Natural hazards · Clifton

Clifton, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clifton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1989. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clifton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clifton to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes24%Lightning13%Cold waves8%Heat waves5%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Clifton faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Lightning

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Clifton flood?

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

11paid claims since 1989

$191Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Texas Spring Flooding: 1 claim, $9K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bosque County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

24flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Clifton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CliftonDeclared for Bosque County only

2024

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

$108K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

32 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$296K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

$26K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$330K to the City of Clifton for repairs

Bosque County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and severe storms.

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. Clifton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clifton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Clifton. 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 Clifton total about $1.3M 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.