1 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Borden County, Texas. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms and heavy rainfall systems dominates the flood risk in Borden County. Over the last 30 years, NOAA records show 21 flash flood events compared to 1 flood event.
Recent historic events illustrate this pattern. In May 2015, an upper-level disturbance combined with abundant moisture, a dryline, and outflow boundaries to produce slow-moving thunderstorms that caused flash flooding across the area. More recently, in September 2024, a slow-moving upper-level low interacting with a stationary frontal boundary and a tropical airmass generated repeated rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall, resulting in significant flash flooding.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated in low-lying areas, near small streams and creeks, and in locations prone to rapid surface water accumulation during severe convective storms.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
4 NOAA storm reports from Borden County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
15 federal disaster declarations since 1992, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Dec 26, 2015 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Nov 27, 2005 |
| Hurricane Rita | Sep 23, 2005 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Ice Storm | Dec 12, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
22 since 1996: 21 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 2, 2024 | $75,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 7, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 5, 2015 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | May 5, 2015 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 21, 2014 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 21, 2014 | $5,000 |
| Flood | Sep 20, 2014 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 20, 2014 | $200 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Sep 2, 2024. A slow-moving upper-level low pressure over a stationary frontal boundary helped to generate widespread showers and thunderstorms across the region. Repeated rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall within a tropical airmass caused significant flash flooding across many Permian Basin and Southeast New Mexico areas.
Flash Flood · Jul 7, 2015. A weak cold front was bisecting the Permian Basin from northeast to southwest and a very slow moving upper level trough was over West Texas. These conditions, along with abundant moisture, resulted in storms that produced high rainfall rates and flash flooding across the northeastern Permian Basin.
Flash Flood · May 5, 2015. An upper level low was over Arizona and New Mexico, and an upper level disturbance associated with this low moved over West Texas. A dryline was present across the Permian Basin with good moisture and instability to the east of this feature. There were outflow boundaries left over from convection across the area during the morning hours that aided in thunderstorm and tornado development during the afternoon and…
Flash Flood · May 5, 2015. An upper level trough was to the west of the region as an upper level disturbance moved over the area. The atmosphere was unstable with upslope winds and plentiful moisture across the area. These conditions allowed for storms to develop with large hail and flash flooding. Storms were aided after sunset by an area of strong winds aloft that helped bring in moisture and contribute to lift.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Borden County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.