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Guadalupe County, Texas

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Moderate overall risk
19th of 254highest risk in Texas
$124Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 28homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Guadalupe County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 92% of US counties. It ranks 19th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $124 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $717 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). About 1 in 28 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,244 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $109 million on 2,456 claims here, including $62 million for floods in 1998.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Guadalupe County

$100 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • 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.
$10.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$3.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 11 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh95.6
$100M
TornadoHigh92.2
$10M
Heat waveModerate89.1
$3M
Cold waveModerate71.2
$3M
HailModerate92.1
$2M
LightningHigh89.9
$1M
DroughtModerate78.5
$1M
Strong windModerate61.3
$901K
HurricaneLow66.7
$509K
Winter weatherModerate84.6
$318K
WildfireLow75.0
$310K
Ice stormLow50.7
$104K
EarthquakeVery Low20.6
$36K
LandslideVery Low26.0
$257

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 low and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Guadalupe County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood6
Hurricane5
Severe Storm4
Fire3
Severe Ice Storm2
Drought1

Most recent

Jul 6, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 25, 2017Hurricane HarveyMajor disaster
Nov 25, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2010Tropical Storm AlexEmergency
Mar 14, 2008WildfiresEmergency
Jun 29, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 21
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 4, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Oct 21, 1998Tx-Flooding 10/18/98Major disaster
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Jul 7, 1997Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1993Extreme Fire HazardEmergency
May 20, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 371 storm reports in Guadalupe County since 1953, with 8 deaths and 546 injuries and about $37.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on December 1, 1953.

26tornadoes
112hail reports, largest 4 inches
130damaging thunderstorm winds
101floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 1, 1953F3–10 / 0
Jul 21, 2007EF2Seguin0 / 0
Oct 20, 1956F2–1 / 0
Sep 4, 1961F2–0 / 0
May 1, 1967F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 9, 2010FloodClear Spg$10M
Oct 17, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$5M
Mar 27, 1994HailSchertz-Cibolo$5M
Mar 27, 1994HailSeguin$5M
Mar 27, 1994Thunderstorm WindSeguin$5M
Jul 5, 2025Flash FloodSullivan$3M

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 1874, 4 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Guadalupe County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 115 mph about 65 miles away.

4hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
2017most recent: Harvey

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 20, 1886UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph65 mi
Aug 30, 1942UnnamedCategory 1, 95 mph56 mi
Sep 12, 1961CarlaCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Sep 17, 1875UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph62 mi
Jun 29, 1929UnnamedTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi
Aug 26, 2017HarveyTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 26, 2017HarveyTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi
Jun 17, 2015BillTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Sep 7, 2010HermineTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Sep 6, 1973DeliaTropical storm, 45 mph55 mi
Jun 24, 1968CandyTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
Aug 8, 1964AbbyTropical storm, 40 mph63 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 Guadalupe County

Check your address flood zone ›
3.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (2,244 policies)
39.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$109 millionpaid on 2,456 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $62.5 million paid

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 Guadalupe County

$304,400median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
2003median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
19%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.7%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 69,700 housing units.

Compare in Texas

All 254 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Harris CountyVery HighInland flooding
Dallas CountyVery HighInland flooding
Tarrant CountyHighInland flooding
Bexar CountyHighInland flooding
Travis CountyHighInland flooding
Collin CountyHighTornado
Denton CountyHighTornado
Hidalgo CountyHighHurricane

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Bexar CountyHigh30
Hays CountyModerate25
Comal CountyModerate26
Wilson CountyLow16
Caldwell CountyLow22
Gonzales CountyModerate20

Common questions about Guadalupe County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Guadalupe County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Guadalupe County, about $100 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $10.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Guadalupe County had?

Guadalupe County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in July 2025.

Is Guadalupe County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 19th 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 Guadalupe County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 28 homes in Guadalupe 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 Guadalupe County had?

NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Guadalupe County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on December 1, 1953. The weather service has also logged 112 hail reports and 101 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Guadalupe County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 4 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Guadalupe County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 115 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.