Natural hazards · Center

Center, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Center comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1992. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Center?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Center to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding31%Tornadoes22%Strong wind12%Hurricanes12%Heat waves10%Cold waves5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Center faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 9% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 21 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Center flood?

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

2paid claims since 1992

$34Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19922026

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Center isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Shelby County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Center

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CenterDeclared for Shelby County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

452 households applied for aid $404K aid approved $14K to the City of Center for repairs

2024

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

$116K to the City of Center for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

375 households applied for aid $213K aid approved $36K to the City of Center for repairs

2016

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

34 households applied for aid $50K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

93 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $38K to the City of Center for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$6K to the City of Center for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1,135 households applied for aid $467K aid approved $134K to the City of Center for repairs

Shelby County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Center covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Center’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Center. 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 Center total about $2.2M 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.