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 Upton 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 driven by severe thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Upton County, Texas. Over the last 30 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration database has recorded 39 flash flood events compared to just 1 general flood event.
These severe weather incidents are often driven by upper-level low-pressure systems, troughs, and approaching cold fronts that produce heavy rainfall across West Texas and the Permian Basin. For example, a slow-moving upper-level trough and high atmospheric moisture content caused heavy rainfall and flash flooding on June 1, 2016. More recently, similar upper-level trough systems generated widespread thunderstorm activity and flash flooding on April 19, 2025, and October 24, 2025.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists tracking property vulnerabilities in the area should pay the closest attention to properties prone to rapid accumulation from intense storm runoff.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
13 NOAA storm reports from Upton County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
13 federal disaster declarations since 1993, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Wildfires | Apr 6, 2011 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Nov 27, 2005 |
| Hurricane Rita | Sep 23, 2005 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Extreme Fire Hazards | Aug 1, 1999 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
40 since 1996: 39 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Oct 24, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 19, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2016 | $300 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 22, 2015 | $35,000 |
| Flash Flood | Oct 22, 2015 | $200 |
| Flash Flood | Oct 22, 2015 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2010 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Oct 24, 2025. The same upper-level trough that helped initiate thunderstorms on the 23rd allowed for additional thunderstorm development on the 24th as it continued to approach the region. Initially scattered to numerous thunderstorms developed in West Texas during the morning of the 24th. By the early afternoon, reports of large hail and severe winds were received as these storms marched across the Permian Basin and Trans-Peco…
Flash Flood · Apr 19, 2025. A developing low pressure system over the region ahead of a strong shortwave trough resulted in high winds and blowing dust across western portions of the area, with severe weather across the Permian Basin.
Flash Flood · Jun 1, 2016. An upper low over the region, outflow boundaries from thunderstorms the previous night, and a weak cold front that was moving slowly south across the area were the causes of thunderstorm activity across parts of West Texas. The strongest instability and wind shear were located in the Big Bend Region where thunderstorms produced large hail. Moisture content across the area was high and thunderstorms produced heav…
Flash Flood · Oct 22, 2015. A strong upper level low pressure area over western Arizona moved slowly eastward. This feature increased upper level lift over West Texas and southeast New Mexico. This upper low was pulling moisture northward into the area from the Gulf of Mexico allowing for precipitable water values to rise to around one inch. Sufficient heating, instability, and high moisture content contributed to severe thunderstorms wit…
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 Upton 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.