Terry County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Terry County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 132nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, hail and drought. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,033 per resident. Since 1992 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Only 6 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $84,000 on 13 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Terry County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 88.4 | $4M | ||
| Hail | 97.0 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 94.8 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 11.7 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 54.5 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 60.7 | $534K | ||
| Heat wave | 29.6 | $95K | ||
| Winter weather | 61.8 | $69K | ||
| Lightning | 24.1 | $60K | ||
| Wildfire | 58.7 | $55K | ||
| Ice storm | 30.5 | $24K | ||
| Earthquake | 16.4 | $14K | ||
| Hurricane | 31.3 | $11K | ||
| Landslide | 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 Terry County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
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 344 storm reports in Terry County since 1955 and about $61.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 3, 1981.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 1981 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 20, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 12, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2010 | Hail | Tokio | $15M |
| Oct 21, 2010 | Hail | Brownfield | $15M |
| Jun 11, 1997 | Hail | Needmore | $5M |
| Oct 21, 2010 | Hail | Tokio | $5M |
| Sep 7, 2003 | Hail | Brownfield | $4M |
| Jun 11, 1999 | Hail | Tokio | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 30, 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.
Flood insurance in Terry 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 Terry 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; 4,789 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lubbock County | 18 | |
| Gaines County | 12 | |
| Hockley County | 14 | |
| Dawson County | 14 | |
| Yoakum County | 10 | |
| Lynn County | 16 | |
| Cochran County | 14 |
Common questions about Terry County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Terry County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Terry County, about $4.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $3 million.
How many federal disasters has Terry County had?
Terry County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1992, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Terry County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 132nd 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 Terry County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Terry 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 Terry County had?
NOAA records list 36 tornadoes in Terry County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 3, 1981. The weather service has also logged 204 hail reports and 20 floods here.
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.