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Natural hazard risk in Cameron County, Texas

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively High (score 97.2 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$165.1 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1967
31[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$184.7 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
66[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index gives Cameron County an overall Risk Index rating of Relatively High[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores in this county are cold wave, hurricane and heat wave[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA rates overall natural hazard risk in Cameron County Relatively High compared with other US counties[5]. FEMA lists $165.1 million a year in Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards[1]. The largest parts come from hurricane at $84.1 million a year, cold wave at $32.6 million a year and inland flooding at $32.4 million a year[7]. Expected Annual Loss is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid, and FEMA says the index does not predict next year's losses[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Very High, meaning social groups are more susceptible to harm from natural hazards[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience Very Low, which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
Cold WaveVery High$32.6 million[11]
HurricaneVery High$84.1 million[12]
Heat WaveRelatively High$6.1 million[13]
HailRelatively High$2.3 million[14]
Ice StormRelatively High$916,000[15]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$32.4 million[16]
Strong WindRelatively High$1.1 million[17]
Winter WeatherRelatively High$177,000[18]
TornadoRelatively Moderate$3.2 million[19]
WildfireRelatively Low$379,000[20]
DroughtRelatively Moderate$678,000[21]
LightningRelatively High$491,000[22]
Coastal FloodingRelatively Moderate$547,000[23]
EarthquakeVery Low$170,000[24]
LandslideVery Low$330[25]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, volcanic activity[26].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityVery High91.6[9]
Community resilienceVery Low6.2[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate and coastal flooding risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[16][23]. OpenFEMA lists 12,201 residential flood insurance contracts in force, a penetration rate of 9.7% of residential structures[27]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 36.7% of homes are insured[27]. OpenFEMA data show 7,061 NFIP claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $184.7 million in total[3]. For the flood zone of a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[28].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[16] Relatively Moderate, $32.4 million expected loss a year
Coastal Flooding, FEMA risk rating[23] Relatively Moderate, $547,000 expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[27] 12,201 of 125,340 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[27] 11,871, of which 4,354 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 7,061 filed, $184.7 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[28]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 31 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Cameron County since 1967, and 16 of them were for hurricanes[2]. The most recent listed is DR-4871-TX, Severe Storms And Flooding, declared 2025-05-21[29]. NOAA's tornado database records 66 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The most recent was on 2024-07-08[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Cameron County, since 1967
Incident type Declarations
Hurricane[2] 16
Flood[2] 5
Severe Storm[2] 4
Fire[2] 2
Freezing[2] 2
Severe Ice Storm[2] 2
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4871-TX[29] Severe Storms And Flooding 2025-05-21
DR-4798-TX[29] Hurricane Beryl 2024-07-09
DR-4586-TX[29] Severe Winter Storms 2021-02-19
EM-3554-TX[29] Severe Winter Storm 2021-02-14
EM-3540-TX[29] Tropical Storms Marco And Laura 2020-08-24

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Hurricanes

Before

  • Know your hurricane risk, including rain, wind and tornadoes far inland from landfall.
  • Learn your evacuation zone and routes, and practice them with your household and pets.
  • Keep insurance policies and ID current, with password-protected digital copies.
  • Clear drains and gutters, bring in outdoor furniture and consider hurricane shutters.
  • Keep your phone charged, buy backup chargers and gather supplies, including medication and pet supplies.

During

  • If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone and officials order an evacuation, leave right away.
  • For high winds, take shelter in a designated storm shelter or an interior room.
  • If you are trapped by flooding, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, hurricanes

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Questions people ask

Is Cameron County, Texas at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding Relatively Moderate and coastal flooding Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[16][23]. County ratings do not show the flood zone of one address, so check FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[28].
Is Cameron County at risk of hurricanes?
FEMA rates hurricane risk Very High compared with other US counties, with Expected Annual Loss of $84.1 million a year[12]. OpenFEMA lists 16 hurricane declarations that include the county since 1967[2].
Does Cameron County have tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 66 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[19].
How many disasters have been declared in Cameron County?
OpenFEMA lists 31 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Cameron County since 1967[2].
Is Cameron County at risk of earthquakes or wildfire?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Very Low and wildfire risk Relatively Low compared with other US counties[24][20].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Cameron County is $165.1 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Moderate, score 94.7). Of this, buildings account for $111.1 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 31 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Cameron County since 1967 (21 major disaster, 10 emergency or fire management). By incident type: hurricane 16, flood 5, severe storm 4, fire 2, freezing 2, severe ice storm 2. Biological (such as... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 7,061 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Cameron County, 5,193 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $184.7 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 66 recorded tornadoes touched Cameron County. The strongest were rated F3 (most recent of them on 1969-05-12). 2 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-07-08. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Cameron County is Relatively High, with a Risk Index score of 97.2 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Cameron County are cold wave (99.4, Very High), hurricane (99.0, Very High), heat wave (97.2, Relatively High). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's scores... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Cameron County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are hurricane ($84.1 million a year), cold wave ($32.6 million a year), inland flooding ($32.4 million a year), out of $165.1 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  8. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Cameron County is Very High (score 91.6). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Cameron County is Very Low (score 6.2). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $32.6 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 3.06 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $84.1 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.16 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the... FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 97.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $6.1 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 7.5 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 96.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.3 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.33 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 94.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $916,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.16 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 92.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $32.4 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 2.5 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of... FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 87.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.1 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.43 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 85.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $177,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.57 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 85.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3.2 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 0.18 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 83.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $379,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0015 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 83.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $678,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 49.91 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 82.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $491,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 34.09 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), coastal flooding in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 67.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $547,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 3.6505 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 50.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $170,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0002 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Cameron County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 37.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $330 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  26. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Cameron County: avalanche, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  27. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 12,201 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Cameron County, out of 125,340 residential structures, a penetration rate of 9.7%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 11,871 residential structures and 4,354... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  28. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  29. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.