10 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Duval County, 14 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with top winds near 120 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 1970 | Celia | Category 3, 120 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 18, 1916 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 14, 1919 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 23, 1999 | Bret | Category 2, 95 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 10, 1980 | Allen | Category 1, 95 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 20, 1967 | Beulah | Category 1, 90 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2023 | Harold | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 24, 2008 | Dolly | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 23, 1999 | Bret | Category 2, 95 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 22, 1998 | Charley | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Duval County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Duval County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 4,420 housing units.
Compare in Texas
All 254 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Harris County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Tarrant County | Inland flooding | |
| Bexar County | Inland flooding | |
| Travis County | Inland flooding | |
| Collin County | Tornado | |
| Denton County | Tornado | |
| Hidalgo County | Hurricane |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Webb County | 21 | |
| Jim Wells County | 29 | |
| Live Oak County | 22 | |
| Brooks County | 21 | |
| La Salle County | 17 | |
| Jim Hogg County | 21 | |
| McMullen County | 15 |
Common questions about Duval County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Duval County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Duval County, about $6.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Duval County had?
Duval County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.
Is Duval County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 128th highest of 254 in Texas. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Duval County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Duval County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Duval County had?
NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Duval County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 18, 1965. The weather service has also logged 84 hail reports and 39 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Duval County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 10 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Duval County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with winds near 120 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.