Reeves County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Reeves County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 81% of US counties. It ranks 196th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $5.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $372 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 14 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 Reeves 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.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 31.5 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 83.7 | $896K | ||
| Strong wind | 71.7 | $785K | ||
| Tornado | 19.3 | $171K | ||
| Hail | 44.1 | $161K | ||
| Heat wave | 36.1 | $145K | ||
| Cold wave | 16.1 | $126K | ||
| Lightning | 36.9 | $110K | ||
| Ice storm | 59.4 | $101K | ||
| Winter weather | 61.7 | $74K | ||
| Wildfire | 51.1 | $39K | ||
| Earthquake | 25.2 | $35K | ||
| Hurricane | 15.6 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 7.2 | $11 | ||
| Avalanche | 0.9 | $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 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 Reeves County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 11
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 407 storm reports in Reeves County since 1954, with 30 deaths and 143 injuries and about $9.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 22, 1987.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 1987 | F4 | – | 121 / 30 |
| May 17, 1962 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Apr 26, 1974 | F2 | – | 12 / 0 |
| May 23, 2010 | EF2 | Verhalen | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 13, 1954 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 1987 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 4, 2004 | Flash Flood | Toyah | $3M |
| Apr 4, 2004 | Flash Flood | Toyah | $500K |
| Sep 21, 2014 | Flood | Pecos | $500K |
| Sep 23, 2014 | Flood | Orla | $500K |
| Sep 21, 2014 | Flood | Orla | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 25, 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 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Reeves County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1929, with top winds near 55 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 31, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 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 Reeves 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 Reeves 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; 5,167 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eddy County, NM | 9 | |
| Pecos County | 14 | |
| Ward County | 9 | |
| Culberson County | 10 | |
| Jeff Davis County | 16 | |
| Loving County | 9 |
Common questions about Reeves County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Reeves County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Reeves County, about $2.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $895,917.
How many federal disasters has Reeves County had?
Reeves County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in July 2025.
Is Reeves County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 196th 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 Reeves County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Reeves 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 Reeves County had?
NOAA records list 48 tornadoes in Reeves County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 22, 1987. The weather service has also logged 206 hail reports and 55 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Reeves County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Reeves 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.