Natural hazards · Odessa

Odessa, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Odessa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 110 claims here since 1982. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Odessa?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Odessa to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding44%Hail28%Tornadoes10%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Odessa faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Odessa flood?

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

110paid claims since 1982

$1.8Mpaid to owners

16homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Early summer severe storms: 1 claim, $374

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Odessa is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Ector County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Odessa

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OdessaDeclared for Ector County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

660 households applied for aid $444K aid approved $29K to the City of Odessa for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$155K to the City of Odessa for repairs

Ector County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires 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. Odessa covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Odessa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Odessa. 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 Odessa total about $26.4M 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.