Natural hazards · Tomball

Tomball, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tomball comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 129 claims here since 1983. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Tomball?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tomball to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding39%Hurricanes29%Tornadoes21%Cold waves5%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Tomball faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Tomball flood?

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

129paid claims since 1983

$4.1Mpaid to owners

16homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Spring severe storms: 22 claims, $1.0M
Hurricane Ike: 15 claims, $386K
Tropical Storm Allison: 12 claims, $283K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Harris County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Tomball

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TomballDeclared for Harris County only

2024

Hurricane Beryl

10,407 households applied for aid $6.9M aid approved $121K to the City of Tomball for repairs

2024

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

1,861 households applied for aid $567K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

1,482 households applied for aid $559K aid approved $48K to the City of Tomball for repairs

2019

Tropical Storm Imelda

14 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2017

Hurricane Harvey

3,027 households applied for aid $4.8M aid approved $410K to the City of Tomball for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

443 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

48 households applied for aid $61K aid approved

2008

Hurricane Ike

4,074 households applied for aid $824K aid approved $545K to the City of Tomball for repairs

2005

Hurricane Rita

178 households applied for aid $59K aid approved $34K to the City of Tomball for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$11K to the City of Tomball for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

Harris County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Tomball

Tomball and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Houstonmostly inland floodingVery high

Tomballmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Tomball covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tomball’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tomball. 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 Tomball total about $5.4M 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.