Harrison County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harrison County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Harrison County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 183 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (90th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Harrison County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1966, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (7), fire (6), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 total declarations since 1966.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 77 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.5 | 37 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.2 | 80 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.5 | 20 | 0 | $1.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 69.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.6 | 46 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 68.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 97.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Harrison County ranks in the 90th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 80th | High |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 76th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 80th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 60th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 59th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 183 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 87 in 2016–20 vs 96 in 2021–25 (+10% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Harrison County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harrison County, Texas are ice storm, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Harrison County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harrison County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Harrison County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Harrison County include Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Harrison County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Caddo Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Marion County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Harrison County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Harrison County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harrison County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Harrison County's composite score of 78 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 78% of US counties.