Limestone County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Limestone County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 110th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $591 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (60 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.8 million on 291 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Limestone 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 91.4 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 49.6 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 63.4 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 84.8 | $764K | ||
| Hurricane | 72.9 | $489K | ||
| Heat wave | 57.5 | $328K | ||
| Hail | 65.5 | $289K | ||
| Strong wind | 40.8 | $266K | ||
| Lightning | 64.1 | $248K | ||
| Wildfire | 73.2 | $140K | ||
| Ice storm | 60.8 | $88K | ||
| Earthquake | 29.9 | $47K | ||
| Winter weather | 31.3 | $20K | ||
| Landslide | 22.3 | $92 |
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 Limestone County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 417 storm reports in Limestone County since 1950, with 2 deaths and 35 injuries and about $33.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 10, 1973.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 1973 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 1990 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 29, 2006 | F2 | Kosse | 20 / 1 |
| Apr 27, 1990 | F2 | – | 8 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 1973 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 1990 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 27, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Dec 29, 2006 | Tornado | Kosse | $1M |
| Apr 28, 2009 | Flash Flood | Kosse | $1M |
| Jan 16, 2017 | Tornado | Tehuacana | $300K |
| Jun 3, 1973 | Tornado | – | $250K |
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, 1 hurricane and 11 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Limestone County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1900, with top winds near 80 mph about 52 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 13, 1897 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 23, 1921 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 53 mi |
| Aug 18, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Jun 4, 1871 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 28, 1945 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 28, 1943 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 22, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 63 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 Limestone 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 Limestone 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; 10,443 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 |
|---|---|---|
| McLennan County | 20 | |
| Navarro County | 24 | |
| Hill County | 23 | |
| Freestone County | 17 | |
| Falls County | 14 | |
| Robertson County | 16 | |
| Leon County | 27 |
Common questions about Limestone County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Limestone County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Limestone County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $4.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Limestone County had?
Limestone County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Limestone County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 110th 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 Limestone County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Limestone 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 Limestone County had?
NOAA records list 31 tornadoes in Limestone County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 10, 1973. The weather service has also logged 133 hail reports and 100 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Limestone County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 11 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Limestone County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1900, with winds near 80 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.