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 Jeff Davis 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 summer thunderstorms and terrain-driven heavy rain dominates the flood risk profile in Jeff Davis County, with the NOAA Storm Events Database recording 27 flash flood events over the last 30 years.
Recent occurrences illustrate typical weather patterns driven by monsoonal moisture, upper-level systems, and orographic lift along the Davis Mountains. For example, afternoon monsoonal thunderstorms caused localized flash flooding of low water crossings along the road to the Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch on June 25, 2025. Earlier, on August 20, 2021, high moisture combined with upper disturbances and terrain effects to produce thunderstorms and flash flooding across the area. Similar conditions triggered flash flooding in the Davis Mountains on September 28, 2025, while an upper low-pressure system over Northern Mexico led to heavy rain and flash flooding on August 31, 2022.
Homeowners and real estate agents should pay the most attention to properties situated near low-water crossings, mountain runoff areas, and the Davis Mountains where localized, rapid flash flooding presents the primary hazard.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
5 NOAA storm reports from Jeff Davis County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
18 federal disaster declarations since 1998, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Mcdannald Fire | May 2, 2018 |
| Livermore Ranch Fire Complex | Apr 24, 2012 |
| Tejano Canyon Fire | Jun 2, 2011 |
| Rockhouse Fire | Apr 9, 2011 |
| Wildfires | Apr 6, 2011 |
| Hughes Ranch Fire | Jun 4, 2008 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
27 since 1996: 27 flash floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 28, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 31, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2021 | $1.0M |
| Flash Flood | Oct 8, 2015 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Oct 8, 2015 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 12, 2014 | $250,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 12, 2014 | $1,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Sep 28, 2025. A trough to the west, coupled with the effects of moist upslope flow, helped trigger scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms across far West Texas and Southeast New Mexico throughout the day on September 28th. While no severe weather was reported, ample moisture and terrain effects resulted in at least one instance of flash flooding in the Davis Mountains and one instance of flooding due to runoff near Car…
Flash Flood · Jun 25, 2025. Afternoon monsoonal thunderstorms near the Davis Mountains resulted in localized flash flooding of low water crossings along the road to the Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch.
Flash Flood · Aug 31, 2022. An upper low-pressure system was over Northern Mexico. This feature resulted in increased upper lift and moisture across West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. These conditions produced heavy rain that lead to flash flooding across the area.
Flash Flood · Aug 20, 2021. The western edge of an upper ridge was over West Texas and an approaching upper trough was over the Rocky Mountains. Upper lift associated with the trough as well as upper disturbances moved over the area. High moisture was present across West Texas. These conditions, along with orographic lift along the Davis Mountains, resulted in thunderstorms that produced flash flooding and strong winds.
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 Jeff Davis 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.