Lamb County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Lamb County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 101st of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are hail, cold waves and drought. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,150 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). 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 Lamb County
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 98.7 | $6M | ||
| Cold wave | 76.7 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 94.9 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 18.6 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 91.1 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 58.7 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 85.8 | $519K | ||
| Winter weather | 76.0 | $118K | ||
| Lightning | 37.1 | $98K | ||
| Heat wave | 29.4 | $88K | ||
| Earthquake | 28.6 | $44K | ||
| Ice storm | 40.5 | $37K | ||
| Hurricane | 43.7 | $28K | ||
| Landslide | 0.3 | $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 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 Lamb 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 534 storm reports in Lamb County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 11 injuries and about $88.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 21, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1957 | F4 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1965 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 1957 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| May 10, 1991 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1961 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2017 | Hail | Sudan | $30M |
| May 30, 2001 | Hail | Sudan | $15M |
| Oct 10, 2007 | Hail | Fieldton | $5M |
| May 30, 2001 | Hail | Littlefield | $3M |
| May 30, 2001 | Hail | Littlefield | $3M |
| Apr 21, 1957 | Tornado | – | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 30, 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 Lamb 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 Lamb 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; 5,885 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lubbock County | 18 | |
| Hale County | 13 | |
| Hockley County | 14 | |
| Parmer County | 13 | |
| Castro County | 12 | |
| Bailey County | 14 | |
| Cochran County | 14 |
Common questions about Lamb County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Lamb County?
Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Lamb County, about $6.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2 million.
How many federal disasters has Lamb County had?
Lamb County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Lamb County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 101st 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 Lamb County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Lamb 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 Lamb County had?
NOAA records list 88 tornadoes in Lamb County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 21, 1957. The weather service has also logged 248 hail reports and 20 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.