Natural hazards · Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Corpus Christi comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,623 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Corpus Christi?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Corpus Christi to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes45%Inland flooding23%Cold waves15%Tornadoes7%Heat waves7%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Corpus Christi faces

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

Hurricanes

45% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 17 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Corpus Christi flood?

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

2,623paid claims since 1978

$39.0Mpaid to owners

215homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Allen: 570 claims, $6.0M
Hurricane Harvey: 223 claims, $6.2M
Heavy rains: 28 claims, $221K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 4 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (33) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Corpus Christi is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Nueces County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

35buildings retrofitted against wind

6storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Corpus Christi

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Corpus ChristiDeclared for Nueces County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

$21K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

7,614 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $4K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

44,171 households applied for aid $10.1M aid approved $30.7M to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

1,338 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $1.0M to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

1 household applied for aid $359K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

840 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

$75K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$2.0M to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

5,756 households applied for aid $8.7M aid approved

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$260K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

1999

Hurricane Bret

$625K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

1998

Tx-Flooding 10/18/98

$125K to the City of Corpus Christi for repairs

Nueces County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Port Aransasmostly hurricanesVery high

Corpus Christimostly hurricanesHigh

Inglesidemostly hurricanesHigh

Aransas Passmostly hurricanesHigh

Ingleside on the Baymostly hurricanesHigh

Portlandmostly 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. Corpus Christi covers 82 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Corpus Christi’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Corpus Christi. 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 Corpus Christi total about $153M 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.