California and Texas compared
Since 1996, NOAA recorded 41,001 storm events in California and 134,373 in Texas; per 1,000 square miles that is 263 against 514. FEMA has declared 397 disasters in California and 392 in Texas since 1953.
Side by side
| Measure | California | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA declarations for natural disasters since 1953 | 389 | 386 |
| Of which major disasters | 111 | 106 |
| Tornadoes since 1950 (SPC) | 486 | 9,617 |
| Storm records since 1996 | 41,001 | 134,373 |
| Storm records per 1,000 sq mi | 263 | 514 |
| Storm deaths since 1996 | 1,316 | 1,992 |
| Storm deaths per million people | 33 | 68 |
| Storm damage since 1996, 2025 dollars | $46.0B | $149.6B |
| FEMA expected annual loss per person | $765 | $424 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2026-06-30; FEMA OpenFEMA; FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025) for population and expected annual loss; land area from the Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. Search the record at NCEI.
Hazard by hazard
| Hazard | California records | Texas records | California deaths | Texas deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 936 | 55,544 | 2 | 7 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1,337 | 36,939 | 23 | 107 |
| Floods | 7,136 | 15,832 | 121 | 595 |
| Drought | 1,870 | 18,588 | 0 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9,795 | 6,566 | 123 | 31 |
| Winter storms | 6,961 | 8,005 | 76 | 195 |
| Heat | 2,691 | 6,648 | 230 | 498 |
| Extreme cold | 1,815 | 2,340 | 64 | 151 |
| Wildfires | 1,592 | 1,491 | 248 | 39 |
| Heavy rain | 2,046 | 844 | 39 | 32 |
| Lightning | 355 | 1,001 | 16 | 82 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 680 | 172 | 194 | 78 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 823 | 3 | 83 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 56 | 576 | 5 | 83 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers, once per state.