Polk 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 364 storm events in Polk County, Texas, led by hail.
That is 34.4 events per 100 square miles, below the Texas figure of 63.3, and 70.1 per 10,000 residents against 56.0 statewide.
2 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 11 deaths and 43 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $460M and crop damage at $11M.
FEMA has designated the county in 30 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Hurricane Beryl (major disaster, 9 Jul 2024).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 346 claims since 1978, of which 258 were paid, totalling $10M (about $39K per paid claim). FEMA counts 549 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Low" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Low" ($24M a year across 18 hazards).
54 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 3 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Texas and the United States
| Measure | Polk County | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 364 | 165,476 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 34.4 | 63.3 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 70.1 | 56.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 2 | 4,723 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 11 | 2,429 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $460M | $111B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 13.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $39K | $55K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 23.3 | 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: 150 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 187 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 May 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 92 mph | — | — | 5 | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2020 | Tornado | Tornado | EF3 | $5.0M | — | 3 | 36 | County |
| 17 May 1986 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 75 mph | — | — | 3 | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2017 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $300M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $100M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Sep 2005 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $23M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 May 1967 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 10 Feb 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 135 mph | $14M | $3.8M | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1976 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Feb 2013 | Tornado | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Apr 1961 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 Nov 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | — | $15K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 Jun 2025 | Hail | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 1 Aug 1998 | Drought | Drought | — | $1.0M | $7.3M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jun 2001 | Tropical Storm | Tropical | — | $3.3M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 May 2024 | Flood | Flood | — | $3.1M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 1987 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2004 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2016 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2021 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | $450K | — | — | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jul 2024 | DR-4798 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 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 Feb 2019 | DR-4416 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 25 Aug 2017 | DR-4332 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Jun 2016 | DR-4272 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 29 May 2015 | DR-4223 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 9 Sep 2011 | DR-4029 | Major disaster | Fire | Wildfires | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2008 | DR-1791 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike | 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 |
| 11 Jan 2006 | DR-1624 | Major disaster | Fire | Extreme Wildfire Threat | Public assistance |
| 24 Sep 2005 | DR-1606 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Individual assistance, 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 |
| 9 Jun 2001 | DR-1379 | Major disaster | Coastal Storm | Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001 | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 1 Sep 1999 | EM-3142 | Emergency | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazards | Public assistance |
| 21 Oct 1998 | DR-1257 | Major disaster | Flood | Tx-Flooding 10/18/98 | Individual assistance, 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 |
| 18 Oct 1994 | DR-1041 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 26 Dec 1991 | DR-930 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Thunderstorms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 2 May 1990 | DR-863 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 19 May 1989 | DR-828 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Jul 1973 | DR-398 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | $97,784 | $48,892 |
| 2024 | 70 | 51 | $4,012,105 | $78,669 |
| 2021 | 6 | 5 | $179,946 | $35,989 |
| 2019 | 4 | 3 | $80,573 | $26,858 |
| 2018 | 10 | 5 | $107,362 | $21,472 |
| 2017 | 35 | 22 | $1,403,274 | $63,785 |
| 2016 | 21 | 17 | $429,262 | $25,251 |
| 2015 | 8 | 7 | $348,638 | $49,805 |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | $3,484 | $3,484 |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | $30,940 | $15,470 |
| 2012 | 4 | 3 | $106,385 | $35,462 |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2009 | 9 | 7 | $54,672 | $7,810 |
| 2008 | 18 | 6 | $119,643 | $19,940 |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2006 | 12 | 11 | $561,757 | $51,069 |
| 2005 | 5 | 1 | $290 | $290 |
| 2004 | 31 | 28 | $776,525 | $27,733 |
| 2002 | 2 | 1 | $12,873 | $12,873 |
| 2001 | 11 | 8 | $173,841 | $21,730 |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1999 | 19 | 16 | $416,560 | $26,035 |
| 1998 | 13 | 11 | $114,933 | $10,448 |
| 1997 | 3 | 2 | $9,715 | $4,857 |
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | $12,600 | $12,600 |
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 | $7,220,486 | |
| Hurricane | $5,311,834 | |
| Tornado | $4,217,315 | |
| Cold wave | $3,850,383 | |
| Strong wind | $1,295,957 | |
| Lightning | $1,071,742 | |
| Heat wave | $909,796 | |
| Ice storm | $213,226 | |
| Wildfire | $191,585 | |
| Earthquake | $85,674 | |
| Hail | $49,871 | |
| Winter weather | $36,145 | |
| Landslide | $902 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beryl | 2024 | 46 mi | 58 mph |
| Nicholas | 2021 | 82 mi | 40 mph |
| Laura | 2020 | 95 mi | 98 mph |
| Barry | 2019 | 97 mi | 46 mph |
| Cindy | 2017 | 65 mi | 52 mph |
| Harvey | 2017 | 98 mi | 46 mph |
| Edouard | 2008 | 54 mi | 63 mph |
| Ike | 2008 | 40 mi | 98 mph |
| Humberto | 2007 | 81 mi | 92 mph |
| Rita | 2005 | 48 mi | 75 mph |
| Grace | 2003 | 98 mi | 40 mph |
| Allison | 1989 | 49 mi | 52 mph |
| Chantal | 1989 | 46 mi | 81 mph |
| Jerry | 1989 | 27 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1987 | 28 mi | 46 mph |
| Bonnie | 1986 | 11 mi | 86 mph |
| Alicia | 1983 | 72 mi | 92 mph |
| Chris | 1982 | 85 mi | 63 mph |
| Danielle | 1980 | 96 mi | 46 mph |
| Claudette | 1979 | 46 mi | 52 mph |
| Felice | 1970 | 73 mi | 69 mph |
| Cindy | 1963 | 47 mi | 63 mph |
| Debra | 1959 | 20 mi | 63 mph |
| Audrey | 1957 | 80 mi | 127 mph |
| Bertha | 1957 | 49 mi | 63 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 Polk County, TX?
NCEI records 121 hail events in Polk County since 1950, in 40 different years; that is about 1.6 recorded events a year. 27 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Polk County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 30 tornadoes in Polk County since 1950, 9 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 3.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Polk County?
9 Jul 2024: Hurricane Beryl, a major disaster declaration for hurricane. The county appears in 30 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Polk County, and how much was paid?
346 NFIP claims since 1978, 258 of them paid, for $10M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Polk County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Low" for overall risk, "Relatively Low" for expected annual loss, "Very High" for social vulnerability and "Very Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Polk County compare with the rest of Texas?
34.4 recorded events per 100 square miles against 63.3 statewide, and 6.7 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.