Larimer County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08069 · population 358,792 · 2,596 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,978 records for Larimer County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,121 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (669 records). 1,059 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 July 28, 1997 flash flood: 5 deaths, 40 injuries and $349 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1965, 28 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Alexander Mountain Fire” on July 31, 2024.
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
- 1,978on 1,121 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 36134 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $981Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 33strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 2024
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 Larimer County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 669 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 | 669 | 445 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $50M | 41 of 63 |
| Hail | 620 | 235 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 1 | $8.6M | 26 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 337 | 243 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 11 | $25M | 16 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 136 | 113 | 1960-2024 | 2 | 17 | $142K | 21 of 63 |
| Floods | 83 | 59 | 1996-2024 | 13 | 40 | $491M | 19 of 63 |
| Lightning | 46 | 43 | 1996-2019 | 9 | 57 | $349K | 7 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 30 | 1954-2018 | 0 | 0 | $223K | 28 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 16 | 14 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $406M | 35 of 63 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 12 | 12 | 2005-2025 | 10 | 4 | – | 33 of 63 |
| Drought | 10 | 5 | 2002-2021 | 0 | 3 | – | 36 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 8 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2004-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1997-1997 | 1 | 0 | – | 42 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 Larimer County had?
NOAA records 33 tornadoes in Larimer County from 1954 to 2018, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 28th 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 33 tornadoes whose track touched Larimer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 33, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Larimer County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-22 11:26, as SPC files it | Fort Collins | EF3 | 38.69 mi | 1 |
| 2015-06-04 18:30, as SPC files it | Lyons | EF3 | 6.71 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Larimer County (33)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-05-18 | Estes Park, Larimer County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-04 | Berthoud, Larimer County | EF3 0.87 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-22 | Timnath, Larimer County | EF1 14.43 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-25 | Buckeye, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-09 | Ft Collins, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-06 | Larimer County | F0 0.13 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-07-16 | Fort Collins, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-07-16 | Wellington, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-07-16 | Wellington, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-08-05 | Wellington, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-28 | Loveland, Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-22 | Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-07-08 | Larimer County | F0 3 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-09 | Larimer County | F2 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-06-09 | Larimer County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-06 | Larimer County | F0 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-05-31 | Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-07 | Larimer County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-06-25 | Larimer County | F1 1 mi x 63 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-06-15 | Larimer County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1987-08-07 | Larimer County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-18 | Larimer County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-08-02 | Larimer County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-07-07 | Larimer County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-06-25 | Larimer County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1980-05-24 | Larimer County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-07-22 | Larimer County | F0 1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-06-04 | Larimer County | F2 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-06-23 | Larimer County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1963-07-07 | Larimer County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-05-30 | Larimer County | F2 1.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-05-29 | Larimer County | F1 6.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1954-08-07 | Larimer County | 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 Larimer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 17, 2025 wildfire ($750,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Wildfire started around 1:39 pm in rural Larimer County, approximately 4.5 miles west of Berthoud, CO. One house was destroyed. No injuries reported. Fire burned approximately 21 acres, before being fully contained by 3:49 pm.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1242224)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-24 | HailBerthoud, Larimer County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | HailBerthoud, Larimer County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | HailBerthoud, Larimer County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | HailBerthoud, Larimer County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Winter StormBoulder County and 3 more · forecast zone S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-05 | Winter StormLarimer County and Weld County · forecast zone Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-05 | Winter StormBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-05 | Winter StormBoulder County and 3 more · forecast zone S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | Winter WeatherBoulder County and 3 more · forecast zone S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindLarimer County and Weld County · forecast zone Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindLarimer County and Weld County · forecast zone Larimer County Below 6000 Feet / Nw Weld County | 82 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet | 82 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-07-28 | Flash FloodFt Collins, Larimer County A flash flood killed 5 women and injured 40 others when a 10-15 foot wall of water surged through 2 mobile home parks. Over 8 inches of rainfall was measured in southwest Fort Collins during the evening hours as a series of storms developed, dumping heavy rain over the same area. The disaster occurred when debris ... | 5 | 40 | $349M | |
| 2021-07-20 | Flash FloodRustic, Larimer County A debris flow moved into Black Hollow Gulch and damaged or destroyed several structures including four homes. Four people in one of the homes perished when their residence washed away in the floodwaters. | 4 | 0 | $545K | |
