County Hazards

States › Texas › McMullen County

McMullen County, Texas

Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.

FIPS 48311 · 608 residents (2021) · 1,140 sq mi · dominant hazard Drought

Hail · 35Tornado · 6Flood · 29Wind · 18Winter · 6
1957-03-03: Hail1975-05-01: Hail1980-05-14: Hail1981-05-29: Hail1985-05-24: Hail1985-05-24: Hail1997-05-15: Hail1997-05-15: Hail1997-04-26: Hail2000-05-02: Hail2001-11-14: Hail2002-12-30: Hail2002-12-23: Hail2005-02-24: Hail2005-06-01: Hail2007-03-13: Hail2009-04-17: Hail2009-04-17: Hail2009-06-03: Hail2012-05-10: Hail2013-03-31: Hail2013-03-31: Hail2013-05-10: Hail2014-06-13: Hail2014-04-04: Hail2015-04-17: Hail2016-05-31: Hail2017-05-23: Hail2017-05-23: Hail2018-03-28: Hail2020-04-03: Hail2020-04-03: Hail2024-03-17: Hail2026-03-07: Hail1956-10-20: Tornado1956-10-20: Tornado1956-10-20: Tornado1959-05-10: Tornado1978-09-13: Tornado2007-04-30: Tornado2007-07-04: Flood2010-05-14: Flood2010-04-17: Flood2010-04-16: Flood2012-03-28: Flood2013-10-18: Flood2015-05-15: Flood2016-09-25: Flood2016-09-25: Flood2016-08-20: Flood2017-10-02: Flood2018-09-20: Flood2018-10-20: Flood2022-08-18: Flood2022-08-15: Flood1961-04-05: Wind1979-07-10: Wind1980-07-28: Wind1997-05-27: Wind1997-05-15: Wind1997-06-06: Wind1998-08-16: Wind1998-03-16: Wind1999-05-12: Wind2003-06-13: Wind2007-04-30: Wind2013-05-10: Wind2015-04-17: Wind2016-11-07: Wind2020-08-18: Wind2021-05-18: Wind
McMullen County within Texas. Dots: HailTornadoFloodWind event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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 209 storm events in McMullen County, Texas, led by drought.

That is 18.3 events per 100 square miles, below the Texas figure of 63.3, and 3,437.5 per 10,000 residents against 56.0 statewide.

13 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 0 deaths and 0 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $282K.

FEMA has designated the county in 17 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (major disaster, 1 Sep 2026).

National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 2 claims since 1978, of which 1 were paid, totalling $642 (about $642 per paid claim). FEMA counts 10 residential flood policies in force.

FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very Low" and its expected annual loss as "Very Low" ($875K a year across 18 hazards).

33 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.

13events, last 12 monthsto 30 Jun 2026
209events since 19500 deaths, 0 injuries recorded
17disaster declarationslast 1 Sep 2026
2NFIP flood claims$642 paid

Compared with Texas and the United States

MeasureMcMullen CountyTexasUS
Recorded events since 1950209165,4761,977,440
Events per 100 square miles18.363.356.0
Events per 10,000 residents3,437.556.059.6
Events in the last 12 months134,72362,008
Deaths recorded by NCEI02,42926,435
Property damage (NCEI estimates)$282K$111B$575B
NFIP claims per 1,000 residents3.313.48.1
Average paid NFIP claim$642$55K$43K
Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years0.024.716.1

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

Hail: 1Tornado: 4
Wind: 1
Hail: 1Tornado: 1Wind: 1
Hail: 4Wind: 1
Hail: 3Flood: 1Wind: 6Drought: 1
Hail: 11Tornado: 1Flood: 14Wind: 4Winter: 3Heat: 1Drought: 31Fog: 1
Hail: 11Flood: 12Wind: 3Winter: 2Cold: 1Drought: 26Other: 2
Hail: 4Flood: 2Wind: 2Winter: 1Heat: 10Cold: 5Drought: 35Wildfire: 2
51950s11960s31970s51980s111990s662000s572010s612020s
Recorded events in McMullen County by decade and hazard group. HailTornadoFloodWindWinterHeatColdDroughtWildfireFogOther NCEI recorded only tornadoes, hail and thunderstorm wind before 1996.

