Mason County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Mason County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 89% of US counties. It ranks 212th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $3.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $840 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 9 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 Mason County
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 25.4 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 79.1 | $578K | ||
| Tornado | 20.6 | $162K | ||
| Hail | 47.7 | $156K | ||
| Lightning | 49.3 | $149K | ||
| Wildfire | 70.1 | $115K | ||
| Strong wind | 11.8 | $59K | ||
| Heat wave | 23.5 | $56K | ||
| Cold wave | 9.9 | $47K | ||
| Hurricane | 41.5 | $22K | ||
| Winter weather | 30.1 | $20K | ||
| Earthquake | 2.6 | $2K | ||
| Ice storm | 1.4 | $375 | ||
| Landslide | 16.9 | $52 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Mason 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 1960
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 243 storm reports in Mason County since 1960, with 2 deaths and 8 injuries and about $16.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 11, 1999 near Loyal Vly.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 1999 | F4 | Loyal Vly | 6 / 1 |
| Mar 2, 1979 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 6, 1965 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 12, 2009 | EF1 | Hedwigs Hill | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2006 | F1 | Loyal Vly | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2018 | Flood | Grit | $9M |
| Jun 22, 1997 | Flash Flood | Mason | $3M |
| Mar 2, 1979 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 11, 1999 | Tornado | Loyal Vly | $1M |
| Nov 6, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mason | $500K |
| Jul 5, 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 4, 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 1851, 1 hurricane and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Mason County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 75 mph about 65 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 27, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 6, 1973 | Delia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 1973 | Delia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 65 mi |
| Jun 27, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 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 Mason 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 Mason 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; 2,430 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gillespie County | 18 | |
| Llano County | 15 | |
| McCulloch County | 17 | |
| San Saba County | 20 | |
| Kimble County | 19 | |
| Menard County | 17 |
Common questions about Mason County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Mason County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Mason County, about $2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $577,574.
How many federal disasters has Mason County had?
Mason County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Mason County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 212th 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 Mason County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Mason 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 Mason County had?
NOAA records list 12 tornadoes in Mason County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 11, 1999 near Loyal Vly. The weather service has also logged 161 hail reports and 28 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Mason County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Mason County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 75 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.