FEMA Records
34
Very high volume
Texas · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Cameron County, TX
34 FEMA disaster declarations (1967-2025), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively High. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 34
- FEMA declarations
- 22
- Major disasters
- 97
- NRI risk · Relatively High
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Cameron County. Its 34 FEMA declarations are 63% above the Texas county mean and exceed the count for 92% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it in the riskiest 3%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Riskiest 3%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively High
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 34
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 7,061
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 48061 · Cameron County 34 declarations · rank 239/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-MID · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-HIGH · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-HIGH
- DECL-HEAVY 34
- MAJOR-MID 65%
- RANK-UPPER #239
- PHOTO-FINISH Sumter
- NRI-HIGH 97
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Hurricane
- VS-ST-HIGH +63%
Nearest declaration peer: Sumter, FL (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Texas state profile
Cameron County among high-volume declaration counties
FEMA declaration records among Cameron County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Cameron · this county 34
Cameron · this county
34 declarations
- Casey · near 34
Casey · near
34 declarations
- Morgan · near 34
Morgan · near
34 declarations
- Sumter · near 34
Sumter · near
34 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Cameron County carries 34 FEMA declaration records, ranked 239 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Where Cameron County ranks in the national declaration registry
Cameron County vs. high-volume counties in this registry
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Cameron County
34 Top 8% higher than 92% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Cameron County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Cameron County is led by Hurricane (about $84.1M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Cold Wave carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Cameron County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 7,061 claims and $184.5M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $26.1K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Cameron County's 34 federal records stand 63% above the Texas county mean of 20.9. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county sits among the highest-risk counties nationally on FEMA's National Risk Index, a composite score of 97.3/100 (Relatively High). Expected Annual Loss is rated Relatively Moderate (roughly $165.1M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability reads Very High and community resilience Very Low, both critical modifiers of realized harm here. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Cold Wave stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Very High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 3.1 times per year here, based on 44 historical events on record.
81 /100
Historical Activity Index
Very High historical activity
Cameron County, TX · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Very High
25/30
34 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.6x national county average)
County Disaster Density Very High
20/25
34 declarations (1.6x state county average of 21)
Major Disaster Share High
16/25
22 of 34 declarations are major disasters (65%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
20/20
8 different disaster types declared in Cameron County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Cameron County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
65%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
97
Relatively High
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Cameron County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Very High | an average of 3.1 times per year |
| Hurricane | Very High | roughly once every 6 years |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 7.5 modeled event-days per year |
| Hail | Relatively High | roughly once every 3 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | roughly once every 6 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.5 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | roughly once every 2 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | roughly once every 2 years |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 6 years |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | roughly once every 646 years |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 50 modeled event-days per year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | an average of 34 times per year |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.7 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 5,348 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 11 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 16
Flood 5
Severe Storm 4
Severe Ice Storm 2
Biological 2
Fire 2
Freezing 2
Other 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Cameron County's federal record, 47% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 22 64.7%
of all 34 declarations
Emergency - 12 35.3%
of all 34 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 2 | |
| 2008 | 4 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 3 | |
| 2003 | 2 | |
| 1999 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
Show 8 earlier declaration years
| 1991 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 1 | |
| 1989 | 1 | |
| 1985 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 1 | |
| 1980 | 1 | |
| 1971 | 1 | |
| 1967 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 34 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 34 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4871 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2025-05-21 |
| 4798 | HURRICANE BERYL | DR | Hurricane | 2024-07-09 |
| 4586 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2021-02-19 |
| 3554 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Ice Storm | 2021-02-14 |
| 3540 | TROPICAL STORMS MARCO AND LAURA | EM | Hurricane | 2020-08-24 |
| 3530 | HURRICANE HANNA | EM | Hurricane | 2020-07-26 |
