Texas cold wave risk
254 counties scored 7 rated Very High
Dallas County has the highest cold wave risk in Texas, scoring 99.9 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas County | 99.9 | Very High |
| 2 | Harris County | 99.9 | Very High |
| 3 | Hidalgo County | 99.9 | Very High |
| 4 | Cameron County | 99.5 | Very High |
| 5 | Galveston County | 99.4 | Very High |
| 6 | Starr County | 99 | Very High |
| 7 | Nueces County | 98.9 | Very High |
| 8 | Tarrant County | 98.8 | Relatively High |
| 9 | Jim Wells County | 98.6 | Relatively High |
| 10 | Kleberg County | 98.4 | Relatively High |
| 11 | Henderson County | 97.9 | Relatively High |
| 12 | Montgomery County | 97.9 | Relatively High |
| 13 | Willacy County | 97.9 | Relatively High |
| 14 | Brazos County | 97.5 | Relatively High |
| 15 | Brooks County | 97.1 | Relatively High |
| 16 | Lubbock County | 97 | Relatively High |
| 17 | Jefferson County | 96.6 | Relatively High |
| 18 | McLennan County | 96.3 | Relatively High |
| 19 | Webb County | 96.1 | Relatively High |
| 20 | Williamson County | 95.9 | Relatively High |
| 21 | Collin County | 95.7 | Relatively High |
| 22 | Hill County | 95.6 | Relatively High |
| 23 | Fort Bend County | 95.5 | Relatively High |
| 24 | Bell County | 95.2 | Relatively High |
| 25 | Duval County | 94.9 | Relatively High |
| 26 | Bexar County | 94.8 | Relatively High |
| 27 | Jim Hogg County | 94.5 | Relatively High |
| 28 | Denton County | 93.9 | Relatively High |
| 29 | Smith County | 92.7 | Relatively High |
| 30 | Wharton County | 92.5 | Relatively High |
| 31 | Erath County | 92.3 | Relatively High |
| 32 | Kenedy County | 92.1 | Relatively High |
| 33 | Potter County | 91.9 | Relatively High |
| 34 | Trinity County | 91.7 | Relatively High |
| 35 | Limestone County | 91.4 | Relatively High |
| 36 | San Patricio County | 91 | Relatively High |
| 37 | Victoria County | 90.9 | Relatively High |
| 38 | Freestone County | 90.1 | Relatively High |
| 39 | Randall County | 89.9 | Relatively High |
| 40 | Leon County | 89.6 | Relatively High |
| 41 | Lamar County | 89.4 | Relatively High |
| 42 | Harrison County | 89.3 | Relatively High |
| 43 | Zapata County | 89.2 | Relatively High |
| 44 | Ellis County | 88.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 45 | Johnson County | 88.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 46 | Terry County | 88.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 47 | Hutchinson County | 88.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 48 | Gregg County | 87.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 49 | Houston County | 87.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 50 | Lavaca County | 87.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 51 | Travis County | 87.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 52 | Hunt County | 86.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 53 | Deaf Smith County | 86.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 54 | Polk County | 86.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 55 | Hopkins County | 86.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 56 | Lee County | 86.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 57 | Gaines County | 85.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 58 | Frio County | 84.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 59 | Moore County | 84.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 60 | Hood County | 83.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 61 | Walker County | 83.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 62 | El Paso County | 83.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 63 | Navarro County | 83.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 64 | Brazoria County | 83.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 65 | Washington County | 83.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 66 | Anderson County | 82.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 67 | Parker County | 82.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 68 | Kaufman County | 82.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 69 | Grayson County | 82.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 70 | Grimes County | 81.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 71 | Live Oak County | 81.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 72 | Colorado County | 80.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 73 | Hays County | 79.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 74 | Calhoun County | 79 | Relatively Moderate |
