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 Ward 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 weather events dominates the flood history of Ward County, TX, accounting for 16 out of 17 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside one general flood event.
Historical events illustrate how atmospheric conditions, frontal boundaries, and tropical systems produce heavy rainfall and localized flash flooding across the region. Notable events include heavy rain driven by an upper-level trough and a cold front in June 2021, and abundant moisture from the remains of Tropical Storm Odile and Tropical Storm Polo that caused repeat heavy rainfall in September 2014. Additional flash flooding occurred in April 2017 when an upper-level low-pressure system combined with Gulf moisture and upslope winds to generate widespread showers and thunderstorms.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists in Ward County should pay the closest attention to properties vulnerable to sudden, intense rainfall and localized flash flooding.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
2 NOAA storm reports from Ward County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
11 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 |
| 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 |
| Tropical Storm Charley | Aug 22, 1998 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
17 since 1996: 16 flash floods and 1 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2021 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2014 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2014 | $500 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 29, 2007 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2007 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 27, 2006 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 15, 2006 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2005 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 27, 2021. An upper level trough was to the west of Texas. An upper level disturbance attached to the upper trough moved over West Texas and provided additional atmospheric lift. A cold front was in the area along with outflow boundaries from previous thunderstorms. There was plentiful moisture in the area along with instability. These conditions allowed for heavy rain to develop and produce flash flooding across portions of…
Flash Flood · Sep 19, 2014. The remains of Tropical Storm Odile were moving across the region as they rotated around the circulation of an upper ridge. A circulation was also located over the central Permian Basin which was allowing rain to move across the same areas. There was plentiful moisture across the area from Odile as well as from tropical storm Polo. Good upper level lift was also present from Odile. Heating from breaks in the c…
Flash Flood · Apr 29, 2007. An upper level low pressure system located over northern portions of Mexico in combination with east to southeast surface winds pulling in abundant amounts of Gulf moisture and providing upslope flow, led to the development of showers and thunderstorms across west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. |During the overnight hours on early Sunday morning, showers and thunderstorms moved out of northern Mexico into sout…
Flash Flood · Mar 25, 2007. A strong upper low pushing into western Mexico, along with above normal precipitable water values and good upper level divergence combined for a heavy rain/flash flooding event across west Texas and southeastern New Mexico.
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 Ward 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.