Uvalde County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Uvalde County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 82nd of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $832 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 50 homes here carry federal flood insurance (214 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.7 million on 130 claims here, including $3.7 million for floods in 2026.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Uvalde 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.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 82.3 | $16M | ||
| Drought | 90.1 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 81.9 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 50.9 | $909K | ||
| Hail | 69.8 | $392K | ||
| Cold wave | 31.4 | $321K | ||
| Lightning | 63.9 | $278K | ||
| Strong wind | 27.7 | $190K | ||
| Hurricane | 62.4 | $189K | ||
| Wildfire | 73.2 | $159K | ||
| Winter weather | 56.7 | $58K | ||
| Ice storm | 24.4 | $16K | ||
| Earthquake | 15.6 | $13K | ||
| Landslide | 34.0 | $298 |
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 Uvalde County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 421 storm reports in Uvalde County since 1959, with 4 deaths and 71 injuries and about $10.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on March 19, 2006 near Uvalde.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2006 | F2 | Uvalde | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 15, 1996 | F2 | Utopia | 1 / 0 |
| May 1, 1959 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 19, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 27, 1999 | F1 | Concan | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 2026 | Flash Flood | Blewitt | $3M |
| Mar 19, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Uvalde | $2M |
| Mar 19, 2006 | Tornado | Uvalde | $2M |
| Jun 22, 1997 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $1M |
| Mar 19, 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $350K |
| Mar 19, 2002 | Hail | Uvalde | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 16, 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 1851, 1 hurricane and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Uvalde County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with top winds near 75 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 1, 75 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 mi |
| Jun 26, 1851 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 1, 75 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 26, 1954 | Alice | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 58 mi |
| Jun 29, 1929 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 63 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 Uvalde 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 Uvalde 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; 10,095 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Maverick County | 14 | |
| Medina County | 18 | |
| Bandera County | 16 | |
| Frio County | 17 | |
| Zavala County | 18 | |
| Kinney County | 14 | |
| Real County | 18 | |
| Edwards County | 18 |
Common questions about Uvalde County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Uvalde County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Uvalde County, about $15.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Uvalde County had?
Uvalde County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Uvalde County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 82nd 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 Uvalde County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 50 homes in Uvalde 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 Uvalde County had?
NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Uvalde County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on March 19, 2006 near Uvalde. The weather service has also logged 170 hail reports and 151 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Uvalde County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Uvalde County. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with winds near 75 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.