Willacy County, TX
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Willacy County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Willacy County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hurricane, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 418% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (99th 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. Willacy County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (15), flood (3), severe storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 total declarations since 1967.
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 | Very Low | 28.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.9 | 12 | 0 | $22.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 40.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 57.6 | 45 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 23.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 39 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 17.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 48.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | 2 | 2 | $5.0M |
| Drought | Relatively High | 90.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Willacy County ranks in the 99th 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 | 99th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 91st | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 99th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | 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 | 70th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 38.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 68 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+418% — 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
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Willacy County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Willacy County, Texas are cold wave, hurricane, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Willacy County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Willacy County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Willacy County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Willacy County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2025), Hurricane Beryl (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Willacy County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hidalgo County, TX has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Kenedy County, TX has the lowest (Very Low). Willacy County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Willacy County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Willacy 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. Willacy County's composite score of 78 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 78% of US counties.