Frio County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Frio County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 56% of US counties. It ranks 122nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and drought. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $582 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 7 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 Frio 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 46.6 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 84.6 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 93.4 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 84.8 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 53.4 | $789K | ||
| Hurricane | 71.6 | $395K | ||
| Hail | 74.3 | $386K | ||
| Lightning | 55.0 | $160K | ||
| Wildfire | 75.2 | $150K | ||
| Strong wind | 24.5 | $132K | ||
| Ice storm | 40.5 | $31K | ||
| Winter weather | 33.6 | $20K | ||
| Earthquake | 10.9 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 7.3 | $8 |
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 Frio County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 17
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 225 storm reports in Frio County since 1959, with 5 deaths and 29 injuries and about $2.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 15, 1973.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 1973 | F4 | – | 12 / 5 |
| Aug 3, 1970 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 3, 1970 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 26, 1968 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $800K |
| Feb 10, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Moore | $110K |
| Mar 30, 1997 | Hail | Pearsall | $105K |
| Mar 24, 1994 | Hail | Pearsall | $100K |
| May 18, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Dilley | $100K |
| May 15, 2023 | Tornado | Dilley Arpt | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 15, 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, 4 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Frio County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with top winds near 100 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 95 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 26, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 51 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Jul 31, 1978 | Amelia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 28, 1936 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 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 Frio 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 Frio 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; 6,393 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medina County | 18 | |
| Atascosa County | 19 | |
| Uvalde County | 19 | |
| Zavala County | 18 | |
| Dimmit County | 17 | |
| La Salle County | 17 |
Common questions about Frio County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Frio County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Frio County, about $3.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Frio County had?
Frio County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Frio County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 122nd 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 Frio County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Frio 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 Frio County had?
NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Frio County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 15, 1973. The weather service has also logged 104 hail reports and 71 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Frio County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 4 hurricanes and 9 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Frio County. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with winds near 100 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.