Gray County, TX Environment & Hazard Risk

• DroughtRelatively High$3.8M/yr expected annual loss, about 75 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Moderate$2.2M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 76 years
• HailRelatively Moderate$2M/yr expected annual loss, about 8.6 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively High$350K/yr expected annual loss, about 9.8 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$326K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• TornadoRelatively Moderate$2.9M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• Cold waveRelatively Moderate$2.5M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.4 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$984K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.1 events a year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$503K/yr expected annual loss, about 49 events a year
• EarthquakeVery Low$189K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 942 years
• HurricaneVery Low$9,763/yr expected annual loss, about once every 112 years
• Heat waveVery Low$73K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.5 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$5/yr expected annual loss, about once every 6 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

3 of 9,568 (0.0%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

73

Insured in high-risk zones

2 (3%)

Flood claims since 1978

3

Claims paid since 1978

$5,051

• Hail389
• Thunderstorm Wind225
• High Wind144
• Drought62
• Tornado38
• Wildfire27 · 15 deaths
• Winter Weather21 · 1 death
• Cold/Wind Chill18
• Heavy Snow15
• Winter Storm14

• Wildfire03/12/2006

  Gray

  12 deaths, 8 injured, $38.1M damage

  What happened

  The wildfire known as the Borger wildfire started four miles southeast of Borger on the Burnett (6666) Ranch property. This wildfire was caused by downed power lines due to the strong gradient southwesterly winds. The wildfire burned four hundred and seventy-nine thousand five hundred and forty-nine acres. Twenty eight structures were lost and seven people were killed. This fire burned into southeast Hutchinson County...northwest Gray County...through central Roberts County and finally into western Hemphill County. The second wildfire known as the Interstate 40 wildfire burned four hundred and twenty-seven thousand six hundred and ninety-six acres. This wildfire started four miles east of Groom near Boydston and was also caused by downed power lines from the strong gradient southwesterly winds. Eighty vehicles and eighty outbuildings were destroyed. Nine fire fighters were injured and one of those injured fire fighters died about a month later. Four people were killed in a nine vehicle accident on Interstate 40. The Texas Forest Service named the two wildfires the East Amarillo Complex which killed approximately five thousand head of livestock. Over forty structures were...

• Wildfire03/06/2017

  Gray

  3 deaths

  What happened

  The Lefors East Wildfire began in Gray County about six miles southeast of Lefors Texas around 1500CST. The wildfire spread east into Wheeler County where an evacuation was declared for the towns of Mobeetie and Wheeler. An evacuation was also declared for the town of Lefors, however three people were killed as they tried to save livestock in the area. Many livestock were also lost from the wildfire. The wildfire consumed approximately one hundred and thirty-five thousand acres. There was a report that six homes and four other structures were threatened but saved, however one home and two other structures were destroyed by the wildfire. Other than the three people killed, there were no reports of any injuries but there were ten near misses. There were ten fire departments and other agencies that responded to the wildfire including the Texas A&M Forest Service. The wildfire was contained around 0800CST on March 8.

• Winter Weather12/22/2007

  Gray

  1 death, 13 injured, $400K damage

  What happened

  Two inches of snow and strong winds combined to produce white out conditions near Pampa. This contributed to a twenty-seven car accident at the intersection of U.S. Highway 60 and Texas State Highway 152. Thirteen people were injured and transported to the hospital...and one person was killed.

• Drought11/01/2012

  Gray

  $22M damage

  What happened

  A dry November caused the ongoing drought conditions to worsen across the Texas Panhandle. Exceptional (D4) drought affects the majority of the north Texas Panhandle including Carson County. Extreme (D3) drought affects most of the southern Texas Panhandle minus the southeastern corner of the Texas Panhandle. Severe (D2) drought affects parts of the southeastern corner of the Texas Panhandle. ||There were very few opportunities for the Texas Panhandle to see any relief in the form of precipitation and even fewer locations saw any precipitation during the month of November. The only reason the entire Texas Panhandle is not under D3 and D4 Drought is because of the convection that developed over the southeastern Texas Panhandle on November 10th. Amarillo recorded 0.01 inches of precipitation for November (0.79 inches below normal), Dalhart recorded 0.00 inches (0.58 inches below normal), and Borger recorded a trace of precipitation (0.84 inches below normal). This lack of rain placed this November as the 9th driest for the Texas High Plains region on record. Also this November was the 7th warmest November for the Texas High Plains region on record. ||The dry conditions and...

• Drought12/01/2012

  Gray

  $20M damage

  What happened

  The month of December provided a few opportunities for improvement in drought conditions across the Texas Panhandle, but fell short of showing significant improvement. Exceptional (D4) drought affects the majority of the north Texas Panhandle including Carson County. Extreme (D3) drought affects most of the southern Texas Panhandle minus the southeastern corner of the Texas Panhandle. Severe (D2) drought affects parts of the southeastern corner of the Texas Panhandle.||Multiple snow events and one severe event provided the Texas Panhandle with some much needed moisture. Amarillo recorded 0.54 inches of precipitation for December (0.17 inches below normal), Dalhart recorded 0.31 inches (0.23 inches below normal), and Borger recorded 0.50 inches of precipitation (0.27 inches below normal). Overall this month ranked as the 31th warmest and 51st wettest December on record for the Texas High Plains region. As December came to an end so did the warmest 1 year, 2 year, and 3 year period on record for the Texas High Plains.||Limited dormant fuels remain in prime condition for the spread of fires across the Panhandle. But given the recent wetting rains a very marginal improvement was...

• Drought01/01/2013

  Gray

  $15M damage

  What happened

  The month of January provided some much needed precipitation for the southern Texas Panhandle. Exceptional (D4) drought affects the far northern Texas Panhandle including Moore County. Extreme (D3) drought affects most of the central and south central Texas Panhandle. Severe (D2) drought affects parts of the southeastern and southwestern corners of the Texas Panhandle. ||Several snow events provided the Texas Panhandle with some much needed moisture. Amarillo recorded 0.76 inches of precipitation for January (0.04 inches above normal), Dalhart recorded 0.17 inches (0.35 inches below normal), and Borger recorded 0.81 inches of precipitation (0.22 inches above normal). Overall this month ranked as the 54th warmest and 30th wettest January on record for the Texas High Plains region. ||Limited dormant fuels remain in prime condition for the spread of fires across the Panhandle. Given the several wetting rain events for the month the Keetch-Byram Drought Index showed continued improvement for the Texas Panhandle. Dallam, Hartley, and Lipscomb are the only Texas Panhandle counties remaining within the 600 to 800 range. The rest of the area stayed relatively steady state within the...

• City of PampaServes 17,994 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• Tdcj Baten & Jordan UnitsServes 1,287 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+4 monitoring or reporting
• Mclean Municipal Water SupplyServes 665 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Lefors Municipal Water SystemServes 420 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+5 monitoring or reporting
• Walnut Creek Estates Water SystemServes 88 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations