Red River County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Red River County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 65% of US counties. It ranks 92nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are ice storms, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,352 per resident. Since 1966 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (18 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). 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 Red River County
- Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
- Plan for several days without power.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice storm | 100.0 | $11M | ||
| Tornado | 72.7 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 11.7 | $962K | ||
| Drought | 78.1 | $531K | ||
| Cold wave | 39.2 | $411K | ||
| Heat wave | 57.7 | $341K | ||
| Hail | 59.8 | $243K | ||
| Strong wind | 36.6 | $238K | ||
| Earthquake | 37.4 | $83K | ||
| Lightning | 34.2 | $82K | ||
| Wildfire | 59.5 | $52K | ||
| Hurricane | 46.7 | $34K | ||
| Winter weather | 24.5 | $15K | ||
| Landslide | 8.4 | $12 |
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 low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Red River County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 24
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 463 storm reports in Red River County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 14 injuries and about $36.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1982.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1982 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 4, 2022 | EF4 | Rugby | 7 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 27, 1969 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F3 | Avery | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1982 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| May 24, 2022 | Tornado | Detroit | $5M |
| Nov 4, 2022 | Tornado | Rugby | $2M |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Tornado | Rosalie | $850K |
| May 4, 1999 | Tornado | Clarksville | $600K |
| Mar 8, 2011 | Tornado | Bagwell | $400K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 23, 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 1902, 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Red River County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 45 mph about 50 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 50 mi |
| Aug 7, 1918 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 48 mi |
| Sep 20, 1947 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 28, 1902 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 50 mi |
| Sep 20, 1947 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 7, 1918 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 48 mi |
| Jun 28, 1902 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 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 Red River 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 Red River 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; 6,194 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bowie County | 24 | |
| Lamar County | 22 | |
| Titus County | 19 | |
| McCurtain County, OK | 20 | |
| Choctaw County, OK | 20 | |
| Morris County | 16 | |
| Franklin County | 17 | |
| Delta County | 16 |
Common questions about Red River County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Red River County?
Ice storm has the highest expected yearly losses in Red River County, about $10.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Red River County had?
Red River County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1966, including 18 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Red River County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 92nd 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 Red River 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 Red River County had?
NOAA records list 40 tornadoes in Red River County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1982. The weather service has also logged 181 hail reports and 59 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Red River County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Red River County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with winds near 45 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.