Uvalde County
Population 24,963 (2025) 1,552 sq mi
Property owners in Uvalde County have filed 130 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 87th most of 254 counties in Texas.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195014
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger14
- Wildfire burn scars since 19841
- Major flood years since 19782
At a glance
The record for Uvalde County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
14
216th of 254 in Texas
Fewer than the typical Texas county, which has had 35
DetailsAcres burned since 1984
818
193rd of 254 in Texas
1 large fire; the largest was Cvfd Number 70, 2006
DetailsStrongest tornado
F2
May 1, 1959, 5.7 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm (unnamed), 1886, 35.7 miles away
Federal disaster declarations
21
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026
DetailsTornadoes
About one every 5.4 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
May 1, 1959
F2, 5.7 mile path
33 yards wide.
Most recent
Friday, June 14, 2013
EF0, 1.9 mile path
13 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Jun 14, 2013 | EF0 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 2006 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2002 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 2002 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 12, 2001 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 22, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1999 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1997 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 15, 1996 | F2 | 4.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 15, 1996 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1975 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 28, 1971 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 8, 1966 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 1959 | F2 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Uvalde County: 0.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
9 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
August 21, 1886
Unnamed storm, Tropical storm
35.7 miles at closest approach, winds near 69 mph.
Most recent
September 7, 2010
Hermine, Tropical storm
40.5 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Hermine | 2010 | 40.5 | Tropical storm |
| Claudette | 2003 | 29.9 | Tropical storm |
| Allen | 1980 | 85.9 | Tropical storm |
| Celia | 1970 | 15.5 | Tropical storm |
| Alice | 1954 | 35.6 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1942 | 13.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1934 | 50.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1929 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1919 | 74.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1916 | 23.3 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1886 | 35.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1880 | 62.4 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1869 | 66.1 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1851 | 0.0 | Tropical storm |
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
818 acres burned in 1 large fire since 1984, equal to 0.1% of the land.
Largest
April 8, 2006
Cvfd Number 70 Fire, 1,175 acres
818 acres inside Uvalde County.
Most recent
April 8, 2006
Cvfd Number 70 Fire
1,175 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Cvfd Number 70 | 2006 | 818 | 1,175 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 19 days
Heavy smoke on 3 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
6.8 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
1 day
Medium or heavy smoke. 9 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
130 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $6.7 million paid.
Most claims in one year
2002: 54 claims
$2.4 million paid.
2nd most
2026: 37 claims
$3.7 million paid.
3rd most
1998: 8 claims
$116,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 78801 | 70 | $4.2 million |
| 78838 | 37 | $1.7 million |
| 78884 | 9 | $365,000 |
| 78802 | 7 | $244,000 |
| 78881 | 5 | $151,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood143
- Flood28
4 deaths recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
Most severe crest
August 24, 1919
Sabinal River at Sabinal, 40.00 ft
28.00 feet above the 12.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
July 17, 2026
Nueces River below Uvalde, 28.01 ft
Major flooding.
River gauges
| Dry Frio River near Reagan Wells near Uvalde 23N | 10.0 | 33.00 ft | 6 |
| Frio River at Concan | 11.0 | 34.40 ft | 13 |
| Frio River below Dry Frio near Uvalde | 12.0 | 35.00 ft | 7 |
| Nueces River at Laguna | 10.0 | 29.95 ft | 8 |
| Nueces River below Uvalde | 11.0 | 28.01 ft | 7 |
| Sabinal River at Sabinal | 12.0 | 40.00 ft | 6 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 222 of 1,581 months since 1895 (14%); the longest spell lasted 26 months.
222
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
70
Months in extreme drought
14%
Share of all months, severe or worse
104
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
September 2011
−5.38, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
26 months
March 2024 to April 2026.
Latest month
September 2026
+2.55, moderately wet
Last severe month: April 2026.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
82 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 2005; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
15
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
July 12, 2026
Magnitude 3.6
11 km SSE of Dilley, Texas; 39.7 miles away, 4.2 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
October 17, 2026
Magnitude 3.5
24 km WNW of Carrizo Springs, Texas; 31.4 miles away.
