San Jacinto County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 61.0 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 90.0 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 55.2 | $798K | ||
| Hurricane | 74.5 | $640K | ||
| Lightning | 74.2 | $400K | ||
| Heat wave | 57.3 | $358K | ||
| Strong wind | 42.7 | $306K | ||
| Wildfire | 68.4 | $107K | ||
| Ice storm | 58.5 | $86K | ||
| Hail | 29.4 | $79K | ||
| Earthquake | 20.1 | $20K | ||
| Winter weather | 6.2 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 31.8 | $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
Most recent
Show all 30
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 16, 2001 | F2 | Pointblank | 2 / 0 |
| Oct 23, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 29, 2006 | F2 | Coldspring | 4 / 0 |
| Dec 10, 1983 | F1 | – | 3 / 1 |
| Feb 9, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2017 | Flash Flood | Liberty Hill | $350M |
| Feb 10, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Coldspring | $4M |
| Dec 16, 2001 | Tornado | Pointblank | $3M |
| Dec 17, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Coldspring | $500K |
| Dec 10, 1983 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Oct 23, 1975 | Tornado | – | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 105 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 18, 1983 | Alicia | Category 1, 90 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 27, 1943 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 4, 1949 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 13, 1897 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 53 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 105 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 5, 2008 | Edouard | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Category 1, 75 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 16, 1989 | Jerry | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 36 | |
| Liberty County | 36 | |
| Walker County | 36 | |
| Polk County | 27 | |
| Trinity County | 25 |
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.