Falls County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Falls County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 74% of US counties. It ranks 180th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $6.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $353 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 2 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Falls 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.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 24.1 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 69.9 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 49.5 | $635K | ||
| Hurricane | 68.0 | $339K | ||
| Heat wave | 53.8 | $305K | ||
| Hail | 62.0 | $280K | ||
| Lightning | 59.5 | $225K | ||
| Drought | 62.3 | $222K | ||
| Strong wind | 26.0 | $170K | ||
| Wildfire | 54.5 | $42K | ||
| Winter weather | 39.1 | $30K | ||
| Ice storm | 31.7 | $24K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.6 | $22K | ||
| Landslide | 10.6 | $21 |
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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Falls County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 253 storm reports in Falls County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 0 injuries and about $2.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on May 23, 2024 near Belvins.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2024 | EF1 | Belvins | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 15, 1996 | F1 | Westphalia | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 17, 1971 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1954 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 12, 1962 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Westphalia | $400K |
| May 23, 2024 | Tornado | Belvins | $200K |
| Jun 10, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rosebud | $100K |
| Jun 10, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rosebud | $100K |
| Jun 16, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Durango | $100K |
| May 23, 2024 | Hail | Stranger | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 14, 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 1871, 1 hurricane and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Falls County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1900, with top winds near 85 mph about 50 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 50 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 13, 1897 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 17, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 14, 1932 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 23, 1921 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 24, 1968 | Candy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 28, 1945 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 28, 1943 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 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 Falls 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 Falls 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; 7,450 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bell County | 20 | |
| McLennan County | 20 | |
| Milam County | 20 | |
| Limestone County | 18 | |
| Robertson County | 16 |
Common questions about Falls County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Falls County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Falls County, about $1.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.
How many federal disasters has Falls County had?
Falls County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Falls County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 180th 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 Falls County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Falls County had?
NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Falls County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on May 23, 2024 near Belvins. The weather service has also logged 96 hail reports and 49 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Falls County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Falls County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1900, with winds near 85 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.