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
579 events in the National Weather Service record, 497 of them since 1996.
141
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
30
Hail, 2 inches or larger
47
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
18
Winter weather events since 1996
6
Heat events since 1996
3
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
March 19, 2002
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
March 19, 2006
86 mph
Costliest events since 1996
- Oct 28, 1996Flood, Uvalde$5.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Rainfall of up to 13 inches on the headwaters of the Nueces River on the evening of the 27th and the morning of the 28th caused the river to rise rapidly. The Nueces finally crested just south of Uvalde at around 20 feet, where flood stage is 11 feet. This was the highest reading since 1962. As it moved southward into Zavala County near 1200CST on the 28th, flow was measured at 200,000 cfs. The river crested near Crystal City at 31 feet. Many homes had to be evacuated, with damage reported to nearly 40 home and mobile homes. The flood wave moved into Dimmit County near 1200CST on the 29th. The river crested near Asherton at just over 29 feet, where flood stage is 20 feet. Damage…
- Jul 16, 2026Flash Flood$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The FM481 bridge over the Nueces River 9 mi southwest of Uvalde partially collapsed with a segment of the bridge entirely swept away, along with washouts on parts of FM481 approaching the bridge. The cost of bridge repairs exceeded $3 million. The exact date and time of the collapse is unknown but is assigned the time of maximum Nueces River flood height.
- Mar 19, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
During the late evening, a severe thunderstorm struck just south of the Uvalde downtown area. The damage began five miles southwest of Uvalde and continued south of the town to 7 miles east of the Uvalde airport. The most widespread of the damage was southwest of the city in the Uvalde estates area. Nearly all debris was reported by emergency management to have blown toward the east in an area approximately 3 miles wide and 5 miles long. Damage in this area included damage to about 100 homes and mobile homes. Many of the mobile homes were overturned or rolled and destroyed, with some of the damage occurring while occupants were still inside their mobile homes. Scores of roofs were…
- Mar 19, 2006Tornado$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
The most severe level of damage was located approximately 5 miles to the east of the Uvalde airport along Agape Road. This was due to a combination of both severe thunderstorm winds and a strong tornado. The wind damage, which had ended just south of Uvalde, once again was observed beginning just west of the Agape area by the team. The damage continued toward the east nearly one quarter mile to the Agape compound. Roof damage was noted at the first buildings, along with widespread damage to trees. Continuing to the east, the team found a mobile home that had been completely destroyed with the debris deposited about 30 yards to the south. This was the first time damage had been…
- Jun 22, 1997Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The heavy rain Friday night into Saturday afternoon had left South Central Texas soils saturated. The situation worsened Saturday evening into Sunday as heavy rain associated with the upper low pressure system redeveloped over the western Texas Hill Country. Very heavy rains over the Texas Hill Country Saturday night and Sunday morning caused widespread flooding as well as flash flooding across numerous counties. The heavy rains moved into San Antonio Sunday morning and into the Austin area later in the morning. By Sunday afternoon and evening, areas of showers and thunderstorms had diminished over South Central Texas as the upper low moved into North Texas. Late Sunday evening,…
- Aug 23, 1998Flood, Uvalde$800,000
National Weather Service narrative
Flooding along the headwaters of the Frio River was devastating, but campers had been removed in advance from the camps, preventing the need for dangerous last-minute rescues. Still, the flooding covered the entire camping area of Garner State Park in northeast Uvalde County. Water was reported to be five to six feet deep in some of the park building. Parts of some park structures were destroyed by the flood and washed downstream. Picnic tables and debris were strewn everywhere. Steel signs were bent to the ground. Without this timely evacuation, lives almost surely would have been lost. Flow in the camping area was several feet deep and moving very fast.Over twenty homes were…
- Mar 19, 2002Hail$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Large hail, propelled by high winds, caused widespread damage to roofs and glass in the east part of the county.
- Mar 19, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Severe winds caused spotty damage, mainly in the eastern half of Uvalde County, where they knocked down trees, blew down a dozen power lines, and caused damage to roofs in the area. Damage was also reported to windows in the eastern part of the county.
