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San Jacinto County, Texas

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
112th of 254highest risk in Texas
$14Mexpected losses a year
30federal declarations
1 in 43homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

San Jacinto County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 112th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $517 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in March 2025 (Pauline Road Fire). About 1 in 43 homes here carry federal flood insurance (379 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $10 million on 491 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in San Jacinto County

$6.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
$798,013 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow61.0
$6M
TornadoModerate90.0
$5M
Cold waveLow55.2
$798K
HurricaneLow74.5
$640K
LightningModerate74.2
$400K
Heat waveLow57.3
$358K
Strong windLow42.7
$306K
WildfireLow68.4
$107K
Ice stormLow58.5
$86K
HailVery Low29.4
$79K
EarthquakeVery Low20.1
$20K
Winter weatherVery Low6.2
$3K
LandslideVery Low31.8
$245

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 San Jacinto County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane10
Flood9
Severe Storm5
Fire3
Severe Ice Storm2
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Mar 20, 2025Pauline Road FireFire management
Jul 9, 2024Hurricane BerylMajor disaster
May 17, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 19, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 14, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Aug 24, 2020Tropical Storms Marco and LauraEmergency
Oct 4, 2019Tropical Storm ImeldaMajor disaster
Aug 25, 2017Hurricane HarveyMajor disaster
Jun 11, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 25, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 30
May 29, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2008Hurricane IkeMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2008Hurricane IkeEmergency
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Jan 11, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Nov 5, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 9, 2001Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001Major disaster
Sep 1, 1999Extreme Fire HazardsEmergency
Oct 21, 1998Tx-Flooding 10/18/98Major disaster
Aug 26, 1998Tropical Storm CharleyMajor disaster
Oct 18, 1994Severe Thunderstorms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 26, 1991Severe ThunderstormsMajor disaster
May 2, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 18, 1989Tropical Storm AllisonMajor disaster
May 19, 1989Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 19, 1983Hurricane AliciaMajor disaster
Jul 11, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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 217 storm reports in San Jacinto County since 1960, with 7 deaths and 10 injuries and about $360 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on December 16, 2001 near Pointblank.

19tornadoes
61hail reports, largest 3 inches
88damaging thunderstorm winds
48floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 16, 2001F2Pointblank2 / 0
Oct 23, 1975F2–0 / 0
Apr 29, 2006F2Coldspring4 / 0
Dec 10, 1983F1–3 / 1
Feb 9, 1983F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 26, 2017Flash FloodLiberty Hill$350M
Feb 10, 1998Thunderstorm WindColdspring$4M
Dec 16, 2001TornadoPointblank$3M
Dec 17, 1995Thunderstorm WindColdspring$500K
Dec 10, 1983Tornado–$250K
Oct 23, 1975Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 8, 2025. 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 1854, 9 hurricanes and 24 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of San Jacinto County, 16 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with top winds near 105 mph about 55 miles away.

9hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
24tropical storms
2024most recent: Beryl

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 13, 2008IkeCategory 2, 105 mph55 mi
Aug 23, 1879UnnamedCategory 2, 95 mph63 mi
Aug 18, 1983AliciaCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi
Jul 27, 1943UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph63 mi
Oct 4, 1949UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph57 mi
Sep 13, 1897UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph53 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 8, 2024BerylTropical storm, 70 mph55 mi
Sep 13, 2008IkeCategory 2, 105 mph55 mi
Aug 5, 2008EdouardTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaCategory 1, 75 mph63 mi
Oct 16, 1989JerryTropical storm, 65 mph55 mi
Aug 1, 1989ChantalTropical storm, 70 mph61 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 San Jacinto County

Check your address flood zone ›
2.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (379 policies)
15.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$10.2 millionpaid on 491 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $2.9 million paid

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 San Jacinto County

$209,300median home value (Texas $283,800, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Texas 1992, US 1980)
32%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
22.8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 15,011 housing units.

Compare in Texas

All 254 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Harris CountyVery HighInland flooding
Dallas CountyVery HighInland flooding
Tarrant CountyHighInland flooding
Bexar CountyHighInland flooding
Travis CountyHighInland flooding
Collin CountyHighTornado
Denton CountyHighTornado
Hidalgo CountyHighHurricane

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Montgomery CountyHigh36
Liberty CountyLow36
Walker CountyLow36
Polk CountyLow27
Trinity CountyLow25

Common questions about San Jacinto County

What is the biggest natural hazard in San Jacinto County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in San Jacinto County, about $6.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.9 million.

How many federal disasters has San Jacinto County had?

San Jacinto County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Pauline Road Fire in March 2025.

Is San Jacinto County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 112th 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 San Jacinto County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 43 homes in San Jacinto 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 San Jacinto County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in San Jacinto County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on December 16, 2001 near Pointblank. The weather service has also logged 61 hail reports and 48 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit San Jacinto County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 9 hurricanes and 24 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of San Jacinto County. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with winds near 105 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.