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Natural hazards · McAllen

McAllen, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in McAllen comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 463 claims here since 1979. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is McAllen?

67
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in McAllen to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes49%Inland flooding20%Cold waves19%Everything else13%
By hazard

What McAllen faces

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

Hurricanes

49% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 McAllen flood?

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

463paid claims since 1979
$10.5Mpaid to owners
39homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Allen: 102 claims, $865K
  • Hurricane Hanna: 20 claims, $261K
  • Hurricane Dolly: 11 claims, $145K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. McAllen 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
1storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit McAllen

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into McAllenDeclared for Hidalgo County only
2025

Severe Storms and Flooding

545 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved
2024

Hurricane Beryl

$16K to the City of McAllen for repairs
2021

Severe Winter Storms

360 households applied for aid $88K aid approved $32K to the City of McAllen for repairs
2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

31 households applied for aid $16K aid approved
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

807 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

52 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $3K to the City of McAllen for repairs
2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

125 households applied for aid $28K aid approved
2010

Hurricane Alex

52 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $120K to the City of McAllen for repairs
2008

Hurricane Dolly

714 households applied for aid $341K aid approved $1.1M to the City of McAllen for repairs
2007

Hurricane Dean

$36K to the City of McAllen for repairs
2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

174 households applied for aid $236K aid approved
1999

Hurricane Bret

$24K to the City of McAllen for repairs
Hidalgo County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around McAllen

McAllen and the towns around it

Edinburg: High, mostly hurricanesPharr: High, mostly hurricanesMission: High, mostly hurricanesGranjeno: Moderate, mostly hurricanesHidalgo: Moderate, mostly hurricanesAlton: High, mostly hurricanesMurillo: High, mostly hurricanesCésar Chávez: High, mostly hurricanesDoolittle: High, mostly hurricanesLopezville: High, mostly hurricanesSan Juan: High, mostly hurricanesLa Homa: High, mostly hurricanesWest Sharyland: High, mostly hurricanesPalmview: High, mostly hurricanesPalmview South: High, mostly hurricanesAbram: High, mostly hurricanesPalmhurst: High, mostly hurricanesMcAllen: High, mostly hurricanes McAllenEdinburgPharrMissionGranjenoHidalgoAlton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Altonmostly hurricanesHigh
Missionmostly hurricanesHigh
McAllenmostly hurricanesHigh
Edinburgmostly hurricanesHigh
Pharrmostly hurricanesHigh
Granjenomostly hurricanesModerate
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. McAllen covers 52 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to McAllen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of McAllen. 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 McAllen total about $57.3M 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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