Natural hazards · Ennis

Ennis, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ennis comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 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 Ennis?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding45%Cold waves17%Tornadoes15%Hail9%Heat waves8%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Ennis faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 17 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 Ennis flood?

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

9paid claims since 1989

$312Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Allison: 6 claims, $258K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ellis County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Ennis

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EnnisDeclared for Ellis County only

2024

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

278 households applied for aid $773K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

291 households applied for aid $225K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $11K to the City of Ennis for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1 household applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$52K to the City of Ennis for repairs

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

Around Ennis

Ennis and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Palmermostly inland floodingVery low

Ennismostly inland floodingVery low

Garrettmostly inland floodingVery low

Almamostly inland floodingVery low

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. Ennis covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ennis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ennis. 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 Ennis total about $4.2M 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.