| 75 | Liberty County | 78.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 76 | Cherokee County | 78.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 77 | La Salle County | 78.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 78 | Hansford County | 77.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 79 | Coryell County | 77.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 80 | Madison County | 77.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 81 | Van Zandt County | 77 | Relatively Moderate |
| 82 | Wood County | 76.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 83 | Hartley County | 76.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 84 | Lamb County | 76.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 85 | Comal County | 76.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 86 | Gray County | 76.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 87 | Dallam County | 76.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 88 | Yoakum County | 76 | Relatively Moderate |
| 89 | Milam County | 75.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 90 | Bastrop County | 74.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 91 | Dawson County | 74.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 92 | Sherman County | 74.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 93 | Rockwall County | 73.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 94 | Burnet County | 73.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 95 | Orange County | 73.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 96 | DeWitt County | 73.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 97 | Hale County | 73.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 98 | Waller County | 72.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 99 | Hardin County | 72.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 100 | Gonzales County | 71.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 101 | Wichita County | 71.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 102 | Guadalupe County | 71.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 103 | Aransas County | 70.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 104 | Tom Green County | 70.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 105 | Refugio County | 69.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 106 | Brown County | 69.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 107 | Ector County | 68.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 108 | Nacogdoches County | 68.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 109 | Bee County | 68.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 110 | Fayette County | 67.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 111 | Tyler County | 67.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 112 | Midland County | 65.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 113 | Palo Pinto County | 65.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 114 | Jasper County | 65.3 | Relatively Low |
| 115 | Eastland County | 65.1 | Relatively Low |
| 116 | Bailey County | 64.9 | Relatively Low |
| 117 | Angelina County | 64.5 | Relatively Low |
| 118 | Bowie County | 64.4 | Relatively Low |
| 119 | Ochiltree County | 64.4 | Relatively Low |
| 120 | Rusk County | 63.9 | Relatively Low |
| 121 | Comanche County | 63.3 | Relatively Low |
| 122 | Fannin County | 62.9 | Relatively Low |
| 123 | Matagorda County | 61.5 | Relatively Low |
| 124 | Upshur County | 60.9 | Relatively Low |
| 125 | Burleson County | 60.5 | Relatively Low |
| 126 | Austin County | 58.7 | Relatively Low |
| 127 | Jackson County | 57 | Relatively Low |
| 128 | Zavala County | 56.8 | Relatively Low |
| 129 | Titus County | 56.7 | Relatively Low |
| 130 | Taylor County | 56.2 | Relatively Low |
| 131 | Kerr County | 55.5 | Relatively Low |
| 132 | Wise County | 55.3 | Relatively Low |
| 133 | San Jacinto County | 55.2 | Relatively Low |
| 134 | Llano County | 54.9 | Relatively Low |
| 135 | Caldwell County | 54.8 | Relatively Low |
| 136 | Montague County | 54 | Relatively Low |
| 137 | Shelby County | 53 | Relatively Low |
| 138 | Dimmit County | 51.2 | Relatively Low |
| 139 | Runnels County | 51.2 | Relatively Low |
| 140 | Kendall County | 50.9 | Relatively Low |
| 141 | Castro County | 50.5 | Relatively Low |
| 142 | Falls County | 49.5 | Relatively Low |
| 143 | Chambers County | 49.1 | Relatively Low |
| 144 | Parmer County | 48.4 | Relatively Low |
| 145 | Gillespie County | 47.7 | Relatively Low |
| 146 | Robertson County | 47.2 | Relatively Low |
| 147 | Bosque County | 47.1 | Relatively Low |
| 148 | Cass County | 46.9 | Relatively Low |
| 149 | Atascosa County | 46.7 | Relatively Low |
| 150 | Karnes County | 46.6 | Relatively Low |
| 151 | Hockley County | 45.3 | Relatively Low |
| 152 | Nolan County | 44.9 | Relatively Low |
| 153 | Maverick County | 44.5 | Relatively Low |
| 154 | Swisher County | 44.1 | Relatively Low |
| 155 | Wilson County | 43 | Relatively Low |
| 156 | Howard County | 41.7 | Relatively Low |
