Natural hazards · Sebastian

Sebastian, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sebastian comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sebastian?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sebastian to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and hurricanes.

Cold waves60%Hurricanes24%Drought8%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Sebastian faces

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

Cold waves

60% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

24% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Drought

8% of expected damage

Recorded about 62 times a year in the area

Lower here

Inland floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Sebastian flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Sebastian.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Willacy County.

Disasters that hit Sebastian

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SebastianDeclared for Willacy County only

2025

Severe Storms and Flooding

138 households applied for aid $879K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

228 households applied for aid $747K aid approved

2015

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

51 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Dolly

344 households applied for aid $365K aid approved

Willacy County has had 25 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. Sebastian is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sebastian’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Sebastian. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

Sebastian, TX natural hazards

How exposed is Sebastian?

What Sebastian faces

Cold waves

Hurricanes

Drought

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Sebastian flood?

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

Severe Storms and Flooding

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

Hurricane Dolly

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby