Webb County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Webb County, Texas has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 89% of US counties. It ranks 25th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $46 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $174 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (484 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.8 million on 269 claims here, including $3.4 million for floods in 2010.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Webb 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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 | 91.0 | $25M | ||
| Cold wave | 96.1 | $8M | ||
| Heat wave | 97.4 | $7M | ||
| Hurricane | 85.7 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 76.9 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 89.6 | $984K | ||
| Strong wind | 55.5 | $379K | ||
| Lightning | 55.8 | $168K | ||
| Earthquake | 44.2 | $117K | ||
| Winter weather | 77.8 | $109K | ||
| Ice storm | 66.3 | $106K | ||
| Wildfire | 63.8 | $66K | ||
| Drought | 38.3 | $33K | ||
| Landslide | 57.0 | $1K |
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 Webb County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 414 storm reports in Webb County since 1956, with 3 deaths and 0 injuries and about $69.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 25, 1959.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 1959 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 29, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 14, 1983 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 10, 1962 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Laredo | $33M |
| May 21, 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Laredo Intl Arp | $20M |
| Jul 8, 2010 | Flood | Laredo Intl Arp | $5M |
| Jul 27, 2012 | Flash Flood | Lake Casa Blanca | $2M |
| May 14, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Laredo Intl Arpt | $2M |
| Jun 17, 2007 | Flash Flood | Laredo | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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, 4 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Webb County, 9 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with top winds near 90 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 1, 90 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 10, 1980 | Allen | Category 1, 85 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 19, 1916 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 49 mi |
| Sep 15, 1919 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 54 mi |
| Aug 13, 1880 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 21, 1967 | Beulah | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2023 | Harold | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 53 mi |
| Jul 24, 2008 | Dolly | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 16, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 23, 1999 | Bret | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 10, 1980 | Allen | Category 1, 85 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 12, 1971 | Fern | Tropical storm, 40 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 Webb 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 Webb 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; 88,176 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 | |
| Zapata County | 13 | |
| Duval County | 19 | |
| Dimmit County | 17 | |
| La Salle County | 17 | |
| Jim Hogg County | 21 | |
| McMullen County | 15 |
Cities in Webb County
Common questions about Webb County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Webb County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Webb County, about $25.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $7.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Webb County had?
Webb County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.
Is Webb County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 25th 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 Webb County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Webb 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 Webb County had?
NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Webb County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 25, 1959. The weather service has also logged 158 hail reports and 116 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Webb County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 4 hurricanes and 15 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Webb County. The strongest was Hurricane Celia (1970), with winds near 90 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.