| 157 | Camp County | 41.1 | Relatively Low |
| 158 | Val Verde County | 40.6 | Relatively Low |
| 159 | Medina County | 39.9 | Relatively Low |
| 160 | Hamilton County | 39.6 | Relatively Low |
| 161 | Wheeler County | 39.4 | Relatively Low |
| 162 | Red River County | 39.2 | Relatively Low |
| 163 | Hemphill County | 39.1 | Relatively Low |
| 164 | Cooke County | 37.6 | Relatively Low |
| 165 | Panola County | 37.1 | Relatively Low |
| 166 | Franklin County | 36.3 | Relatively Low |
| 167 | Somervell County | 35.2 | Relatively Low |
| 168 | Lipscomb County | 34.6 | Relatively Low |
| 169 | Oldham County | 34.3 | Relatively Low |
| 170 | Rains County | 33.3 | Relatively Low |
| 171 | Morris County | 32 | Relatively Low |
| 172 | Young County | 31.5 | Relatively Low |
| 173 | Donley County | 31.4 | Relatively Low |
| 174 | Uvalde County | 31.4 | Relatively Low |
| 175 | Bandera County | 29.5 | Relatively Low |
| 176 | Goliad County | 29.5 | Relatively Low |
| 177 | Marion County | 28.9 | Relatively Low |
| 178 | Crosby County | 28.7 | Relatively Low |
| 179 | San Augustine County | 28.3 | Relatively Low |
| 180 | Carson County | 28.2 | Relatively Low |
| 181 | Stephens County | 27.8 | Relatively Low |
| 182 | Floyd County | 27.7 | Relatively Low |
| 183 | Scurry County | 27 | Relatively Low |
| 184 | Lampasas County | 26.3 | Relatively Low |
| 185 | Blanco County | 25.9 | Relatively Low |
| 186 | Wilbarger County | 23.7 | Very Low |
| 187 | Coleman County | 22.7 | Very Low |
| 188 | Delta County | 22.2 | Very Low |
| 189 | Childress County | 21.9 | Very Low |
| 190 | Mitchell County | 21.3 | Very Low |
| 191 | Sabine County | 21 | Very Low |
| 192 | Cochran County | 20.9 | Very Low |
| 193 | Lynn County | 20.7 | Very Low |
| 194 | Mills County | 20.6 | Very Low |
| 195 | Garza County | 20.3 | Very Low |
| 196 | Collingsworth County | 19.8 | Very Low |
| 197 | Newton County | 19.8 | Very Low |
| 198 | San Saba County | 19.6 | Very Low |
| 199 | Jones County | 19.5 | Very Low |
| 200 | Pecos County | 19 | Very Low |
| 201 | Clay County | 18.9 | Very Low |
| 202 | Ward County | 18.6 | Very Low |
| 203 | Archer County | 18.4 | Very Low |
| 204 | Winkler County | 18.2 | Very Low |
| 205 | Jack County | 18.1 | Very Low |
| 206 | Real County | 18 | Very Low |
| 207 | Dickens County | 17 | Very Low |
| 208 | Baylor County | 16.9 | Very Low |
| 209 | Callahan County | 16.5 | Very Low |
| 210 | McMullen County | 16.3 | Very Low |
| 211 | Reeves County | 16.1 | Very Low |
| 212 | Andrews County | 15.9 | Very Low |
| 213 | Kimble County | 15.4 | Very Low |
| 214 | Kinney County | 14.4 | Very Low |
| 215 | McCulloch County | 13.7 | Very Low |
| 216 | Hall County | 13.5 | Very Low |
| 217 | Martin County | 13.2 | Very Low |
| 218 | Roberts County | 12.9 | Very Low |
| 219 | Hardeman County | 12.5 | Very Low |
| 220 | Brewster County | 12.3 | Very Low |
| 221 | Motley County | 11.2 | Very Low |
| 222 | Sutton County | 11.2 | Very Low |
| 223 | Coke County | 11.1 | Very Low |
| 224 | Haskell County | 11 | Very Low |
| 225 | Fisher County | 10.6 | Very Low |
| 226 | Crane County | 10.4 | Very Low |
| 227 | Upton County | 10.1 | Very Low |
| 228 | Mason County | 9.9 | Very Low |
| 229 | Briscoe County | 9.8 | Very Low |
| 230 | Edwards County | 9.4 | Very Low |
| 231 | Menard County | 9.2 | Very Low |
| 232 | Schleicher County | 9 | Very Low |
| 233 | Reagan County | 8.9 | Very Low |
| 234 | Knox County | 8.8 | Very Low |
| 235 | Shackelford County | 8.7 | Very Low |
| 236 | Armstrong County | 8.5 | Very Low |
| 237 | Borden County | 8.4 | Very Low |
| 238 | Throckmorton County | 8.2 | Very Low |
| 239 | Culberson County | 8.1 | Very Low |
| 240 | Presidio County | 7.9 | Very Low |
| 241 | Stonewall County | 7.8 | Very Low |
| 242 | Concho County | 7.6 | Very Low |
| 243 | Sterling County | 7.4 | Very Low |
| 244 | Crockett County | 7.1 | Very Low |
| 245 | Glasscock County | 7.1 | Very Low |
| 246 | Irion County | 7 | Very Low |
| 247 | Kent County | 6.6 | Very Low |
| 248 | Hudspeth County | 6 | Very Low |
| 249 | Jeff Davis County | 5.7 | Very Low |
| 250 | Cottle County | 5.1 | Very Low |
| 251 | King County | 4.7 | Very Low |
| 252 | Terrell County | 4 | Very Low |
| 253 | Foard County | 3.9 | Very Low |
| 254 | Loving County | 3.3 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Texas:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Texas?
Dallas County, TX has the highest cold wave risk in Texas, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.9 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Texas are rated Very High for cold wave risk?
7 of 254 scored Texas counties are rated "Very High" for cold wave risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes cold wave risk in Texas?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.