Madison County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Madison County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 65% of US counties. It ranks 157th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $9.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $687 per resident. Since 1987 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). Only 30 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $452,000 on 26 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Madison 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 77.2 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 23.8 | $2M | ||
| Hurricane | 79.1 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 55.4 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 79.3 | $740K | ||
| Strong wind | 32.0 | $262K | ||
| Lightning | 57.3 | $254K | ||
| Heat wave | 40.5 | $196K | ||
| Hail | 31.1 | $104K | ||
| Ice storm | 53.3 | $82K | ||
| Wildfire | 47.8 | $35K | ||
| Earthquake | 18.2 | $20K | ||
| Winter weather | 21.3 | $16K | ||
| Landslide | 5.0 | $6 |
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 moderate 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 Madison County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 193 storm reports in Madison County since 1954, with 3 deaths and 10 injuries and about $10 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 15, 1987.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 1987 | F2 | – | 2 / 3 |
| Oct 22, 1954 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 1, 1967 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 21, 2022 | EF1 | Laceola | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 29, 2006 | F1 | North Zulch | 3 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2024 | Flood | North Zulch | $4M |
| Nov 15, 1987 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 21, 2022 | Tornado | Laceola | $1M |
| Dec 29, 2006 | Tornado | North Zulch | $750K |
| Jul 26, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Madisonville | $500K |
| Jan 21, 1998 | Tornado | Madisonville | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 10, 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, 2 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Madison County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with top winds near 100 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 100 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 9, 1900 | Unnamed | Category 1, 95 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Jul 6, 1891 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 53 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 100 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 58 mi |
| Jun 27, 1989 | Allison | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 16, 1970 | Felice | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 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 Madison 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 Madison 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; 5,107 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 | |
| Walker County | 36 | |
| Grimes County | 26 | |
| Houston County | 26 | |
| Robertson County | 16 | |
| Leon County | 27 |
Common questions about Madison County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Madison County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Madison County, about $2.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Madison County had?
Madison County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1987, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Madison County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 157th 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 Madison County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Madison 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 Madison County had?
NOAA records list 17 tornadoes in Madison County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 15, 1987. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 30 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Madison County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Madison County. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with winds near 100 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.