Jefferson County, Texas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jefferson County's overall risk Relatively High (score 95.7 of 100, higher than 95% of rated U.S. counties); 6 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning, hurricane, tornado. Its storm record holds 802 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | 99.7 | $5.9M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 98.2 | $61M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.5 | $21M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.6 | $11M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 94.3 | $1.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 84.1 | $1.1M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | $2.9M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 | $1.5M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.3 | $32M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | $997K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | $1.5M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | $100K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66.3 | $466K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 65.7 | $334K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 25.4 | $142 |
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 | 251 | 1 | $6.7M | 35th of 254 | 1290th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 143 | 0 | – | 135th of 254 | 1371st of 3,080 |
| Floods | 128 | 10 | $4.0B | 16th of 254 | 487th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 110 | 3 | $204M | 3rd of 254 | 33rd of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 80 | 0 | – | 1st of 254 | 19th of 2,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 19 | 5 | $3.1B | 7th of 254 | 334th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 14 | 3 | $741K | 16th of 254 | 493rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 14 | 2 | $18M | 184th of 254 | 2771st of 3,077 |
| Drought | 7 | 0 | – | 243rd of 254 | 2128th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 0 | – | 81st of 254 | 1569th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 0 | $473K | 105th of 254 | 2620th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | – | 155th of 254 | 2049th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | $771K | 187th of 254 | 2626th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 183rd of 254 | 1097th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Jefferson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.