Bell County, Texas
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 1,219 storm events in Bell County, Texas, led by hail.
That is 115.7 events per 100 square miles, above the Texas figure of 63.3, and 32.1 per 10,000 residents against 56.0 statewide.
28 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 21 deaths and 106 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $284M and crop damage at $2.3M.
FEMA has designated the county in 23 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (major disaster, 17 May 2024).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 499 claims since 1978, of which 378 were paid, totalling $14M (about $38K per paid claim). FEMA counts 837 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Moderate" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Moderate" ($107M a year across 18 hazards).
15 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 1 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Texas and the United States
| Measure | Bell County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 1,219 | 165,476 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 115.7 | 63.3 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 32.1 | 56.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 28 | 4,723 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 21 | 2,429 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $284M | $111B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 13.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $38K | $55K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 9.4 | 24.7 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 682 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 402 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 May 2007 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $110K | — | 4 | — | County |
| 26 May 1976 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 2 | 7 | County |
| 20 Dec 1997 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | County |
| 2 Sep 2020 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $60K | — | 2 | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2014 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $100K | — | 1 | 7 | Forecast zone |
| 6 May 1955 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 6 Dec 2013 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $10K | — | 1 | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 7 Sep 2010 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $3.0M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $150K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2024 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $40K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $30K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2007 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2011 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jun 2012 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jul 2016 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 May 2024 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $5.0M | — | — | 30 | County |
| 12 Apr 2022 | Tornado | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 23 | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Hail | Hail | 4.50 in | $200M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Wildfire | Wildfire | — | $150K | — | — | 5 | Forecast zone |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 2024 | DR-4781 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Feb 2021 | DR-4586 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 14 Feb 2021 | EM-3554 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 25 Mar 2020 | DR-4485 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3458 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2008 | EM-3294 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike | Public assistance |
| 3 Jun 2008 | FM-2767 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Rein Street Fire | Public assistance |
| 14 Mar 2008 | EM-3284 | Emergency | Fire | Wildfires | Public assistance |
| 29 Jun 2007 | DR-1709 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 11 Jan 2006 | DR-1624 | Major disaster | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat | Public assistance |
| 5 Jan 2006 | FM-2610 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Rosewood Fire | Public assistance |
| 24 Sep 2005 | DR-1606 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Public assistance |
| 21 Sep 2005 | EM-3261 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Public assistance |
| 2 Sep 2005 | EM-3216 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 1 Feb 2003 | EM-3171 | Emergency | Other | Loss Of The Space Shuttle Columbia | Public assistance |
| 1 Sep 1999 | EM-3142 | Emergency | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards | Public assistance |
| 21 Aug 1999 | FM-2270 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Reese Creek Fire | Public assistance |
| 26 Aug 1998 | DR-1239 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley | — |
| 23 Feb 1996 | EM-3117 | Emergency | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 1993 | EM-3113 | Emergency | Drought | Extreme Fire Hazard | Public assistance |
| 26 Dec 1991 | DR-930 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 May 1989 | DR-828 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 30 Nov 1974 | DR-454 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | $57,444 | $28,722 |
| 2025 | 4 | 3 | $28,247 | $9,416 |
| 2024 | 28 | 22 | $580,122 | $26,369 |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| 2022 | 4 | 3 | $45,443 | $15,148 |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | $24,552 | $24,552 |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | $1,185 | $1,185 |
| 2019 | 10 | 8 | $390,126 | $48,766 |
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | $45,009 | $45,009 |
| 2017 | 22 | 17 | $444,395 | $26,141 |
| 2016 | 16 | 11 | $249,289 | $22,663 |
| 2015 | 30 | 24 | $578,309 | $24,096 |
| 2014 | 7 | 6 | $73,696 | $12,283 |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | $5,057 | $5,057 |
| 2012 | 14 | 9 | $107,666 | $11,963 |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 | $4,221 | $4,221 |
| 2010 | 118 | 97 | $8,757,152 | $90,280 |
| 2009 | 21 | 15 | $949,252 | $63,283 |
| 2008 | 5 | 1 | $43,095 | $43,095 |
| 2007 | 59 | 46 | $978,438 | $21,270 |
| 2006 | 7 | 6 | $39,802 | $6,634 |
| 2005 | 6 | 5 | $118,384 | $23,677 |
| 2004 | 3 | 3 | $41,119 | $13,706 |
| 2003 | 2 | 2 | $5,774 | $2,887 |
| 2001 | 22 | 18 | $233,321 | $12,962 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $37,922,781 | |
| Tornado | $32,362,257 | |
| Cold wave | $12,491,266 | |
| Hail | $9,364,799 | |
| Heat wave | $5,994,645 | |
| Lightning | $2,778,986 | |
| Hurricane | $1,782,189 | |
| Wildfire | $1,413,326 | |
| Strong wind | $1,268,027 | |
| Winter weather | $828,915 | |
| Drought | $338,590 | |
| Ice storm | $321,139 | |
| Earthquake | $148,054 | |
| Landslide | $774 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chantal | 1989 | 84 mi | 40 mph |
| Alicia | 1983 | 56 mi | 46 mph |
| Candy | 1968 | 72 mi | 46 mph |
| Carla | 1961 | 38 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1945 | 52 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1943 | 42 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1932 | 44 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1921 | 82 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 52 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1902 | 36 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1900 | 35 mi | 75 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1897 | 11 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1888 | 98 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1871 | 82 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1854 | 97 mi | 58 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Bell County, TX?
NCEI records 395 hail events in Bell County since 1950, in 58 different years; that is about 5.1 recorded events a year. 129 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Bell County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 72 tornadoes in Bell County since 1950, 21 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 3.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Bell County?
17 May 2024: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for flood. The county appears in 23 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Bell County, and how much was paid?
499 NFIP claims since 1978, 378 of them paid, for $14M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Bell County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Moderate" for overall risk, "Relatively Moderate" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Low" for social vulnerability and "Relatively High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Bell County compare with the rest of Texas?
115.7 recorded events per 100 square miles against 63.3 statewide, and 1.3 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 13.4. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.