Kenedy County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Kenedy County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 72% of US counties. It ranks 174th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, hurricanes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $6.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $19,799 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). 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 Kenedy County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 92.1 | $6M | ||
| Hurricane | 73.1 | $573K | ||
| Inland flooding | 0.3 | $87K | ||
| Wildfire | 44.9 | $25K | ||
| Hail | 6.2 | $13K | ||
| Tornado | 4.5 | $11K | ||
| Heat wave | 6.5 | $6K | ||
| Ice storm | 10.7 | $4K | ||
| Drought | 21.2 | $4K | ||
| Lightning | 1.2 | $4K | ||
| Strong wind | 1.2 | $2K | ||
| Earthquake | 0.5 | $423 | ||
| Winter weather | 1.5 | $279 | ||
| Landslide | 0.5 | $0 |
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 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 Kenedy County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1965
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 48 storm reports in Kenedy County since 1965 and about $36,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 5, 1965.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 1965 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 26, 1973 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 9, 1980 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2000 | F0 | Norias | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 2006 | F0 | Sarita | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $10K |
| Oct 31, 1995 | Hail | – | $10K |
| Oct 1, 1995 | Hail | – | $10K |
| May 10, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Norias | $3K |
| May 26, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Norias | $2K |
| Mar 27, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sarita | $1K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 22, 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 1854, 21 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Kenedy County, 16 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Bret (1999), with top winds near 140 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 1999 | Bret | Category 4, 140 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 13, 1880 | Unnamed | Category 4, 135 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 18, 1916 | Unnamed | Category 4, 130 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 5, 1933 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 20, 1967 | Beulah | Category 3, 120 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 10, 1980 | Allen | Category 3, 115 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2023 | Harold | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 13, 2021 | Nicholas | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 25, 2020 | Hanna | Category 1, 90 mph | 49 mi |
| Jul 29, 2011 | Don | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 58 mi |
| Jul 23, 2008 | Dolly | Category 1, 90 mph | 60 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 Kenedy 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 Kenedy 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; 127 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo County | 30 | |
| Kleberg County | 22 | |
| Willacy County | 27 | |
| Brooks County | 21 |
Common questions about Kenedy County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Kenedy County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Kenedy County, about $6.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $573,170.
How many federal disasters has Kenedy County had?
Kenedy County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Kenedy County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 174th 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 Kenedy County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Kenedy 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 Kenedy County had?
NOAA records list 6 tornadoes in Kenedy County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 5, 1965. The weather service has also logged 22 hail reports and 0 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Kenedy County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 21 hurricanes and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Kenedy County, including 9 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Bret (1999), with winds near 140 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.