- Aug 23, 1998Flash Flood$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
By nightfall on the evening of Saturday, August 22nd, the remains of Charley had stalled over southern Uvalde and northern Zavala Counties. Heavy rainfall from the previous week had left soils in the two counties saturated. Through the night and into the early morning hours of Sunday, August 23rd, heavy rainfall in bands continued over mainly these two counties. Thunderstorms in the bands were producing rainfall rates approaching five inches per hour. A total of between 6 and 8 inches was reported between the towns of Uvalde, Batesville and Leakey. A devastating flood wave developed along the Frio, Dry Frio, Sabinal and Nueces Rivers and moved over camps, recreational areas and…
- Aug 18, 1998Flash Flood$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
Widespread heavy rainfall began to fall again through the mid morning of the 18th. General 3 to 4 inch amounts were reported with totals nearing 10 inches south and west of Uvalde. Severe flash flooding developed very quickly in Uvalde County. The river gauge 9 miles southwest of Uvalde measured 9.16 inches, and the Texas A&M Ag research station in Uvalde 5.65 inches. .US highways 90, 55, and 83 were flooded in places. Autos were washed downstream and rescues performed on Highways 83 and 55. Several cars were washed downstream with rescues at a low area of FM 481. In all, 18 rescues were performed in autos and residences in Uvalde and Zavala Counties and over 25 people evacuated…
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Hondo Municipal Airport, 36.1 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1975.
- All-time high
- 112°FSep 5, 2000
- All-time low
- 6°FFeb 15, 2021
- Warmest night
- 82°F3 times, most recently Sep 1, 2020
- Coldest day
- 22°FDec 22, 1989
- Wettest day
- 5.90 inJun 2, 1979
- Snowiest day
- 10.8 inJan 12, 1985
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 72.6°F
- Coldest year
- 1976mean 66.7°F
- Wettest year
- 199245.34 in
- Driest year
- 20257.71 in
- Snowiest season
- 12.8 in1984-85
19 of 20 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Hondo Municipal Airport (USW00012962), 922 ft elevation, 36.1 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1975 to October 26, 2026; 99.3% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
21 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, September 1, 2026.
| Sep 1, 2026 | Flood | DR-4935-TX |
| Jul 18, 2026 | Flood | EM-3649-TX |
| Jul 6, 2025 | Flood | DR-4879-TX |
| Feb 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586-TX |
| Feb 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554-TX |
| Mar 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485-TX |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458-TX |
| Feb 25, 2019 | Flood | DR-4416-TX |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223-TX |
| Mar 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284-TX |
| Jun 29, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1709-TX |
| Jan 11, 2006 | Fire | DR-1624-TX |
| Sep 24, 2005 | Hurricane | DR-1606-TX |
| Sep 21, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3261-TX |
| Sep 2, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3216-TX |
| Jul 4, 2002 | Flood | DR-1425-TX |
| Sep 1, 1999 | Fire | EM-3142-TX |
| Aug 26, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1239-TX |
| Jul 7, 1997 | Flood | DR-1179-TX |
| Sep 10, 1993 | Drought | EM-3113-TX |
| Jan 9, 1990 | Freezing | DR-850-TX |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
How this compares
Where Uvalde County stands among 254 counties in Texas and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 14 | 216 / 254 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 0 | — |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 9 | 80 / 254 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 818 | 193 / 254 |
| Flood insurance claims | 130 | 87 / 254 |
| Flood insurance paid | $6.7 million | 50 / 254 |
| Disaster declarations | 21 | 103 / 254 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 171 | 13 / 254 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 178 | 155 / 254 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 18 | 177 / 254 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $15.7 million | 123 / 254 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 47 | 9 / 254 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 222 | 63 / 254 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 6.8 | 241 / 254 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Bandera County | 7 | 5 |
| Edwards County | 4 | 6 |
| Frio County | 16 | 11 |
| Kinney County | 13 | 9 |
| Maverick County | 13 | 10 |
| Medina County | 27 | 8 |
| Real County | 2 | 4 |
| Zavala County | 10 | 11 |
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00012962.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.