Natural hazards · Port Arthur

Port Arthur, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Port Arthur comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5,461 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Port Arthur?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Port Arthur to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes43%Inland flooding24%Tornadoes14%Cold waves9%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Port Arthur faces

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

Hurricanes

43% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Inland flooding

24% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Port Arthur flood?

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

5,461paid claims since 1978

$447Mpaid to owners

478homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 2,960 claims, $388M
Hurricane Danielle: 520 claims, $2.4M
Hurricane Ike: 453 claims, $29.1M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 8 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (69) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Port Arthur is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4buildings retrofitted against wind

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Port Arthur

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Port ArthurDeclared for Jefferson County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

5,190 households applied for aid $4.3M aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

2,290 households applied for aid $821K aid approved $160K to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2020

Hurricane Laura

$1.2M to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2019

Tropical Storm Imelda

229 households applied for aid $125K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

20,922 households applied for aid $94.9M aid approved $20.2M to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2008

Hurricane Ike

19,162 households applied for aid $7.0M aid approved $12.2M to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

$130K to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

31,636 households applied for aid $72.3M aid approved $10.6M to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$141K to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

927 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved

2001

Tx-Tropical Storm Allison-06-06-2001

$5K to the City of Port Arthur for repairs

Jefferson County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Port Arthur

Port Arthur and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Beauxart Gardensmostly hurricanesHigh

Nederlandmostly hurricanesHigh

Port Arthurmostly hurricanesHigh

Port Nechesmostly hurricanesHigh

Grovesmostly hurricanesHigh

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. Port Arthur covers 20 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Port Arthur’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Port Arthur. 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 Port Arthur total about $24.9M 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.