Winkler County, Texas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Winkler County, Texas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 96% of US counties. It ranks 234th of 254 counties in Texas. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $2.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $306 per resident. Since 1998 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2021 (severe winter storms). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Winkler County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 79.5 | $743K | ||
| Inland flooding | 4.6 | $552K | ||
| Hail | 52.9 | $244K | ||
| Strong wind | 26.0 | $205K | ||
| Tornado | 18.8 | $178K | ||
| Cold wave | 18.2 | $160K | ||
| Heat wave | 29.3 | $106K | ||
| Lightning | 21.0 | $60K | ||
| Wildfire | 57.3 | $60K | ||
| Winter weather | 39.9 | $38K | ||
| Ice storm | 23.6 | $18K | ||
| Earthquake | 16.2 | $16K | ||
| Hurricane | 11.2 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 0.6 | $0 |
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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Winkler County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Texas also had 106 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 223 storm reports in Winkler County since 1955 and about $692,250 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 30, 1955.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 1955 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 7, 1958 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 15, 1995 | F1 | Kermit | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 10, 1965 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 16, 1969 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 6, 2004 | Hail | Wink | $275K |
| Jun 26, 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Winkler Co Arpt | $100K |
| Jun 14, 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Kermit Robinson Arpt | $50K |
| Jun 3, 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wink | $35K |
| Aug 6, 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wink | $30K |
| May 30, 1955 | Tornado | – | $25K |
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 1942, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Winkler County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1942, with top winds near 45 mph about 60 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 1942 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 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 Winkler 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 Winkler 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; 3,227 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ector County | 13 | |
| Lea County, NM | 5 | |
| Andrews County | 12 | |
| Ward County | 9 | |
| Loving County | 9 |
Common questions about Winkler County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Winkler County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Winkler County, about $743,134 a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $551,796.
How many federal disasters has Winkler County had?
Winkler County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1998, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms in February 2021.
Is Winkler County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 234th 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 Winkler County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Winkler County had?
NOAA records list 11 tornadoes in Winkler County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 30, 1955. The weather service has also logged 114 hail reports and 21 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Winkler County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Winkler County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1942, with winds near 45 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.