| 4485 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-25 |
| 3458 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4454 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-07-17 |
| 4377 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2018-07-06 |
| 4245 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2015-11-25 |
| 1931 | HURRICANE ALEX | DR | Hurricane | 2010-08-03 |
| 3313 | TROPICAL STORM ALEX | EM | Hurricane | 2010-06-29 |
| 3294 | HURRICANE IKE | EM | Hurricane | 2008-09-10 |
| 3290 | HURRICANE GUSTAV | EM | Hurricane | 2008-08-29 |
| 1780 | HURRICANE DOLLY | DR | Hurricane | 2008-07-24 |
| 3284 | WILDFIRES | EM | Fire | 2008-03-14 |
| 3277 | HURRICANE DEAN | EM | Hurricane | 2007-08-18 |
| 1624 | EXTREME WILDFIRE THREAT | DR | Fire | 2006-01-11 |
| 1606 | HURRICANE RITA | DR | Hurricane | 2005-09-24 |
Show 14 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3261 | HURRICANE RITA | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-21 |
| 3216 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-02 |
| 3171 | LOSS OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA | EM | Other | 2003-02-01 |
| 1439 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2002-11-05 |
| 1287 | HURRICANE BRET | DR | Hurricane | 1999-08-22 |
| 1239 | TROPICAL STORM CHARLEY | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-08-26 |
| 900 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1991-04-12 |
| 850 | SEVERE FREEZE | DR | Freezing | 1990-01-09 |
| 816 | HURRICANE GILBERT | DR | Hurricane | 1988-10-05 |
| 726 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1984-10-02 |
| 696 | SEVERE FREEZING WEATHER | DR | Freezing | 1984-01-07 |
| 627 | HURRICANE ALLEN | DR | Hurricane | 1980-08-11 |
| 313 | HEAVY RAINS, HIGH WINDS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1971-09-18 |
| 232 | HURRICANE BEULAH | DR | Hurricane | 1967-09-28 |
Storm Events in Texas
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Cameron County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 14,072 | 0 | 15 | $7.4B |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 10,293 | 41 | 141 | $369.9M |
| Drought | 7,032 | 0 | 0 | $86.0K |
| Flash Flood | 4,728 | 338 | 24 | $47.6B |
| Heat | 4,079 | 119 | 405 | $0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
7,061
Total Paid
$184.5M
Avg Per Claim
$26.1K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively High
Score: 97.3/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Moderate
$165.1M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very High
Community Resilience
Very Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Cold Wave Very High
Hurricane Very High
Heat Wave Relatively High
Hail Relatively High
Ice Storm Relatively High
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Strong Wind Relatively High
Winter Weather Relatively High
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Wildfire Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively High
Coastal Flooding Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Cold Wave
Cold Wave measures exposure to extreme cold rather than to snow. Its harm is concentrated in health effects, burst infrastructure and energy demand spikes, and it falls hardest where the building stock and the grid were not built with sustained cold in mind.
Worth noting for Cameron County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Cold Wave carries the highest modeled rating (Very High), while the county's declaration history is led by Hurricane. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Cameron County's closest FEMA peer: Santa Cruz County, CA
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Cameron County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Cameron County shows 34 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Cameron County: 22 of 34 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Cameron County: NRI composite 97.3 (Relatively High).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Cameron County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Cameron County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 97.3 (Relatively High).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 34. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Cameron County's NFIP claims file (7,061 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Cameron County?
The most common disaster type in Cameron County is Hurricane, with 16 declarations. Other disaster types include Flood (5), Severe Storm (4), Severe Ice Storm (2).
How does Cameron County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Texas average?
FEMA lists 34 declaration records for Cameron County. That is 63% above the Texas county mean of 20.9. Its count is also 64% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Cameron County received?
Cameron County has received 22 major disaster declarations, representing 65% of all 34 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Cameron County filed?
Cameron County has 7,061 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $184.5M in payments, with an average of $26.1K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Cameron County?
No. In Cameron County, Cold Wave has the highest National Risk Index rating (Very High), while Hurricane leads Expected Annual Loss at about $84.1M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Cameron County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Cameron County was 2008, with 4 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1967 to 2025.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Cameron County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Cameron County, Texas has an overall risk score of 97.3 out of 100 (Relatively High). Social vulnerability here rates Very High, while community resilience comes in at Very Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Moderate, representing $165.1M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Cameron County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Cameron County as of the latest release is Cold Wave (risk rating: Very High). Other significant hazards include Hurricane (Very High) and Heat Wave (Relatively High). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts cold wave here at an average of 3.1 times per year, drawn from 44 historical events on record. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Cameron County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Texas profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events