Enter any address in Brooks County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events have been the most frequent type of flooding in Brooks County over the last 30 years, with 13 recorded instances. Tropical storms and general flood events have also occurred, with 4 instances each. For example, Tropical Storm Harold brought heavy rain to the area on August 22, 2023, and a significant flood event occurred on June 19, 2018, associated with a broad tropical wave.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties designated as Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with 115 claims averaging $7,181 and an average water depth of 1.3 feet. Zone UNKNOWN areas also saw a notable number of claims. While fewer claims occurred in Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED, one claim in Zone X_UNSHADED had a significantly higher average payout of $13,953, though with a lower average water depth of 1.0 foot.
Residents in areas designated as Zone A, as well as those in areas with unknown flood risk designations, should pay particular attention to flood preparedness.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
8 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Brooks County, Texas has recorded 21 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 13 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 23 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1967–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hurricane Hanna | Hurricane | Jul 25, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Apr 6, 2011 |
| Tropical Storm Alex | Hurricane | Jun 27, 2010 |
| Hurricane Ike | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2008 |
| Hurricane Gustav | Hurricane | Aug 27, 2008 |
| Hurricane Dolly | Hurricane | Jul 22, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Aug 22, 2023 | 20.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Jul 25, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Jun 19, 2018 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2018 | 150.00K |
| Flood | May 13, 2015 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 12, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2015 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2010 | 75.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 7, 2010 | — |
| Flood | Sep 22, 2009 | 0.00K |
Tropical Storm — Aug 22, 2023
Tropical Storm Harold made landfall along the unpopulated Padre Island National Seashore on the northern Kenedy coastline just before 10:00AM CDT Tuesday, August 22nd carrying sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts over 60 mph in a small portion of the developing eye. Harold spun quickly across northern Kenedy, Brooks, and Jim Hogg Counties during the day on August 22nd before weakening to a Trop...
Tropical Storm — Jul 25, 2020
Hurricane Hanna, the 2020 Atlantic season's first Hurricane, made landfall along the unpopulated Padre Island National Seashore on the mid-Kenedy County coastline as a Category 1 storm at around 5 PM Central Time Saturday, July 25th, carrying sustained 90 mph winds with gusts over 100 mph in a small portion of the inner eye wall. The hurricane spun slowly but steadily into southern Kenedy and n...
Flood — Jun 19, 2018
A broad tropical wave originating in the western Caribbean Sea moved across the Yucatan peninsula on June 15th and 16th, 2018. The slow moving but persistent system approached the Texas coast on Sunday, June 17th before finally arriving on June 18th. As the center axis of the wave passed the longitude of the coastline, the gates opened to repeated surges of tropical moisture deep into the atmos...
Flash Flood — Jun 19, 2018
A broad tropical wave originating in the western Caribbean Sea moved across the Yucatan peninsula on June 15th and 16th, 2018. The slow moving but persistent system approached the Texas coast on Sunday, June 17th before finally arriving on June 18th. As the center axis of the wave passed the longitude of the coastline, the gates opened to repeated surges of tropical moisture deep into the atmos...
Flood — May 13, 2015
Although the weather had quieted down, a second wave of flooding washed over parts of Falfurrias, due to Palo Blanco Creek overspilling its banks. This caused road closures on Travis Street near Falfurrias High school during the late morning and early afternoon of May 13th. Some of the flooding may have been indirectly caused from upstream rainfall in northern Duval County that morning, where ...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Brooks County, Texas:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Brooks County, Texas that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.