| 2005-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindLoveland, Larimer County Strong thunderstorm winds occurred at Boyd Lake. Two women drowned when the boat they were in capsized. Four others that were in the boat had to be hospitalized, one was in intensive care. | 50 kt wind | 2 | 4 | – |
| 2022-07-15 | Flash FloodDrake, Larimer County Two people were killed when very heavy rainfall produced flash flooding in the Cameron Peak burn area. | 2 | 0 | $353K | |
| 2013-09-12 | Flash FloodBerthoud, Larimer County Heavy rain continued to produce widespread flash flooding. A 79-yr old Larimer County resident was killed when she was swept away while trying to climb to safety from her home in Cedar Point. In addition, A 61-yr old Cedar Point resident died when her home was swept down the Big Thompson River by the floodwaters. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-26 | AvalancheGrand County and 2 more · forecast zone S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet Two snowmobilers were killed on the side of Gravel Mountain near Grand Lake. The avalanche occurred when one of the men tried to assist the other, after his snowmobile had become stuck in the snow. Both men were buried by the slide and died at the scene of the accident. Another snowmobiler was partially buried in the ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-07-24 | LightningFt Collins, Larimer County Two graduate students at Colorado State University were struck by lightning while standing under a tree. One man was killed instantly, the other died of his injuries a week later. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-01-01 | AvalancheGrand County and 2 more · forecast zone S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet Two snowmobilers from Iowa were buried and killed in an avalanche in the Trap Park area of the Front Range, about 3.5 miles east-northeast of Cameron Pass. There were 12 snowmobilers in the party. Seven were caught, five partly buried and two fully buried; both buried riders were killed. The data was provided by the ... | 2 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-07-28 | Flash FloodFt Collins, Larimer County | 5 | 40 | $349M | |
| 2010-09-06 | WildfireBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | $294M | |
| 2013-09-12 | FloodGlendevey, Larimer County | 0 | 0 | $138M | |
| 2020-10-01 | WildfireBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | $105M | |
| 2003-03-17 | Winter StormBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 1999-04-08 | High WindBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie And Cache La Poudre River Basins | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 1996-10-29 | High WindBoulder County and Larimer County · forecast zone Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | $9.8M | |
| 2000-06-12 | WildfireDrake, Larimer County | 0 | 0 | $5.1M |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 18, 1987 (tornado, Larimer County); June 9, 1990 (tornado, Larimer 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 Larimer 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 | – | – | – | – | 133 | 149 | 222 | 165 |
| Hail | 1 | 7 | 13 | 65 | 95 | 170 | 203 | 66 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 86 | 102 | 74 | 75 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 7 | 40 | 38 | 18 | 14 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 7 | 36 | 29 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 16 | 17 | 13 | 0 |
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 Larimer County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 165 · Feb 146 · Mar 122 · Apr 181 · May 182 · Jun 311 · Jul 274 · Aug 156 · Sep 54 · Oct 85 · Nov 131 · Dec 171 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Larimer County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Larimer County: 13 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 12 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (15) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-31 | FM-5524 | Fire | Alexander Mountain Fire |
| 2024-07-31 | FM-5525 | Fire | Stone Mountain Fire |
| 2021-01-15 | DR-4581 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2020-09-06 | FM-5349 | Fire | Cameron Peak Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-09-14 | DR-4145 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2013-09-12 | EM-3365 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-06-28 | DR-4067 | Fire | High Park and Waldo Canyon Wildfires |
| 2012-06-09 | FM-2980 | Fire | High Park Fire |
| 2011-04-03 | FM-2877 | Fire | Crystal Fire |
| 2010-09-12 | FM-2857 | Fire | Reservoir Road Fire |
| 2008-05-26 | DR-1762 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3270 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-04-01 | FM-2514 | Fire | Co - Picnic Rock Fire - 03/30/2004 |
| 2003-11-12 | FM-2511 | Fire | Co - Buckhorn Creek Fire - 11/11/2003 |
| 2003-07-25 | FM-2486 | Fire | Co-Cloudy Pass Fire-07/25/2003 |
| 2003-04-09 | EM-3185 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002-07-18 | FM-2447 | Fire | Big Elk Fire |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2001-11-01 | FM-2383 | Fire | Co - Armageddon Fire - 11/01/01 |
| 2000-06-12 | FM-2308 | Fire | Bobcat Gulch Fire |
| 1999-05-17 | DR-1276 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
| 1997-08-01 | DR-1186 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, Mudslides |
| 1982-07-22 | DR-665 | Flood | Flash Flood Due to Dam Failure |
| 1976-08-02 | DR-517 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flash Flooding |
| 1973-05-23 | DR-385 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snowmelt and Flooding |
| 1969-05-19 | DR-261 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1965-06-19 | DR-200 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Larimer County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 83 flood or flash flood records for Larimer County from 1996 to 2024, on 59 days, with 13 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Larimer County ranks 470th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15.1 million on 547 claims filed in Larimer County; the most in one year was 293 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 5 · 1979: 5 · 1980: 13 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 38 · 1983: 10 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 4 · 1989: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 9 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 61 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 20 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 8 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 7 · 2010: 5 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 5 · 2013: 293 · 2014: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 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 Larimer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Larimer County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $127 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 | Very High | $6.9M | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.8M | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $11M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $15M | once in about 227 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $16M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $2.9M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $11M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.7M | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Larimer 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 Larimer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Larimer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis