Webb County, TX

FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data

Population: 266,380 · Cities: Laredo

Relatively Moderate Riskier than 89% of US counties
Very Low Relatively Low Relatively Moderate Relatively High Very High

Webb County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.

Webb County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, cold wave, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 266% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Webb County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (10), fire (3), severe ice storm (2).

2002–2026
Year Type Event name
2026 Flood Flooding
2024 Hurricane Hurricane Beryl
2021 Severe Ice Storm Severe Winter Storms
2021 Severe Ice Storm Severe Winter Storm
2020 Hurricane Hurricane Hanna
2020 Biological Covid-19 Pandemic
2020 Biological Covid-19
2011 Fire El Cenizo Fire
2010 Hurricane Tropical Storm Alex
2010 Hurricane Hurricane Alex

Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1972.

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 63.8 0 0
Inland Flooding Relatively Moderate 91 36 0 $900K
Coastal Flooding Not Applicable 0 0
Earthquake Very Low 44.2
Heat Wave Relatively High 97.4 63 12
Tornado Relatively Moderate 76.9 0 0
Hurricane Relatively Moderate 85.7 0 0
Hail Relatively Moderate 89.6 49 0 $843K
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate 55.5 0 0
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate 77.8 0 0
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate 66.3
Cold Wave Relatively High 96.1
Lightning Relatively Low 55.8 1 0 $10K
Drought Relatively Low 38.3 0 0
Landslide Very Low 57 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

Webb County ranks in the 98th 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 98th High
Socioeconomic status 99th High
Household characteristics 92nd High
Racial & ethnic minority status 100th 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 62nd Relatively High
Risk to homes 67th Relatively High
Buildings in direct exposure zone 13.3%

NOAA tracked 149 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 32 in 2016–20 vs 117 in 2021–25 (+266% — frequency increasing).

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

Compare Webb County with other counties → All Texas counties →

Frequently asked questions

What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Webb County?

According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Webb County, Texas are heat wave, cold wave, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.

Has Webb County received federal disaster declarations?

Yes. Webb County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).

Has Webb County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?

Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Webb County include Flooding (2026), Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.

How does Webb County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?

Among neighboring counties, Duval County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and McMullen County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Webb County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.

How is Webb County's composite disaster risk index calculated?

Webb 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. Webb County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.

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