2 flood insurance claims·$5,523 paid·4 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 Hamilton 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 severe thunderstorms dominates the flood history of Hamilton County, Texas. Over the last 30 years, NOAA records show 40 flash flood events compared to 4 general flood events. This pattern is driven by weather systems such as the slow-moving storms and saturated atmosphere that produced regional flash flooding in July 2025, as well as the cold fronts and dryline activity that brought widespread thunderstorms and flash flooding in May 2024.
Flood risks also extend to areas outside designated high-risk zones. Federal records show that properties in Zone X experienced National Flood Insurance Program claims, averaging $5,523 per payout with an average recorded water depth of 2 inches.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties located in Zone X and areas susceptible to rapid runoff from intense summer thunderstorms and frontal systems.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 2 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
10 NOAA storm reports from Hamilton County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
18 federal disaster declarations since 1990, 4 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jul 2, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 26, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| 617 Fire | Apr 9, 2009 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 16, 2007 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Nov 27, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
44 since 1996: 40 flash floods and 4 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 5, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2024 | $30,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2016 | — |
| Flood | Mar 8, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 2, 2016 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 2, 2016 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 5, 2025. From the July 4th weekend into the early part of the following week, a weak upper trough lingered over North and Central Texas, triggering several days of scattered showers and thunderstorms. A saturated atmosphere combined with slow storm motions resulted in numerous flash flooding events throughout the region, particularly in Central Texas.
Flash Flood · May 23, 2024. With a highly unstable airmass in place, a meandering front, a dryline, and a shortwave trough all worked together to generate multiple rounds of thunderstorms May 23 and 24. In addition to large hail and damaging winds, multiple tornadoes also occurred along with a few instances of flash flooding. A total of 6 tornadoes occurred in Central and East Texas: 2 EF-1s, 3 EF-0s, and 1 EF-U.
Flash Flood · May 22, 2024. Isolated thunderstorms associated with the dryline occurred on May 21. Much more widespread thunderstorm activity took place on May 22 as a cold front sagged south into the area and a strong jet stream developed aloft. Large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding affected several locations on the 22nd. An EF2 tornado occurred in the Temple area of Central Texas, causing significant damage and injuring dozens of…
Flash Flood · May 4, 2024. A shortwave trough and a cold front led to the development of scattered to numerous thunderstorms May 4 and 5. Heavy rain causing flash flooding was the main impact during these days. Unfortunately one flash flood fatality occurred in Johnson County.
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 Hamilton 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.