Austin survival atlas
Travis County, Texas
Austin’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 89% of the natural-hazard risk for Travis County, home to 93% of Austin’s 1.0 million residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Relatively High. Here is what to do for each, step by step.
- People
- 1,002,632 Census estimate, July 1, 2025. No. 12 in the U.S.
- County
- Travis County Home to 92.7% of Austin’s residents. FEMA rates counties, not cities.
- Overall risk
- Relatively High Score 97.74 of 100. No. 21 of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
- Expected loss
- $376 million A year, from all 18 natural hazards (FEMA estimate).
- Top 3 hazards
- 89% of the county’s risk comes from these three: Inland flooding · Tornado · Hail.
What to do for Austin’s top hazards
The one rule to remember, then the first steps, word for word from our guides. Each guide lists its sources.
Inland flooding
FEMA score 98.34: higher than 98.3% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $214 million a year.
- Get to high ground now.
- Never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 12 inches carries away most cars.
- Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
Tornado
FEMA score 99.68: higher than 99.6% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $95.9 million a year.
- Go to the lowest floor: a small interior room away from windows.
- Cover your head and neck.
- In a mobile home or a car: get to a sturdy building.
Hail
FEMA score 99.39: higher than 99.3% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $25.0 million a year.
- Go into a sturdy building now. Sheds and storage buildings are not safe.
- Stay away from windows. A small interior room on the lowest floor is best.
- In a car, you are safer than outside. If there is time, drive to the closest secure shelter.
All 18 natural hazards in Austin, ranked
Ranked by each hazard’s share of Travis County’s risk in FEMA’s National Risk Index. The score compares the county with every other U.S. county for that one hazard.
| # | Hazard | Share of risk | FEMA rating | Score | Expected loss a year | The rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inland flooding | 57% | Relatively High | 98.34 | $214 million | Turn around, don't drown. |
| 2 | Tornado | 25% | Very High | 99.68 | $95.9 million | Lowest floor, interior room, cover your head. |
| 3 | Hail | 6.6% | Very High | 99.39 | $25.0 million | Large hail coming? Get inside a sturdy building and away from the windows. |
| 4 | Heat wave | 6.2% | Relatively High | 98.52 | $23.3 million | Get somewhere cool. Check on anyone who lives alone. |
| 5 | Cold wave | 1.9% | Relatively Moderate | 87.30 | $7.2 million | One warm room. Never heat with an oven or a grill. |
| 6 | Strong wind | 1.0% | Relatively High | 94.78 | $3.8 million | Shelter in an interior room, away from windows. |
| 7 | Wildfire | 0.5% | Relatively Moderate | 90.83 | $1.9 million | Leave early. Know two ways out. |
| 8 | Lightning | 0.5% | Relatively High | 93.28 | $1.9 million | When thunder roars, go indoors. |
| 9 | Hurricane | 0.4% | Relatively Low | 77.13 | $1.6 million | Know your evacuation zone. Told to go? Go early. |
| 10 | Ice storm | 0.2% | Relatively High | 82.90 | $645,000 | Stay off the roads. One warm room. |
| 11 | Earthquake | 0.1% | Very Low | 53.49 | $413,000 | Drop. Cover. Hold on. |
| 12 | Winter weather | <0.1% | Relatively Moderate | 80.42 | $270,000 | Stay in your shelter, or stay with your car. |
| 13 | Drought | <0.1% | Relatively Low | 50.00 | $181,000 | Store water now: 1 gallon per person per day. |
| 14 | Landslide | <0.1% | Relatively Low | 80.05 | $20,000 | Follow local alerts. Leave when officials say so. |
| – | Avalanche | – | Not applicable | – | – | Check your local avalanche center before backcountry travel. |
| – | Coastal flooding | – | Not applicable | – | – | Run from the water. Hide from the wind. |
| – | Tsunami | – | Not applicable | – | – | Strong or long shaking near the sea: go high now. |
| – | Volcanic activity | – | Not applicable | – | – | Evacuate early. In ashfall, stay in and wear an N95. |
Source // FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county 48453. Rules: SOS.city survival guides.
The rest of Austin
Austin also reaches into 2 other counties, which FEMA rates separately.
| County | Austin residents | Overall FEMA rating | Top 3 hazards by share of risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson County | 72,071 (7.2%) | Relatively Moderate (90.10) | Inland flooding, Cold wave, Tornado |
| Hays County | 904 (0.1%) | Relatively Moderate (90.55) | Inland flooding, Tornado, Hail |
How to read these numbers
- Share of risk. For each hazard, FEMA estimates the loss each year to buildings, people and farms, then adjusts it for social vulnerability and community resilience. The county’s overall risk is the sum of all 18, so the share shows how much of it each hazard carries.
- Score. A percentile from 0 to 100. A score of 99.5 means the county’s risk for that hazard is higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties.
- Rating. FEMA sorts counties into five groups, from Very Low to Very High.
- Big places rank high. Expected losses grow with the number of people and buildings exposed, so large urban counties rank high on many hazards. A high rating means plan for it, not that it will happen this year.
- County, not street. These ratings cover the whole county. For flood risk at your address, look it up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
- Travis County is rated Very Low for social vulnerability and Relatively High for community resilience. Both feed into its overall rating.
Questions people ask
What natural disasters is Austin most at risk for?
Austin’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 89% of the natural-hazard risk for Travis County, home to 93% of Austin’s 1.0 million residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Relatively High.
How does FEMA rate Austin’s overall disaster risk?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall risk of Travis County Relatively High, with a score of 97.74 out of 100. The score is a percentile: Travis County’s overall risk is higher than 97.7% of U.S. counties. Expected losses from natural hazards there average $376 million a year.
What should I do first to get ready in Austin?
Write down your top three: inland flooding, tornadoes and hail. Turn on Emergency Alerts on every phone and sign up for your county’s alerts. Store water: 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days, 2 weeks if you can.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these public datasets. We check them when we review the page.
- FEMA: National Risk Index data, county table (v1.20, December 2025)
- FEMA: National Risk Index frequently asked questions (December 2025)
- FEMA: National Risk Index for Natural Hazards
- U.S. Census Bureau: City and town population totals, 2020–2025 (Vintage 2025)
- Steps: What to do in a flood or flash flood (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
- Steps: What to do in a tornado warning (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
- Steps: What to do in a hail storm (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
General safety information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911 and follow local officials.
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