Pecos County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Pecos County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 75% of US counties. It ranks 182nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and hail. FEMA estimates about $5.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $378 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (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 Pecos 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 23.5 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 94.5 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 78.8 | $557K | ||
| Heat wave | 60.6 | $404K | ||
| Lightning | 68.7 | $319K | ||
| Strong wind | 41.9 | $292K | ||
| Tornado | 26.1 | $265K | ||
| Cold wave | 19.0 | $138K | ||
| Wildfire | 64.8 | $81K | ||
| Ice storm | 56.1 | $75K | ||
| Winter weather | 58.7 | $59K | ||
| Earthquake | 20.7 | $21K | ||
| Hurricane | 30.5 | $10K | ||
| Landslide | 16.5 | $51 | ||
| Avalanche | 2.8 | $1 |
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 Pecos County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
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 990 storm reports in Pecos County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 27 injuries and about $52.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 1, 1990.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1990 | F4 | – | 21 / 2 |
| May 4, 1961 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 15, 1990 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1960 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 1990 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 24, 1994 | Hail | Iraan | $5M |
| Apr 4, 2004 | Hail | Ft Stockton | $3M |
| May 10, 2002 | Hail | Coyanosa | $3M |
| Apr 15, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 23, 1995 | Hail | Fort Stockton | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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 1929, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pecos County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with top winds near 55 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 31, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 31, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 65 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 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 Pecos 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 Pecos 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; 5,897 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Reeves County | 11 | |
| Ward County | 9 | |
| Brewster County | 12 | |
| Crane County | 10 | |
| Crockett County | 14 | |
| Jeff Davis County | 16 | |
| Terrell County | 14 |
Common questions about Pecos County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Pecos County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pecos County, about $1.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Pecos County had?
Pecos County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.
Is Pecos County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 182nd 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 Pecos County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Pecos 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 Pecos County had?
NOAA records list 99 tornadoes in Pecos County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 1, 1990. The weather service has also logged 589 hail reports and 123 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Pecos County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Pecos County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with winds near 55 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.