Natural hazards · San Antonio

San Antonio, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in San Antonio comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,003 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is San Antonio?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in San Antonio to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes20%Hail11%Heat waves7%Everything else3%

By hazard

What San Antonio faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Hail

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 San Antonio flood?

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

1,003paid claims since 1978

$21.6Mpaid to owners

99homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 97 claims, $1.7M
Tropical Storm Erin: 19 claims, $643K
Early summer storms: 7 claims, $23K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. San Antonio is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Bexar County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

22flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit San Antonio

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into San AntonioDeclared for Bexar County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

17,520 households applied for aid $7.8M aid approved $4.2M to the City of San Antonio for repairs

2017

Hurricane Harvey

22 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Dolly

1 household applied for aid $35K to the City of San Antonio for repairs

2007

Tropical Storm Erin

511 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

2 households applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$37.7M to the City of San Antonio for repairs

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.6M to the City of San Antonio for repairs

1998

Tx-Flooding 10/18/98

$1.2M to the City of San Antonio for repairs

Bexar County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around San Antonio

San Antonio and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Selmamostly inland floodingVery high

Scenic Oaksmostly inland floodingHigh

Cross Mountainmostly inland floodingHigh

Helotesmostly inland floodingHigh

Fair Oaks Ranchmostly inland floodingHigh

Conversemostly inland floodingHigh

Schertzmostly inland floodingModerate

San Antoniomostly inland floodingModerate

Timberwood Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Von Ormymostly inland floodingModerate

Kirbymostly inland floodingModerate

Live Oakmostly inland floodingLow

Windcrestmostly inland floodingLow

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. San Antonio covers 293 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to San Antonio’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of San Antonio. 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 San Antonio total about $434M 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.