Parmer County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Parmer County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 82% of US counties. It ranks 45th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $48 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $4,863 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Parmer County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 99.7 | $43M | ||
| Hail | 86.6 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 42.0 | $978K | ||
| Cold wave | 48.4 | $929K | ||
| Inland flooding | 5.3 | $787K | ||
| Strong wind | 38.7 | $416K | ||
| Winter weather | 72.3 | $150K | ||
| Wildfire | 67.2 | $146K | ||
| Heat wave | 20.0 | $64K | ||
| Earthquake | 24.0 | $42K | ||
| Lightning | 11.9 | $42K | ||
| Hurricane | 41.0 | $33K | ||
| Ice storm | 14.3 | $9K | ||
| Landslide | 0.2 | $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 relatively low 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 Parmer County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 384 storm reports in Parmer County since 1955, with 1 death and 20 injuries and about $40 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 17, 1970.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1970 | F4 | – | 3 / 1 |
| Jun 1, 1995 | F3 | Friona | 12 / 0 |
| Oct 11, 1960 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 27, 1992 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 17, 1980 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1995 | Tornado | Friona | $24M |
| Apr 17, 1970 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 27, 1992 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Sep 22, 2017 | Hail | Bovina | $2M |
| Jun 3, 2003 | Hail | Friona | $1M |
| Jul 3, 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Friona Benger Arpk | $550K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 31, 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 Parmer 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 Parmer 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; 3,745 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Curry County, NM | 4 | |
| Deaf Smith County | 13 | |
| Lamb County | 14 | |
| Castro County | 12 | |
| Bailey County | 14 |
Common questions about Parmer County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Parmer County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Parmer County, about $43 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Parmer County had?
Parmer County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Parmer County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 45th 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 Parmer County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Parmer County had?
NOAA records list 50 tornadoes in Parmer County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 17, 1970. The weather service has also logged 196 hail reports and 15 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.