Natural hazards · Port Lavaca

Port Lavaca, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Port Lavaca comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 104 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Port Lavaca?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Port Lavaca to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and cold waves.

Hurricanes47%Cold waves20%Inland flooding18%Tornadoes6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Port Lavaca faces

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

Hurricanes

47% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

18% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

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 Lavaca flood?

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

104paid claims since 1979

$2.3Mpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Harvey: 21 claims, $1.5M
Hurricane Claudette: 2 claims, $31K
Hurricane Allen: 1 claim, $6K

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

No community discount. Port Lavaca isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Calhoun County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Port Lavaca

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Port LavacaDeclared for Calhoun County only

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

266 households applied for aid $615K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

444 households applied for aid $189K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

5,020 households applied for aid $3.5M aid approved $6.4M to the City of Port Lavaca for repairs

2010

Hurricane Alex

$251K to the City of Port Lavaca for repairs

2003

Hurricane Claudette

1,747 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved $190K to the City of Port Lavaca for repairs

Calhoun County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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 Lavaca covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Port Lavaca’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Port Lavaca. 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 Lavaca total about $6.4M 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.