Leon County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Leon County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 58% of US counties. It ranks 115th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $964 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). Only 34 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 Leon County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 89.6 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 39.4 | $4M | ||
| Drought | 97.7 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 61.1 | $1M | ||
| Hurricane | 74.7 | $717K | ||
| Strong wind | 46.1 | $368K | ||
| Lightning | 65.3 | $313K | ||
| Heat wave | 49.9 | $277K | ||
| Hail | 29.7 | $88K | ||
| Wildfire | 57.5 | $54K | ||
| Ice storm | 42.3 | $45K | ||
| Winter weather | 27.5 | $20K | ||
| Earthquake | 18.7 | $19K | ||
| Landslide | 39.0 | $460 |
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 Leon County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 27
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 272 storm reports in Leon County since 1953, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries and about $9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on February 11, 1984.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 1984 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 1987 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 1953 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 1967 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 11, 1984 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 15, 1987 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 21, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Buffalo | $1M |
| May 2, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Marquez | $500K |
| May 2, 1994 | Tornado | Marquez | $500K |
| Jul 14, 2007 | Flash Flood | Jewett | $350K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 20, 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 1871, 2 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Leon County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with top winds near 85 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 1, 85 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 13, 1897 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 65 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 1, 85 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 65 mi |
| Jul 26, 1959 | Debra | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 4, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 65 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 Leon 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 Leon 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; 9,067 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Brazos County | 17 | |
| Anderson County | 28 | |
| Limestone County | 18 | |
| Houston County | 26 | |
| Freestone County | 17 | |
| Robertson County | 16 | |
| Madison County | 25 |
Common questions about Leon County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Leon County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Leon County, about $5.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Leon County had?
Leon County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Leon County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 115th 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 Leon County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Leon 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 Leon County had?
NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Leon County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on February 11, 1984. The weather service has also logged 88 hail reports and 47 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Leon County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Leon County. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with winds near 85 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.