373 flood insurance claims·$21.7M paid·6 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 Kerr 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 intense summer thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Kerr County, Texas. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database records 99 flash flood events resulting in 119 deaths, compared to 11 standard flood events resulting in 1 death.
This hazard is driven by weather patterns such as the July 2005 event, when remnants of Tropical Storm Barry brought near-record moisture levels into Texas. A low-level jet streak subsequently produced training thunderstorms over the Texas Hill Country during the overnight hours of July 3-4, 2005.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties in high-risk areas. NFIP claims data shows the highest volume of claims occurs in Zone A with 239 claims averaging $93,528 and an average recorded water depth of 12 inches. However, properties in Zone X also face significant risk, accounting for 87 claims with an average payout of $61,649 and a higher average recorded water depth of 35 inches. Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 23 claims averaging $9,878 with an average water depth of 2 inches, Zone UNKNOWN recorded 15 claims averaging $4,542 with an average water depth of 3 inches, and Zone X_SHADED recorded 9 claims averaging $10,526 with an average water depth of 7 inches.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
12% of Kerr County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
271 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 16 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.
The worst year was 2025, with 125 claims and $17.6M paid, the year of Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
37 NOAA storm reports from Kerr County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
19 federal disaster declarations since 1978, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jul 2, 2025 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 30, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Nov 27, 2005 |
| Hurricane Rita | Sep 23, 2005 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
110 since 1996: 99 flash floods and 11 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jul 14, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2025 | — · 46 killed |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2025 | $200.0M · 61 killed |
| Flash Flood | Jul 23, 2024 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 23, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 16, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 8, 2018 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jul 14, 2025. A mesoscale convective vortex developed along the Rio Grande and moved northeastward across South-Central Texas. Thunderstorms from this complex produced locally heavy rain that led to flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jul 13, 2025. Thunderstorms formed along an outflow boundary in a moist airmass over Central Texas and moved into the Hill Country and Edwards Plateau. Some of these storms produced locally heavy rain that led to flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jul 4, 2025. Tropical Storm Barry moved into and dissipated over eastern Mexico. Moist air from the remnants of Barry moved northward into Texas. Precipitable water values over South-Central Texas increased to near record levels. A mid-level anticyclonic circulation developed and moved over Central Texas providing lift to generate thunderstorms. During the overnight period of July 3-4, a low-level jet streak set up over South…
Flash Flood · Jul 23, 2024. An upper-level trough moved across a stationary front and a very moist airmass. This combination generated thunderstorms. Some of these storms produced heavy rainfall that led to flash flooding.
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 Kerr 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.