Natural hazards · Hidalgo

Hidalgo, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hidalgo comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1980. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Hidalgo?

46
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hidalgo to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and cold waves.

Hurricanes41%Cold waves26%Inland flooding18%Heat waves6%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Hidalgo faces

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

Hurricanes

41% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places
Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 Hidalgo flood?

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

4paid claims since 1980
$230Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19802026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Allen: 3 claims, $16K
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Hidalgo isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Hidalgo County.
Disasters that hit Hidalgo

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HidalgoDeclared for Hidalgo County only
2025

Severe Storms and Flooding

377 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved
2021

Severe Winter Storms

22 households applied for aid $5K aid approved
2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $4K aid approved
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

110 households applied for aid $122K aid approved
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

112 households applied for aid $36K aid approved
2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

10 households applied for aid
2010

Hurricane Alex

8 households applied for aid $43K aid approved $46K to the City of Hidalgo for repairs
2008

Hurricane Dolly

44 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $27K to the City of Hidalgo for repairs
2007

Hurricane Dean

$10K to the City of Hidalgo for repairs
2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $17K aid approved
Hidalgo County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around Hidalgo

Hidalgo and the towns around it

McAllen: High, mostly hurricanesEdinburg: High, mostly hurricanesPharr: High, mostly hurricanesMission: High, mostly hurricanesGranjeno: Moderate, mostly hurricanesAlton: High, mostly hurricanesHidalgo: Moderate, mostly hurricanes HidalgoMcAllen
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
McAllenmostly hurricanesHigh
Hidalgomostly hurricanesModerate
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. Hidalgo covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hidalgo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hidalgo. 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 Hidalgo 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01