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Dallas 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 2,304 storm events in Dallas County, Texas, led by hail.
That is 263.9 events per 100 square miles, above the Texas figure of 63.3, and 8.9 per 10,000 residents against 56.0 statewide.
90 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 175 deaths and 3,177 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $5.3B and crop damage at $1.4M.
FEMA has designated the county in 28 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 3,457 claims since 1978, of which 2,494 were paid, totalling $70M (about $28K per paid claim). FEMA counts 4,809 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($973M a year across 18 hazards).
7 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Texas and the United States
| Measure | Dallas County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 2,304 | 165,476 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 263.9 | 63.3 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 8.9 | 56.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 90 | 4,723 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 175 | 2,429 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $5.3B | $111B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 13.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $28K | $55K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 10.7 | 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: 1,147 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 768 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1998 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 23 | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2015 | Tornado | Tornado | EF4 | $26M | — | 10 | 468 | County |
| 2 Apr 1957 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 10 | 200 | County |
| 1 Jul 2011 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 9 | 223 | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2021 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | $6.3M | — | 10 | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Aug 2023 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | — | 806 | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jul 2000 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 8 | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Aug 2011 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 4 | 210 | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2011 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 4 | 130 | Forecast zone |
| 3 Aug 1998 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 5 | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2023 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | — | 467 | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jun 2011 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 3 | 140 | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 1996 | Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | — | — | 4 | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Sep 2000 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 4 | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2008 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 4 | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Apr 1994 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $500K | — | 3 | 48 | County |
| 11 Feb 2021 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $10K | — | 3 | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 5 Dec 2013 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | $2.0M | — | 3 | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 1999 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 3 | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2000 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 3 | — | 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 |
| 24 Aug 2020 | EM-3540 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura | 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 |
| 25 Aug 2017 | DR-4332 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey | Public assistance |
| 9 Feb 2016 | DR-4255 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 29 May 2015 | DR-4223 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2008 | EM-3294 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike | Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2008 | EM-3290 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav | Public assistance |
| 14 Mar 2008 | EM-3284 | Emergency | Fire | Wildfires | Public assistance |
| 18 Aug 2007 | EM-3277 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Dean | Public assistance |
| 11 Jan 2006 | DR-1624 | Major disaster | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat | 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 |
| 26 Aug 1998 | DR-1239 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Charley | — |
| 23 Feb 1996 | EM-3117 | Emergency | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard | Public assistance |
| 29 Apr 1994 | DR-1026 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual 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 |
| 2 May 1990 | DR-863 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 May 1989 | DR-828 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 28 Jul 1979 | DR-595 | Major disaster | Flood | Storms & Flash Floods | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 12 May 1966 | DR-218 | 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 | 31 | 21 | $1,242,419 | $59,163 |
| 2025 | 21 | 16 | $1,355,013 | $84,688 |
| 2024 | 27 | 12 | $396,051 | $33,004 |
| 2023 | 14 | 10 | $428,782 | $42,878 |
| 2022 | 128 | 83 | $6,755,092 | $81,387 |
| 2021 | 75 | 51 | $2,913,923 | $57,136 |
| 2020 | 19 | 9 | $147,870 | $16,430 |
| 2019 | 61 | 42 | $1,832,952 | $43,642 |
| 2018 | 105 | 80 | $4,476,529 | $55,957 |
| 2017 | 34 | 26 | $1,019,231 | $39,201 |
| 2016 | 39 | 23 | $967,641 | $42,071 |
| 2015 | 257 | 193 | $9,428,780 | $48,854 |
| 2014 | 8 | 8 | $180,929 | $22,616 |
| 2013 | 10 | 7 | $151,783 | $21,683 |
| 2012 | 20 | 12 | $238,505 | $19,875 |
| 2011 | 20 | 9 | $237,414 | $26,379 |
| 2010 | 22 | 10 | $153,219 | $15,322 |
| 2009 | 74 | 58 | $1,041,579 | $17,958 |
| 2008 | 48 | 31 | $733,915 | $23,675 |
| 2007 | 44 | 27 | $393,396 | $14,570 |
| 2006 | 130 | 115 | $4,450,408 | $38,699 |
| 2005 | 7 | 3 | $31,670 | $10,557 |
| 2004 | 166 | 151 | $7,903,552 | $52,341 |
| 2003 | 4 | 2 | $87,171 | $43,585 |
| 2002 | 29 | 14 | $104,787 | $7,485 |
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 | $323,744,956 | |
| Heat wave | $288,425,212 | |
| Hail | $127,529,748 | |
| Tornado | $114,760,019 | |
| Cold wave | $98,392,123 | |
| Earthquake | $5,400,882 | |
| Strong wind | $5,315,105 | |
| Ice storm | $4,673,271 | |
| Lightning | $2,559,333 | |
| Winter weather | $1,318,134 | |
| Hurricane | $676,444 | |
| Wildfire | $348,784 | |
| Drought | $31,641 | |
| Landslide | $917 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alicia | 1983 | 88 mi | 40 mph |
| Carla | 1961 | 37 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1947 | 92 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 84 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1902 | 11 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1900 | 62 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1871 | 66 mi | 46 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
- 75050 285
- 75041 283
- 75146 153
- 75115 151
- 75234 134
- 75180 133
- 75218 125
- 75215 113
- 75150 96
- 75060 91
- 75006 83
- 75229 81
- 75228 71
- 75061 67
- 75232 63
- 75042 62
- 75220 62
- 75230 52
- 75209 51
- 75137 50
- 75240 50
- 75043 48
- 75217 48
- 75248 45
- 75214 44
- 75051 43
- 75205 43
- 75253 42
- 75116 41
- 75048 40
- 75104 40
- 75224 40
- 75040 39
- 75227 39
- 75238 38
- 75216 37
- 75243 35
- 75219 34
- 75241 29
- 75044 28
- 75149 28
- 75207 27
- 75134 26
- 75011 25
- 75206 25
- 96799 25
- 75062 24
- 75231 24
- 75019 23
- 75203 22
- 75233 21
- 75080 20
- 75225 20
- 75052 19
- 75211 19
- 75254 18
- 75208 17
- 75246 16
- 75244 13
- 75204 12
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 Dallas County, TX?
NCEI records 841 hail events in Dallas County since 1950, in 70 different years; that is about 10.9 recorded events a year. 250 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Dallas County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 109 tornadoes in Dallas County since 1950, 28 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 23.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Dallas County?
17 May 2024: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for flood. The county appears in 28 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Dallas County, and how much was paid?
3,457 NFIP claims since 1978, 2,494 of them paid, for $70M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Dallas County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Moderate" for social vulnerability and "Very Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Dallas County compare with the rest of Texas?
263.9 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.