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Natural hazards · Brownsville

Brownsville, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brownsville comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 579 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations
Expected damage

How exposed is Brownsville?

75
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brownsville to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and cold waves.

Hurricanes51%Cold waves21%Inland flooding19%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Brownsville faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

51% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

19% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Brownsville flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Brownsville, from FEMA’s records.

579paid claims since 1978
$10.4Mpaid to owners
62homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Dolly: 49 claims, $333K
  • Hurricane Allen: 39 claims, $289K
  • Fall severe storms: 17 claims, $461K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (11) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Brownsville isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Cameron County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11storm safe rooms built
3buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit Brownsville

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Brownsville itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Brownsville.

Brought FEMA money into BrownsvilleDeclared for Cameron County only
2025

Severe Storms and Flooding

395 households applied for aid $942K aid approved
2021

Severe Winter Storms

773 households applied for aid $223K aid approved
2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

26 households applied for aid $215 aid approved
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

228 households applied for aid $87K aid approved
2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

446 households applied for aid $328K aid approved
2010

Hurricane Alex

322 households applied for aid $288K aid approved $75K to the City of Brownsville for repairs
2008

Hurricane Dolly

2,705 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $1.7M to the City of Brownsville for repairs
2007

Hurricane Dean

$50K to the City of Brownsville for repairs
2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

64 households applied for aid $129K aid approved
1999

Hurricane Bret

$183K to the City of Brownsville for repairs
Cameron County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around Brownsville

Brownsville and the towns around it

Encantada-Ranchito-El Calaboz: High, mostly hurricanesPort Isabel: High, mostly hurricanesVilla Pancho: High, mostly hurricanesLos Fresnos: High, mostly hurricanesReid Hope King: High, mostly hurricanesDel Mar Heights: High, mostly hurricanesSan Benito: High, mostly hurricanesSouth Point: High, mostly hurricanesRice Tracts: High, mostly hurricanesPalmer: High, mostly hurricanesLaguna Heights: High, mostly hurricanesHarlingen: High, mostly hurricanesEl Camino Angosto: High, mostly hurricanesLa Paloma: High, mostly hurricanesBrownsville: High, mostly hurricanes BrownsvilleEncantada-Ranchito-El CalabozPort IsabelVilla PanchoLos FresnosReid Hope KingDel Mar HeightsSan BenitoSouth Point
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
South Pointmostly hurricanesHigh
Brownsvillemostly hurricanesHigh
Encantada-Ranchito-El Calabozmostly hurricanesHigh
Villa Panchomostly hurricanesHigh
Del Mar Heightsmostly hurricanesHigh
Reid Hope Kingmostly hurricanesHigh
San Benitomostly hurricanesHigh
Port Isabelmostly hurricanesHigh
Los Fresnosmostly hurricanesHigh
About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.
Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Brownsville covers 49 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brownsville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Brownsville. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Brownsville total about $63.8M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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