Harris County, Texas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Harris County's overall risk Very High (score 99.9 of 100, higher than 99% of rated U.S. counties); 10 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane, tornado, riverine flooding. Its storm record holds 2,111 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Very High | 100.0 | $458M |
| Tornado | Very High | 100.0 | $407M |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | 100.0 | $1.1B |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.9 | $118M |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.9 | $8.6M |
| Heat Wave | Very High | 99.7 | $80M |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.6 | $4.1M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.3 | $7.7M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.8 | $296K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 83.2 | $2.5M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.1 | $5.9M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.0 | $1.6M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | $37K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 75.1 | $550K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 85.4 | $562K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 716 | 14 | $236M | 33rd of 254 | 1230th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 607 | 0 | $39M | 93rd of 254 | 884th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 254 | 13 | $1.3B | 7th of 254 | 55th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 238 | 71 | $12.4B | 33rd of 254 | 811th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 83 | 137 | – | 80th of 254 | 603rd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 72 | 12 | $12M | 7th of 254 | 169th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 20 | 2 | $7K | 227th of 254 | 2930th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 19 | 0 | $15M | 241st of 254 | 2032nd of 3,063 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 16 | 31 | $15.4B | 18th of 254 | 549th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 48 | $37M | 167th of 254 | 2391st of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 1 | $2K | 76th of 254 | 1464th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 2 | $86K | 146th of 254 | 2810th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Harris County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.