Natural hazards · Elmo

Elmo, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elmo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elmo?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elmo to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding50%Tornadoes15%Heat waves11%Cold waves11%Hail8%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Elmo faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 17 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times 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 Elmo flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Elmo.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kaufman County.

Disasters that hit Elmo

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElmoDeclared for Kaufman County only

2024

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

2 households applied for aid

2021

Severe Winter Storms

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

Kaufman County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Elmo covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elmo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Elmo. 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 Elmo total about $1.6M 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.