Grand County, Utah
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 49019 · population 9,604 · 3,673 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,515 records for Grand County, Utah from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 917 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (655 records). 1,279 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 21, 2024 flash flood: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 4 declarations naming the county since 1977, 2 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 5, 2005.
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
- 1,515on 917 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 77 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $55Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 4latest 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 Grand County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 655 since 1997. 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 | 655 | 454 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 29 |
| Drought | 419 | 161 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 29 |
| Floods | 94 | 75 | 1997-2025 | 3 | 1 | $46M | 8 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 68 | 61 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 29 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 56 | 53 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 0 | $103K | 14 of 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | 52 | 47 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 4 | $209K | 22 of 29 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 50 | 47 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 29 |
| Wildfires | 45 | 43 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.4M | 3 of 29 |
| Hail | 26 | 17 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 17 of 29 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 16 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 5 of 29 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 16 | 15 | 2005-2024 | 2 | 0 | $65K | 15 of 29 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1996-2021 | 2 | 2 | $178K | 7 of 29 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2020-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 29 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1970-2006 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 19 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 Grand County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Grand County from 1970 to 2006, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 Grand County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Utah.
Every tornado record filed for Grand County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-09-22 | Moab, Grand County | F0 0.2 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-09-08 | Moab, Grand County | F0 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-04-18 | Moab, Grand County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1970-06-10 | Grand County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Grand County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 12, 2025 flash flood ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Winter WeatherGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGrand County · forecast zone Grand Flat And Arches | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Heavy SnowGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | DroughtGrand County · forecast zone Grand Flat And Arches | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | DroughtGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-24 | DroughtGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-06 | Winter WeatherGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherGrand County · forecast zone Grand Flat And Arches | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-21 | Flash FloodMoab, Grand County Major flooding in Moab and Castle Valley from strong thunderstorm that produced very heavy rain across town, Mill Creek, North Mill Creek, Kane Creek and a drainage above Castle Valley. 1 inch of rain fell in 15 minutes for a rainrate of 4 inches per hour. 2 reported missing in Moab area with an abandoned vehicle ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-01-25 | AvalancheGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains On the afternoon of January 25, a snowmobiler was buried in an avalanche in Dark Canyon, in the La Sal Mountains of southeastern Utah. His party attempted a rescue but they were unable to locate him and night was falling. Plans were made for search and rescue efforts to resume the following day. On Saturday, January ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-09-28 | Flash FloodHarley Dome, Grand County Flash flood waters at least four feet deep flowed down the normally dry Bittercreek Wash and swept away a jeep which had been driven into the flood waters where the Tabeguache Trail crosses the wash. The driver was able to get out of the vehicle and reach the bank while the passenger was trapped inside and drowned. ... | 1 | 0 | $25K | |
| 2012-03-03 | AvalancheGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains A group of four snowmobile riders were heading into the Beaver Basin area and noticed the snow pack becoming increasingly unstable by the late morning hours. The group found a turn-around point in a nearby meadow which was in the avalanche zone. The last rider heading to the meadow turn-around point was caught by a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-05-29 | LightningCisco, Grand County A man was struck by lightning in the Dewey Bridge area while sightseeing with family. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-08-17 | LightningMoab, Grand County A man was struck by lightning while hiking with two others on the Delicate Arch trail in Arches National Park. Lightning from the thunderstorm also started two fires in the park. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-04-02 | Strong WindGrand County · forecast zone Grand Flat And Arches A powerful spring storm moved across the Great Basin and produced strong winds across extreme eastern Utah. Sustained wind speeds in the lower elevations ranged from 30 to 35 mph, with frequent gusts of 45 to 55 mph. Winds frequently gusted from 55 to 70 mph across the central and northern mountains. Visibilities were ... | 48 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $160K |
| 2021-06-24 | LightningPotash, Grand County Two people were struck by lightning while recreating on the West Rim Trail at Dead Horse State Park. Crews found both individuals in critical but stable condition before they were transported to Moab Regional Hospital for care. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-10-02 | Flash FloodPotash, Grand County | 0 | 0 | $26M | |
| 2022-08-20 | Flash FloodMoab, Grand County | 0 | 0 | $9.6M | |
| 2010-08-19 | Flash FloodPotash, Grand County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 2024-10-13 | WildfireGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2021-07-28 | Flash FloodMoab, Grand County | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2018-06-12 | WildfireGrand County · forecast zone Grand Flat And Arches | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2021-07-01 | WildfireGrand County and San Juan County · forecast zone La Sal & Abajo Mountains | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2017-08-05 | Flash FloodWestwater Airport, Grand County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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 Grand 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 | – | – | – | – | 15 | 235 | 272 | 133 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 209 | 118 | 92 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 22 | 41 | 26 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 24 | 17 | 25 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 15 | 5 | 29 z |
High wind and dust storms in the 2020-26: 29 records against 5 in the decade before, 29 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 Grand 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 Grand County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 176 · Feb 169 · Mar 163 · Apr 138 · May 75 · Jun 93 · Jul 92 · Aug 112 · Sep 87 · Oct 94 · Nov 128 · Dec 188 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Grand County
FEMA's register lists 4 declarations that include Grand County: one major disaster, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and coastal storm (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4525 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3478 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3223 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 Grand County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 94 flood or flash flood records for Grand County from 1997 to 2025, on 75 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Grand County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $146,000 on 8 claims filed in Grand County; the most in one year was 5 in 2022. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2021: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2024: 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 Grand County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Grand County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.2 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 | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | $457K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $24K | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $62K | 105 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $25K | 10 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $81K | once in about 855 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $101K | once in about 381 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $161K | 0.9 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Grand 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 Grand CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Grand County's FEMA declarations (CSV)4 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis