Tyler County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Tyler 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 104th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $713 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (Hurricane Beryl). About 1 in 91 homes here carry federal flood insurance (116 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.8 million on 187 claims here, including $1.3 million for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Tyler 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.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 59.1 | $6M | ||
| Hurricane | 88.6 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 70.6 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 67.5 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 85.9 | $491K | ||
| Lightning | 72.1 | $342K | ||
| Heat wave | 57.5 | $334K | ||
| Strong wind | 42.1 | $278K | ||
| Ice storm | 73.4 | $169K | ||
| Hail | 31.8 | $83K | ||
| Earthquake | 29.6 | $46K | ||
| Winter weather | 40.2 | $29K | ||
| Landslide | 44.1 | $567 |
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 Tyler 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 1962
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 298 storm reports in Tyler County since 1962, with 2 deaths and 5 injuries and about $80.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on December 10, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 1983 | F2 | – | 4 / 0 |
| Feb 20, 1967 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 29, 1999 | F2 | Spurger | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1999 | F1 | Warren | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 23, 2004 | F1 | Fred | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2017 | Flash Flood | Chester | $60M |
| Mar 10, 2016 | Flash Flood | Dam Res | $14M |
| Dec 10, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 10, 2016 | Flood | Dam Res | $700K |
| Feb 20, 1967 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Sep 27, 1996 | Flash Flood | Woodville | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Mar 15, 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 1865, 12 hurricanes and 24 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Tyler County, 21 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 115 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 27, 1957 | Audrey | Category 2, 110 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Rita | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 14, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 2, 95 mph | 53 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2024 | Beryl | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Cindy | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 5, 2008 | Edouard | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 13, 2007 | Humberto | Category 1, 85 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 Tyler 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 Tyler 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; 9,518 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 | |
| Hardin County | 29 | |
| Polk County | 27 | |
| Jasper County | 30 |
Common questions about Tyler County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Tyler County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Tyler County, about $5.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $3.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Tyler County had?
Tyler County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl in July 2024.
Is Tyler County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 104th 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 Tyler County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 91 homes in Tyler 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 Tyler County had?
NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Tyler County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on December 10, 1983. The weather service has also logged 102 hail reports and 35 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Tyler County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 12 hurricanes and 24 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Tyler County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with winds near 115 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.