Trend: 153 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 35 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

Drought93
Hail35
Flood29
Wind18
Heat11
Tornado6
Winter6
Cold6
Wildfire2
Other2
Fog1
HazardEventsDeathsShare of state's events
■ Drought93—0.5%
■ Hail35—0.1%detail
■ Flood29—0.2%detail
■ Wind18—0.0%detail
■ Heat11—0.2%
■ Tornado6—0.1%
■ Winter6—0.1%
■ Cold6—0.3%
■ Wildfire2—0.1%
■ Other2—0.1%
■ Fog1—0.4%

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

DateEvent typeGroupMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
16 Apr 2010Flash FloodFlood—$100K———County

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

DeclaredNumberTypeIncidentTitlePrograms
1 Sep 2026DR-4935Major disasterFloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And FloodingPublic assistance
19 Feb 2021DR-4586Major disasterSevere Ice StormSevere Winter StormsPublic assistance
14 Feb 2021EM-3554EmergencySevere Ice StormSevere Winter StormPublic assistance
26 Jul 2020EM-3530EmergencyHurricaneHurricane HannaPublic assistance
25 Mar 2020DR-4485Major disasterBiologicalCovid-19 PandemicIndividual assistance, Public assistance
13 Mar 2020EM-3458EmergencyBiologicalCovid-19Public assistance
29 Jun 2010EM-3313EmergencyHurricaneTropical Storm AlexPublic assistance
14 Mar 2008EM-3284EmergencyFireWildfiresPublic assistance
11 Jan 2006DR-1624Major disasterFireExtreme Wildfire ThreatPublic assistance
24 Sep 2005DR-1606Major disasterHurricaneHurricane RitaPublic assistance
21 Sep 2005EM-3261EmergencyHurricaneHurricane RitaPublic assistance
2 Sep 2005EM-3216EmergencyHurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationPublic assistance
17 Jul 2003DR-1479Major disasterHurricaneHurricane ClaudetteIndividual assistance, Public assistance
4 Jul 2002DR-1425Major disasterFloodSevere Storms And FloodingIndividual assistance, Public assistance
26 Aug 1998DR-1239Major disasterSevere StormTropical Storm Charley—
10 Sep 1993EM-3113EmergencyDroughtExtreme Fire HazardPublic assistance
28 Sep 1967DR-232Major disasterHurricaneHurricane BeulahIndividual 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

197820022026
NFIP claims by year of loss in McMullen County, 1978 to 2026 (hover for the amount paid).
Claims since 19782
Paid claims1
Total paid$642
Average paid claim$642
Repetitive-loss properties0
Residential policies in force101.9% of 520 structures
Year of lossClaimsPaid claimsAmount paidAverage paid
200221$642$642

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

Overall riskVery Lowscore 0.6 of 100
Expected annual loss$875KVery Low
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Low
Community resilienceVery Low
Hazard (NRI)Risk ratingExpected annual loss
Inland floodingVery Low$395,837
Cold waveVery Low$168,456
HurricaneVery Low$116,117
DroughtRelatively Low$56,262
TornadoVery Low$48,999
HailVery Low$36,311
Heat waveVery Low$17,015
WildfireVery Low$12,336
Strong windVery Low$12,217
Ice stormVery Low$6,495
LightningVery Low$3,827
EarthquakeVery Low$1,029
Winter weatherVery Low$424
LandslideVery Low$4

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

Tracks within 100 miles33
Tracks within 50 miles10
Hurricane strength within 50 miles1
StormYearClosest approachMax wind while within 100 mi
Harold202377 mi46 mph
Harvey201778 mi121 mph
Hermine201056 mi52 mph
Dolly200884 mi52 mph
Claudette200324 mi58 mph
Bret199956 mi69 mph
Charley199879 mi46 mph
Frances199860 mi46 mph
Allen198079 mi81 mph
Amelia197835 mi46 mph
Fern197183 mi63 mph
Celia197046 mi138 mph
Candy196884 mi69 mph
Beulah196762 mi86 mph
Abby196496 mi40 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm196043 mi40 mph
Alice195485 mi46 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm194270 mi98 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm193638 mi69 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm193417 mi86 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm192971 mi75 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm191969 mi86 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm191648 mi104 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm191349 mi52 mph
Unnamed Atlantic storm191254 mi58 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.

Questions and answers

How often does it hail in McMullen County, TX?

NCEI records 35 hail events in McMullen County since 1950, in 23 different years; that is about 0.5 recorded events a year. 14 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.

Has McMullen County had a tornado?

Yes. NCEI records 6 tornadoes in McMullen County since 1950, 1 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.

When was the last federal disaster declaration for McMullen County?

1 Sep 2026: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for flood. The county appears in 17 declarations since 1953.

How many flood insurance claims have been filed in McMullen County, and how much was paid?

2 NFIP claims since 1978, 1 of them paid, for $642 in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.

Is McMullen County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?

FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very Low" for overall risk, "Very Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Low" for social vulnerability and "Very Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.

How does McMullen County compare with the rest of Texas?

18.3 recorded events per 100 square miles against 63.3 statewide, and 3.3 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.