Trinity County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Trinity County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 108th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hurricanes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $953 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). Only 40 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.5 million on 140 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Trinity County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 91.7 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 40.3 | $3M | ||
| Hurricane | 83.7 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 63.4 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 82.9 | $885K | ||
| Lightning | 82.6 | $495K | ||
| Heat wave | 53.4 | $264K | ||
| Ice storm | 66.6 | $110K | ||
| Wildfire | 70.0 | $104K | ||
| Hail | 22.3 | $48K | ||
| Earthquake | 29.1 | $40K | ||
| Winter weather | 32.8 | $20K | ||
| Landslide | 23.9 | $102 |
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 Trinity County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 229 storm reports in Trinity County since 1952, with 4 deaths and 27 injuries and about $12.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on January 19, 1990.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 19, 1990 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 17, 1989 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Jan 1, 1999 | F2 | Trinity | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F2 | – | 13 / 0 |
| Dec 10, 1983 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2024 | Flood | Carlisle | $3M |
| May 17, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jan 19, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Sep 3, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sebastopol | $1M |
| Jan 1, 1999 | Tornado | Trinity | $750K |
| Apr 30, 1954 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 28, 2024. 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 1871, 2 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Trinity County, 13 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with top winds near 100 mph about 55 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 100 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 6, 1891 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 7, 1918 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 52 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 100 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 5, 2008 | Edouard | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 16, 1989 | Jerry | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 1, 1989 | Chantal | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 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 Trinity 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 Trinity 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; 8,326 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Angelina County | 20 | |
| Walker County | 36 | |
| Polk County | 27 | |
| San Jacinto County | 30 | |
| Houston County | 26 |
Common questions about Trinity County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Trinity County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Trinity County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Trinity County had?
Trinity County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Trinity County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 108th 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 Trinity County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Trinity 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 Trinity County had?
NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Trinity County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on January 19, 1990. The weather service has also logged 55 hail reports and 42 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Trinity County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 25 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Trinity County. The strongest was Hurricane Ike (2008), with winds near 100 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.