Natural hazards · Dallas

Dallas, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Dallas comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 940 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Dallas?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Dallas to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding32%Heat waves28%Tornadoes16%Hail13%Cold waves10%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Dallas faces

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

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

28% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 19 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

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

Hail

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Dallas flood?

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

940paid claims since 1979

$29.7Mpaid to owners

97homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 63 claims, $3.7M
Dallas Flash Floods: 33 claims, $2.8M
March storm: 12 claims, $142K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (20) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 35% off flood insurance. Dallas is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 3) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Dallas County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

44storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Dallas

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DallasDeclared for Dallas County only

2024

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

15,069 households applied for aid $12.9M aid approved $7.4M to the City of Dallas for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

23,923 households applied for aid $16.7M aid approved $464K to the City of Dallas for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

9 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

353 households applied for aid $524K aid approved $745K to the City of Dallas for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1 household applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$6.4M to the City of Dallas for repairs

Dallas County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Dallas

Dallas and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Coppellmostly inland floodingHigh

Farmers Branchmostly inland floodingHigh

Garlandmostly heat wavesModerate

Rowlettmostly inland floodingModerate

Grand Prairiemostly inland floodingModerate

Dallasmostly inland floodingModerate

Heathmostly inland floodingModerate

Mesquitemostly heat wavesModerate

Irvingmostly heat wavesModerate

Carrolltonmostly inland floodingModerate

Rockwallmostly tornadoesModerate

Cedar Hillmostly heat wavesModerate

Addisonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Dallas covers 350 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Dallas’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Dallas. 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 Dallas total about $500M 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.