Texas and Florida compared
Since 1996, NOAA recorded 134,373 storm events in Texas and 34,945 in Florida; per 1,000 square miles that is 514 against 651. FEMA has declared 392 disasters in Texas and 188 in Florida since 1953.
Side by side
| Measure | Texas | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA declarations for natural disasters since 1953 | 386 | 181 |
| Of which major disasters | 106 | 83 |
| Tornadoes since 1950 (SPC) | 9,617 | 3,762 |
| Storm records since 1996 | 134,373 | 34,945 |
| Storm records per 1,000 sq mi | 514 | 651 |
| Storm deaths since 1996 | 1,992 | 1,305 |
| Storm deaths per million people | 68 | 61 |
| Storm damage since 1996, 2025 dollars | $149.6B | $104.1B |
| FEMA expected annual loss per person | $424 | $409 |
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 | Texas records | Florida records | Texas deaths | Florida deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 55,544 | 5,668 | 7 | 0 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 36,939 | 15,159 | 107 | 40 |
| Drought | 18,588 | 1,514 | 0 | 0 |
| Floods | 15,832 | 3,375 | 595 | 22 |
| Winter storms | 8,005 | 156 | 195 | 0 |
| Heat | 6,648 | 294 | 498 | 15 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6,566 | 315 | 31 | 18 |
| Extreme cold | 2,340 | 1,120 | 151 | 8 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 576 | 2,247 | 83 | 352 |
| Lightning | 1,001 | 1,777 | 82 | 178 |
| Heavy rain | 844 | 1,794 | 32 | 5 |
| Wildfires | 1,491 | 488 | 39 | 15 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 172 | 850 | 78 | 547 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers, once per state.