Duchesne County, Utah
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 49013 · population 19,596 · 3,236 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 544 records for Duchesne County, Utah from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 380 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (369 records). 445 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 single record is the June 29, 2007 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1977, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Dollar Ridge Fire” on July 2, 2018.
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
- 544on 380 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2325 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $63Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 2020
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 Duchesne County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 369 since 1996. The rank column places the county among Utah'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 | 369 | 232 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 7 | $383K | 22 of 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | 47 | 42 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 3 | $569K | 21 of 29 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 33 | 29 | 1995-2026 | 0 | 0 | $193K | 17 of 29 |
| Hail | 28 | 25 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 29 |
| Floods | 24 | 22 | 1997-2024 | 1 | 2 | $804K | 20 of 29 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 16 | 16 | 2001-2025 | 13 | 4 | $11K | 13 of 29 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 8 | 2007-2018 | 3 | 7 | $61M | 16 of 29 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1984-2022 | 0 | 0 | $103K | 14 of 29 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1997-2013 | 2 | 2 | $444K | 10 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 29 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 1999-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 29 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 29 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2003-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 29 |
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 Duchesne County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Duchesne County from 1984 to 2022, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 14th of 29 Utah 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Duchesne County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-11 18:50, as SPC files it | Bluebell to Neola | F3 | 17 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Utah.
Every tornado record filed for Duchesne County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-06-19 | Fruitland, Duchesne County | EF2 2.08 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-23 | Duchesne County | F0 0.5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-11 | Roosevelt, Duchesne County | F3 17 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1990-07-08 | Duchesne County | F0 0.2 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-09-11 | Duchesne County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Duchesne County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 16, 2026 winter storm ($80,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindDuchesne County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindHanna, Duchesne County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | $80K | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindDuchesne County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-13 | Heavy SnowCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-07 | AvalancheDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-05 | Heavy SnowCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-05 | Heavy SnowDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-10-29 | Winter WeatherCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 1 | 2 | $141K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-06-29 | WildfireDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains There were 3 confirmed fatalities and over a dozen structures were destroyed by massive wildfires. Fatalities occurred in a field where farmers attempting to set up sprinklers were overcome by the fire. Two fatalities occurred on scene and the third occurred later at a hospital. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-01-18 | AvalancheDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains A family was out for a day of snowmobiling in the Uinta Mountains, when they decided to take a break for lunch in a wide open basin on the West Fork of the Duchesne River. The kids walked to a edge of a ridge to see over the side when the ledge gave way, catching three of the children in an avalanche, and burying two ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2001-03-10 | AvalancheDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Unita Mountains Two snowmobilers were killed in an avalanche in the Uinta Mountains of Summit County near the town of Oakley. They were "high-marking" in an area of Upper Chalk Creek known as "the chutes". The two 29-year-old men were completely buried by the avalanche, estimated to be 900 feet long, 180 feet wide, and 12 feet deep. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-03-31 | Winter StormCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs A strong cold front roared through Utah on this date. High winds and local heavy snowfall were the main weather problems with this system. 6-14" of snow accumulated in the northern mountains and 2-6" elsewhere. High winds caused extensive damage. Some peak wind gusts were: Logan Peak (9600' ASL) 95 mph (83 kts), ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-10-29 | Winter WeatherCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs A pickup truck collided head-on with a semitrailer after the driver of the pickup truck lost control on state Route 96. Archived liquid precipitation measurements suggest around 0.2-0.5 had fallen in the area by that point, with National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center data indicating a snow depth of 2-4 ... | 1 | 2 | $141K | |
| 2022-12-27 | Heavy SnowCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs Media reports indicated a fatal head-on crash in snow occurred around 10:50 a.m. Road conditions from the nearest road weather sensor (US-40 @ Daniels Summit) indicated wind gusts peaked at 28 mph at 10 a.m. Road grip was decreased from 9:45 a.m. through the remainder of the morning, and was at it's lowest at 10:25 ... | 1 | 2 | $40K | |
| 2011-07-13 | Flash FloodTabiona, Duchesne County In an area already experiencing river flooding, heavy rainfall caused flash flooding near Tabiona. The primary road damage was along State Route 35, where a gulch running under the road was heavily backed up for hundreds of yards, and the pressure from the backup eventually washed out the road. The resultant damage ... | 1 | 2 | $262K | |
| 2007-12-31 | AvalancheDuchesne County and 2 more · forecast zone Western Uinta Mountains Three experienced snowmobilers were riding in Smith Basin, about 15 miles east-northeast of the Co-op trailhead, when an avalanche engulfed all three of them. Two of them were able to swim out of the snow, but the third, a 41 year-old male, was buried for at least 40 minutes, and died before they could dig him out. ... | 1 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-01 | WildfireCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2018-08-01 | WildfireCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2012-07-01 | WildfireCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 3 | $1.2M | |
| 2018-06-27 | WildfireDuchesne County · forecast zone Western Uinta Basin | 0 | 2 | $881K | |
| 2000-03-20 | High WindCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $360K |
| 2000-06-09 | LightningMyton, Duchesne County | 0 | 0 | $343K | |
| 2011-07-13 | Flash FloodTabiona, Duchesne County | 1 | 2 | $262K | |
| 2024-10-29 | Winter WeatherCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 1 | 2 | $141K |
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 $250, in the dollars of the day) holds: September 11, 1984 (tornado, Duchesne 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 Duchesne 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 | – | – | – | – | 110 | 100 | 94 | 65 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 7 | 22 z | 11 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 16 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
High wind and dust storms in the 2010s: 22 records against 7 in the decade before, 22 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Duchesne County days with a record above.
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 Duchesne County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 78 · Feb 68 · Mar 71 · Apr 47 · May 20 · Jun 36 · Jul 30 · Aug 26 · Sep 18 · Oct 21 · Nov 47 · Dec 82 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Duchesne County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Duchesne County: 3 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and fire (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4525 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3478 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-07-02 | FM-5248 | Fire | Dollar Ridge Fire |
| 2011-08-08 | DR-4011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2007-06-30 | FM-2703 | Fire | Neola North Fire |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3223 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1983-04-30 | DR-680 | Flood | Severe Storms, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977-01-20 | EM-3024 | Drought | Drought |
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 Duchesne County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 24 flood or flash flood records for Duchesne County from 1997 to 2024, on 22 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Duchesne County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9,196 on 6 claims filed in Duchesne County; the most in one year was 4 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1983: 4 · 1985: 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 Duchesne County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Duchesne County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.5 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 High | $1.1M | 49 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $75K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $577K | once in about 975 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $18K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $621K | once in about 181 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $193K | 97 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $86K | 29 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $2 | once in about 10,000 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Duchesne 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 UtahEvery Utah tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in UtahThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Utah recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Duchesne CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Duchesne County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis