Natural hazards · Lubbock

Lubbock, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lubbock comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 195 claims here since 1982. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lubbock?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lubbock to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding32%Tornadoes22%Hail18%Strong wind11%Cold waves10%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Lubbock 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 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Hail

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Lubbock flood?

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

195paid claims since 1982

$2.4Mpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Early summer severe storms: 11 claims, $340K
Hurricane Ike: 9 claims, $44K
Early summer storms: 2 claims, $2K

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

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Lubbock is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lubbock County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

80storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Lubbock

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LubbockDeclared for Lubbock County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

1,183 households applied for aid $714K aid approved $308K to the City of Lubbock for repairs

2010

Hurricane Alex

176 households applied for aid $149K aid approved $294K to the City of Lubbock for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$2.2M to the City of Lubbock for repairs

Lubbock County has had 16 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. Lubbock covers 85 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lubbock’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lubbock. 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 Lubbock total about $120M 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.