Wilson County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Wilson County, Texas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 76% of US counties. It ranks 67th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. FEMA estimates about $32 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $643 per resident. Since 1993 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2026 (flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (173 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.0 million on 71 claims here, including $967,000 for floods in 1998.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Wilson 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.
- 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 84.4 | $23M | ||
| Tornado | 78.0 | $3M | ||
| Hail | 88.3 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 87.6 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 73.9 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 43.0 | $675K | ||
| Strong wind | 48.8 | $488K | ||
| Lightning | 66.6 | $399K | ||
| Hurricane | 63.8 | $286K | ||
| Wildfire | 71.7 | $180K | ||
| Winter weather | 54.4 | $68K | ||
| Ice storm | 32.8 | $35K | ||
| Earthquake | 15.3 | $15K | ||
| Landslide | 12.8 | $40 |
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 moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Wilson County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1965
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 242 storm reports in Wilson County since 1965, with 0 deaths and 125 injuries and about $43.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on October 30, 2015 near Floresville.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 2015 | EF2 | Floresville | 0 / 0 |
| May 18, 1965 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 19, 2000 | F1 | La Vernia | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 3, 2003 | F1 | Saspamco | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 26, 2020 | EF0 | Sutherland Spgs | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $35M |
| Aug 30, 2001 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $2M |
| Oct 30, 2015 | Tornado | Floresville | $2M |
| Sep 10, 2020 | Flash Flood | Poth | $1M |
| Jul 20, 2007 | Flash Flood | Floresville | $500K |
| May 20, 2001 | Hail | Stockdale | $350K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 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 1851, 8 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Wilson County, 9 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with top winds near 125 mph about 60 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 3, 125 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 1942 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Carla | Category 1, 90 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 17, 1875 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2017 | Harvey | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 7, 2010 | Hermine | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 11, 1998 | Frances | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 4, 1970 | Celia | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 24, 1968 | Candy | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 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 Wilson 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 Wilson 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; 19,480 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bexar County | 30 | |
| Guadalupe County | 21 | |
| Atascosa County | 19 | |
| Gonzales County | 20 | |
| Karnes County | 14 |
Common questions about Wilson County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Wilson County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Wilson County, about $22.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Wilson County had?
Wilson County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1993, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2026.
Is Wilson County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 67th 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 Wilson County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Wilson 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 Wilson County had?
NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Wilson County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on October 30, 2015 near Floresville. The weather service has also logged 93 hail reports and 71 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Wilson County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 8 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Wilson County, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1886, with winds near 125 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.