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Natural hazard risk in Galveston County, Texas

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

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively High (score 95.3 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$198.0 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1973
29[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$2.47 billion[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
126[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall natural hazard risk in Galveston County as Relatively High, with a score of 95.3 out of 100[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are cold wave, lightning and hurricane[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 estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Galveston County at $198.0 million a year[1]. This is FEMA's estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. By FEMA's sorted Expected Annual Loss values, the largest are inland flooding, cold wave and hurricane, in that order[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability as Relatively Low with a score of 32.4[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience as Very High with a score of 97.7[10]. These ratings compare the county with all other US counties and do not predict next year's losses[7].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
Cold WaveVery High$53.0 million[11]
LightningVery High$2.8 million[12]
HurricaneRelatively High$42.0 million[13]
TornadoRelatively High$19.4 million[14]
DroughtRelatively High$4.0 million[15]
Inland FloodingRelatively High$63.0 million[16]
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$5.0 million[17]
Ice StormRelatively High$1.1 million[18]
Coastal FloodingRelatively High$5.4 million[19]
WildfireRelatively Low$734,000[20]
HailRelatively Low$559,000[21]
EarthquakeVery Low$413,000[22]
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$627,000[23]
LandslideVery Low$121[24]
Winter WeatherVery Low$14,000[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 vulnerabilityRelatively Low32.4[9]
Community resilienceVery High97.7[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk as Relatively High (score 93.6) and coastal flooding risk as Relatively High (score 88.6) compared with other US counties[16][19]. OpenFEMA lists 52,889 residential flood insurance contracts in force, a penetration rate of 42.2%, as of 2026-08-03[27]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, there were 29,025 contracts for 43,982 residential structures, a rate of 66%[27]. OpenFEMA claims data show 60,620 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $2.47 billion in total[3]. To learn the flood zone of an address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[28].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[16] Relatively High, $63.0 million expected loss a year
Coastal Flooding, FEMA risk rating[19] Relatively High, $5.4 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[27] 52,889 of 125,276 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[27] 43,982, of which 29,025 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 60,620 filed, $2.47 billion 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 29 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Galveston County since 1973, and 14 of them were for hurricanes[2]. The most recent is DR-4798-TX, Hurricane Beryl, declared 2024-07-09[29]. NOAA's tornado database records 126 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-12-28[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Galveston County, since 1973
Incident type Declarations
Hurricane[2] 14
Flood[2] 5
Fire[2] 3
Severe Storm[2] 3
Severe Ice Storm[2] 2
Coastal Storm[2] 2
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
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
DR-4572-TX[29] Hurricane Laura 2020-12-09
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

Tornadoes

Before

  • Learn the warning signs: a rotating funnel cloud, an approaching cloud of debris or a loud roar like a freight train.
  • Sign up for community warning systems and learn what your local sirens sound like.
  • Pick a safe spot, such as a safe room built to FEMA criteria or an ICC 500 storm shelter, and practice getting there.
  • Include your pets in the household emergency plan.
  • Keep supplies, food, water and medication in case you have to stay home for a long time.

During

  • Go right away to the safe place you picked in advance.
  • Protect your head and neck with your arms and stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
  • No place in a car is fully safe. If you can get lower than the road, leave the car and lie down there.

Source: Ready.gov, tornadoes

Questions people ask

Is Galveston County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk as Relatively High and coastal flooding risk as Relatively High compared with other US counties[16][19]. FEMA's index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year[7].
Is Galveston County at risk of hurricanes?
FEMA rates hurricane risk as Relatively High, with a score of 97.0[13]. OpenFEMA lists 14 hurricane declarations that include the county since 1973[2].
Is Galveston County at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk as Very Low compared with other US counties[22]. FEMA's Expected Annual Loss for earthquake is $413,000 a year[22].
How many disasters have been declared in Galveston County?
OpenFEMA lists 29 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1973[2].
How do I check my flood zone?
Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[28]. County-level ratings do not give the flood zone of one address[28].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Galveston County is $198.0 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively High, score 95.5). Of this, buildings account for $109.4 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $84.4... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 29 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Galveston County since 1973 (19 major disaster, 10 emergency or fire management). By incident type: hurricane 14, flood 5, fire 3, severe storm 3, severe ice storm 2, coastal storm 2. Biological (such as... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 60,620 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Galveston County, 49,437 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $2.47 billion 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): 126 recorded tornadoes touched Galveston County. The strongest were rated F4 (most recent of them on 1961-09-12). 6 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-12-28. 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 Galveston County is Relatively High, with a Risk Index score of 95.3 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 Galveston County are cold wave (99.3, Very High), lightning (97.3, Very High), hurricane (97.0, Relatively High). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. 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
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Galveston County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($63.0 million a year), cold wave ($53.0 million a year), hurricane ($42.0 million a year), out of $198.0 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Galveston County is Relatively Low (score 32.4). 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 Galveston County is Very High (score 97.7). 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 Galveston County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $53.0 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.42 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), lightning in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 97.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.8 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 69.88 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 97.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $42.0 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.22 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years... FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 96.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $19.4 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.62 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 96.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.0 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 20.87 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 93.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $63.0 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 2.93 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of... FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 93.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $5.0 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 15.27 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record... FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 90.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.1 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.77 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), coastal flooding in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 88.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $5.4 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 3.7608 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 84.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $734,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0044 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 68.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $559,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.74 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 56.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $413,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0005 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 52.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $627,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 1.09 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38... FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 19.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $121 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Galveston County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 15.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $14,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.82 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  26. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Galveston 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): 52,889 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Galveston County, out of 125,276 residential structures, a penetration rate of 42.2%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 43,982 residential structures and 29,025... 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.