Custer County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08027 · population 4,686 · 739 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,305 records for Custer County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 596 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (765 records). 1,141 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest day on its record was October 24, 1997: blizzard records filed for Custer County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1999, 12 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Wildfires, Flooding, and Mudslides” on September 1, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,305on 596 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 68 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $49Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Custer County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 765 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Colorado's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 765 | 317 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $9.8M | 16 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 307 | 131 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 6 | $6.8M | 6 of 63 |
| Hail | 92 | 68 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1K | 25 of 63 |
| Floods | 30 | 22 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | $21M | 11 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 7 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 25 | 22 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 21 | 17 | 2002-2016 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 13 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 10 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 9 | 1954-2025 | 0 | 0 | $52K | 27 of 63 |
| Drought | 5 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 63 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 5 | 5 | 2008-2020 | 1 | 0 | – | 28 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 5 | 5 | 1970-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 63 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2008-2011 | 2 | 1 | – | 28 of 63 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Custer County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Custer County from 1954 to 2025, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 27th of 63 Colorado counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 9 tornadoes whose track touched Custer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Custer County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-30 | Silver Cliff, Custer County | EF0 0.34 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-07-22 | Westcliffe, Custer County | EF0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-29 | Westcliffe, Custer County | EF0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-04 | Westcliffe, Custer County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-30 | Custer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-08-02 | Custer County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-07-24 | Custer County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-07-04 | Custer County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-02-13 | Custer County | F1 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Custer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 23, 2012 wildfire ($2.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
A wildfire of unknown cause spread rapidly eastward. It consumed 15 houses and additional out-buildings in the Greenwood Village subdivision. Scores of residences were evacuated during the height of the wildfire. Twenty organizations responded to the wildfire, which scorched 1998 acres in Custer and Pueblo Counties.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 410192)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-05 | Heavy SnowAlamosa County and 6 more · forecast zone Northern Sangre De Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | Heavy SnowCuster County and Huerfano County · forecast zone Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowCuster County and Huerfano County · forecast zone Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindAlamosa County and 6 more · forecast zone Northern Sangre De Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindCuster County and Huerfano County · forecast zone Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-31 | LightningWestcliffe, Custer County Two men were setting up camp when they were struck by lightning. One man died and the other was knocked unconscious. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2008-07-03 | LightningRosita, Custer County A boy was struck and killed by lightning near a youth camp in Custer County. He was riding a bicycle with others. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-01-10 | AvalancheAlamosa County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern Sangre De Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft A deadly avalanche occurred on the east slope of Blanca Peak. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-12-24 | Heavy SnowAlamosa County and 4 more · forecast zone Pueblo And Eastern Fremont Counties/Pueblo And Vicinity An upper level low pressure system combined with upslope northerly winds at the surface to produce widespread snow across the southeast mountains and adjoining plains starting the morning of the 24th and lasting into Christmas morning. Storm totals ranged from 4 to 9 inches in and around the Wet Mountains. However, 12 ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-10-24 | BlizzardAlamosa County and 4 more · forecast zone Pueblo And Eastern Fremont Counties/Pueblo And Vicinity | 1 | 0 | $368K | |
| 1997-10-24 | BlizzardCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Bent County/Las Animas And Vicinity While blizzards are not uncommon in Colorado, the widespread areal extent of this blizzard was, perhaps a one in 50 year event. A powerful low pressure system moved in from the northwest through Utah, and settled into northern New Mexico. Meantime, arctic air invaded eastern Colorado, setting the stage for high winds, ... | 1 | 0 | $184K | |
| 1996-02-22 | High WindAlamosa County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern Sangre De Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft High winds occurred along the lee slopes of the Rampart Range and Wet Mountains in the morning hours. Winds gusted to over 60 knots throughout much of that area...with a peak gust of 76 knots at Monument in El Paso county. Winds at the Air Force Academy gusted to 72 knots. Damage to roofs...shingles and fences was ... | 0 | 6 | $282K | |
| 1992-06-20 | HailCuster County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-04-30 | FloodAlamosa County and 4 more · forecast zone Pueblo And Eastern Fremont Counties/Pueblo And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $15M | |
| 2005-07-06 | WildfireCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | $8.0M | |
| 2001-04-11 | BlizzardCostilla County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | |
| 1999-04-30 | FloodCostilla County and 4 more · forecast zone Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2001-04-11 | High WindCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Prowers County/Lamar And Vicinity | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.3M |
| 2012-10-23 | WildfireCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 1999-05-01 | FloodCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Bent County/Las Animas And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2001-04-11 | High WindCuster County · forecast zone Kiowa County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: February 13, 1954 (tornado, Custer County); July 4, 1960 (tornado, Custer County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Custer County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 108 | 251 | 225 | 181 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 46 | 100 | 96 | 65 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 54 | 17 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 6 | 12 | 3 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Custer County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 161 · Feb 176 · Mar 156 · Apr 199 · May 60 · Jun 44 · Jul 78 · Aug 44 · Sep 22 · Oct 109 · Nov 95 · Dec 161 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Custer County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Custer County: 4 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 6 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (8) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4944 | Fire | Wildfires, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2026-06-29 | FM-5642 | Fire | Aspen Acres Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-10-17 | FM-5157 | Fire | Junkins Fire |
| 2012-10-23 | FM-5022 | Fire | Wetmore Fire |
| 2011-06-16 | FM-2923 | Fire | Duckett Fire |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3270 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | FM-2566 | Fire | Mason Fire |
| 2003-04-09 | EM-3185 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002-05-01 | FM-2401 | Fire | Cuerno Verde Fire |
| 1999-05-17 | DR-1276 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Custer County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 30 flood or flash flood records for Custer County from 1997 to 2021, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Custer County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $769 on 1 claim filed in Custer County; the most in one year was 1 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Custer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Custer County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.1 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 61 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $29K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $699K | once in about 601 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $48K | 69 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $37K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $191K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $72 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $22K | once in about 1,290 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Custer County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in ColoradoEvery Colorado tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in ColoradoThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Colorado recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Custer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Custer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis