El Paso County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
El Paso County, Texas has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 96% of US counties. It ranks 15th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hail and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $121 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $140 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). About 1 in 91 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,695 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.3 million on 780 claims here, including $2.3 million for floods in 2021.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in El Paso County
- 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 96.8 | $70M | ||
| Hail | 99.6 | $15M | ||
| Heat wave | 98.7 | $14M | ||
| Lightning | 99.9 | $7M | ||
| Earthquake | 92.1 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 83.5 | $3M | ||
| Winter weather | 99.9 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 95.4 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 96.0 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 34.8 | $434K | ||
| Ice storm | 70.5 | $148K | ||
| Wildfire | 71.0 | $119K | ||
| Hurricane | 41.1 | $21K | ||
| Landslide | 44.7 | $607 | ||
| Avalanche | 20.2 | $23 |
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 El Paso County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 455 storm reports in El Paso County since 1957, with 7 deaths and 43 injuries and about $674 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on June 21, 1992.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1972 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 14, 1988 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 4, 2016 | Hail | Socorro | $300M |
| Aug 1, 2006 | Flash Flood | Northwest Portion | $180M |
| Sep 16, 2009 | Hail | Socorro | $100M |
| Aug 1, 2006 | Flash Flood | Northwest Portion | $20M |
| Sep 16, 2009 | Hail | Socorro | $20M |
| Sep 16, 2009 | Hail | El Paso Intl Ar | $20M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 31, 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 1929, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of El Paso County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with top winds near 50 mph about 48 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 48 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 48 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 El Paso 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 El Paso 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; 323,571 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Doña Ana County, NM | 8 | |
| Otero County, NM | 22 | |
| Hudspeth County | 11 |
Cities in El Paso County
Common questions about El Paso County
What is the biggest natural hazard in El Paso County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in El Paso County, about $69.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $15 million.
How many federal disasters has El Paso County had?
El Paso County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is El Paso County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 15th 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 El Paso County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 91 homes in El Paso 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 El Paso County had?
NOAA records list 6 tornadoes in El Paso County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on June 21, 1992. The weather service has also logged 159 hail reports and 155 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit El Paso County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of El Paso County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with winds near 50 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.