Gray County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Gray County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 60% of US counties. It ranks 109th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $868 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in March 2025 (Rest Area Fire). Only 3 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 Gray County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 97.8 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 76.8 | $3M | ||
| Cold wave | 76.2 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 24.6 | $3M | ||
| Wildfire | 93.7 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 93.3 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 75.6 | $984K | ||
| Lightning | 74.1 | $503K | ||
| Winter weather | 89.8 | $350K | ||
| Ice storm | 79.0 | $326K | ||
| Earthquake | 45.7 | $189K | ||
| Heat wave | 23.4 | $73K | ||
| Hurricane | 27.0 | $10K | ||
| Landslide | 4.4 | $5 |
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 relatively moderate 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 Gray 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 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 854 storm reports in Gray County since 1951, with 3 deaths and 74 injuries and about $45.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 1, 1995.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1995 | F4 | – | 7 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1970 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 18, 1970 | F4 | – | 10 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 1995 | F4 | Mclean | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 26, 1975 | F3 | – | 42 / 2 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1995 | Tornado | – | $30M |
| Apr 18, 1970 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 18, 1970 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 19, 1982 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jul 14, 1987 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 15, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mc Lean | $575K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 29, 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.
Flood insurance in Gray 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 Gray 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; 9,952 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Carson County | 13 | |
| Wheeler County | 12 | |
| Hemphill County | 12 | |
| Donley County | 16 | |
| Collingsworth County | 12 | |
| Armstrong County | 12 | |
| Roberts County | 12 |
Common questions about Gray County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Gray County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Gray County, about $3.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Gray County had?
Gray County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Rest Area Fire in March 2025.
Is Gray County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 109th 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 Gray 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 Gray County had?
NOAA records list 87 tornadoes in Gray County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 1, 1995. The weather service has also logged 493 hail reports and 17 floods here.
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.