Natural hazards · Fresno

Fresno, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fresno comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 35 claims here since 1994. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fresno?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fresno to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding38%Tornadoes22%Hurricanes22%Heat waves7%Cold waves6%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Fresno faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Fresno flood?

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

35paid claims since 1994

$1.9Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19942026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 16 claims, $1.2M
Hurricane Beryl: 8 claims, $486K
Tropical Storm Paul: 3 claims, $105K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Fort Bend County.

Disasters that hit Fresno

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FresnoDeclared for Fort Bend County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

6,282 households applied for aid $6.5M aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

948 households applied for aid $282K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

3,425 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

37 households applied for aid $52K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

2,418 households applied for aid $739K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

412 households applied for aid $102K aid approved

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $16K aid approved

Fort Bend County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Fresno

Fresno and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Houstonmostly inland floodingVery high

Missouri Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Fresnomostly inland floodingHigh

Arcolamostly inland floodingHigh

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. Fresno covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fresno’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Fresno. 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 Fresno total about $6.4M 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.