Natural hazards · Universal

Universal, TX natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Universal comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Universal?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Universal to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding64%Tornadoes18%Hail10%Heat waves5%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Universal faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Hail

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% 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 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 Universal flood?

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

5paid claims since 1979

$60Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

2026-07-Texas-Flooding: 1 claim, $21K
Tropical Storm Bill: 1 claim, $4K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bexar County.

Disasters that hit Universal

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into UniversalDeclared for Bexar County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

165 households applied for aid $71K aid approved $24K to the City of Universal for repairs

2007

Tropical Storm Erin

2 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2005

Hurricane Rita

1 household applied for aid

1998

Tx-Flooding 10/18/98

$62K to the City of Universal for repairs

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

Around Universal

Universal and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Selmamostly inland floodingVery high

Universal Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Conversemostly inland floodingHigh

Schertzmostly inland floodingModerate

Randolph AFBmostly inland floodingModerate

Live Oakmostly 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. Universal covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Universal’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Universal. 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 Universal total about $5.8M 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.