Wilbarger County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Wilbarger County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 54% of US counties. It ranks 139th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $822 per resident. Since 1979 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). Only 13 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $187,000 on 10 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Wilbarger County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 99.0 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 61.9 | $1M | ||
| Inland flooding | 13.5 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 74.6 | $800K | ||
| Heat wave | 67.4 | $587K | ||
| Hail | 77.5 | $560K | ||
| Cold wave | 23.7 | $213K | ||
| Ice storm | 66.2 | $131K | ||
| Wildfire | 63.5 | $79K | ||
| Earthquake | 34.7 | $78K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.4 | $31K | ||
| Lightning | 5.8 | $13K | ||
| Hurricane | 29.3 | $10K | ||
| Landslide | 21.7 | $101 |
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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Wilbarger County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 15
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 595 storm reports in Wilbarger County since 1954, with 14 deaths and 105 injuries and about $35.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 10, 1979.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 1979 | F4 | – | 67 / 11 |
| May 1, 1954 | F4 | – | 2 / 0 |
| May 4, 2022 | EF3 | Lockett | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1968 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 16, 1982 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 1979 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Sep 15, 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Vernon | $5M |
| Jun 7, 1992 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 2, 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Vernon | $1M |
| May 1, 1954 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 20, 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Harrold | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 31, 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 Wilbarger 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 Wilbarger 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; 5,845 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita County | 22 | |
| Jackson County, OK | 28 | |
| Archer County | 19 | |
| Tillman County, OK | 34 | |
| Hardeman County | 14 | |
| Baylor County | 17 | |
| Foard County | 15 |
Common questions about Wilbarger County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Wilbarger County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Wilbarger County, about $5.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Wilbarger County had?
Wilbarger County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1979, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Wilbarger County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 139th 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 Wilbarger County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Wilbarger 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 Wilbarger County had?
NOAA records list 58 tornadoes in Wilbarger County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 10, 1979. The weather service has also logged 318 hail reports and 17 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.