Fort Bend County, Texas Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · TX
HighComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 97th
Fort Bend County faces high composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 97.5, 97th national percentile), driven primarily by lightning and tornado exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $346M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fort Bend County at high composite risk, with a National Risk Index score of 97.5 out of 100 — placing it in the 97th national percentile and in the upper tier of natural-disaster risk nationally. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Most of Fort Bend County's expected losses come from lightning (electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties) at Very High risk — $7M in expected annual loss and about 74.29 events per year; tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at Very High risk — $59M in expected annual loss and about 0.77 events per year; and heat wave (prolonged periods of extreme heat that threaten health and infrastructure) at High risk — $17M in expected annual loss and about 14.32 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $346M in expected annual loss for a population of 823K.
Beyond physical exposure, Fort Bend County has a very low social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a high community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). A less vulnerable population paired with strong resilience helps the community absorb and recover from events.
The federal record bears this out: Fort Bend County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1983, including 12 for hurricane events and 5 for flood events. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl (hurricane), declared in July 2024.
Among 254 Texas counties, Fort Bend County ranks #8 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Lightning | Very High | 74.29 / yr | $7M |
| Tornado | Very High | 0.77 / yr | $59M |
| Heat Wave | High | 14.32 / yr | $17M |
| Hurricane | High | 0.18 / yr | $71M |
| Riverine Flood | High | 1.68 / yr | $169M |
| Cold Wave | High | 0.47 / yr | $15M |
| Strong Wind | High | 1.36 / yr | $3M |
| Ice Storm | High | 0.83 / yr | $2M |
| Drought | Medium | 26.20 / yr | $1M |
| Wildfire | Low | 0.00 / yr | $502K |
| Hail | Medium | 2.11 / yr | $811K |
| Earthquake | Low | 0.00 / yr | $618K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.09 / yr | $2K |
| Winter Weather | Low | 1.11 / yr | $71K |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $224 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Fort Bend County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1983, most recently Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (12), Flood (5), Severe Storm (3).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| July 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Beryl |
| February 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| February 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| August 2020 | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Marco and Laura |
| July 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hanna |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| August 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Harvey |
| June 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| April 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Fort Bend County?
Fort Bend County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 97.5 out of 100, placing it in the High category and the 97th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Fort Bend County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Lightning (Very High, $7M EAL), Tornado (Very High, $59M EAL), Heat Wave (High, $17M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Fort Bend County compare to other Texas counties?
Fort Bend County ranks #8 of 254 Texas counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a high rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Fort Bend County had?
FEMA records 28 federal disaster declarations for Fort Bend County since 1983, most often 12 for hurricane events and 5 for flood events. The most recent was Hurricane Beryl, declared in July 2024.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Fort Bend County's $346M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.