Mesa County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08077 · population 155,647 · 3,329 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 3,661 records for Mesa County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,610 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (1,713 records). 3,189 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 May 25, 2014 debris flow: 3 deaths and $31,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1977, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Pine Gulch Fire” on August 19, 2020.
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
- 3,661on 1,610 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 12543 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $247Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest EF1
- 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 Mesa County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 1,713 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 | 1,713 | 853 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 500 | – | 31 of 63 |
| Drought | 778 | 139 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 239 | 129 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $70M | 7 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 181 | 117 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 21 | $980K | 42 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 161 | 131 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 5 | $282K | 2 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 160 | 113 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $436K | 23 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 113 | 90 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 2 | $170M | 12 of 63 |
| Floods | 107 | 77 | 1997-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.5M | 18 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 69 | 51 | 1998-2025 | 1 | 4 | $833K | 5 of 63 |
| Hail | 62 | 45 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 37 of 63 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 49 | 45 | 1999-2025 | 7 | 9 | $543K | 19 of 63 |
| Lightning | 11 | 9 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 2 | $142K | 29 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1998-2015 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 37 of 63 |
| Heat | 8 | 8 | 2021-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 5 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 Mesa County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Mesa County from 1998 to 2015, the strongest rated EF1, 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Mesa County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Mesa County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-07-09 | Skyway, Mesa County | EF1 0.11 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-19 | Cameo, Mesa County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-08-02 | Mack, Mesa County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-29 | Orchard Mesa, Mesa County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-10-17 | Mack, Mesa County | F0 7.5 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-06-03 | Mack, Mesa County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-09-08 | Whitewater, Mesa County | F1 0.4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2000-04-15 | Mack, Mesa County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-04-11 | Walker Airport, Mesa County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-08-08 | Walker Airport, Mesa County | F0 0.1 mi x 0 yd | 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 Mesa County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 13, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($6,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-13 | High WindDelta County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Gunnison And Uncompahgre River Basin | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Debeque To Silt Corridor | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDolores County and 3 more · forecast zone Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDelta County and 3 more · forecast zone Central Gunnison And Uncompahgre River Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDelta County and 2 more · forecast zone Grand And Battlement Mesas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Debeque To Silt Corridor | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGarfield County and 2 more · forecast zone Roan And Tavaputs Plateaus | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowDelta County and 2 more · forecast zone Grand And Battlement Mesas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Heavy SnowDelta County and 2 more · forecast zone Grand And Battlement Mesas | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-05-25 | Debris FlowPlateau City, Mesa County A landslide consisting of about 30 million cubic meters of rock and soil broke loose from the side of the Grand Mesa near the 10,000 foot level and traveled nearly 3 miles down the West Salt Creek drainage. Three ranchers were apparently buried by the landslide which deposited debris over 100 feet deep along the slide ... | 3 | 0 | $31K | |
| 2023-05-06 | FloodGateway, Mesa County West Creek in Mesa County ran high and fast as a result of accelerated snowmelt resulting in the creek with flooding observed by local law enforcement. West Creek drains south into the Dolores River. A 94-year old man drowned after accidentally backing his ATV into West Creek and was swept downstream. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-06-01 | Excessive HeatGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley High temperatures of 100 to 105 degrees were reported by various automated weather stations. The Grand Junction Regional Airport set a new record high temperature for the day of 102 degrees. A 52-year old man who was mountain biking the end of the Palisade Plunge trail outside of Palisade ran out of water while biking ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-05-11 | High WindGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley A man indirectly died from injuries that were sustained when he was cutting down a tree in gusty winds. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-15 | Winter WeatherDelta County and 2 more · forecast zone Grand And Battlement Mesas Generally 4 to 8 inches of snow fell across the area. Travel was impacted along Colorado Highway 65 and a crash caused the road to be closed for close to 4 hours. The crash resulted in one fatality as a 27-year-old man's car slid 300 yards off the highway. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-09-16 | Debris FlowGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Debeque To Silt Corridor A massive landslide consisting of 500 cubic yards of boulders and dirt fell onto Interstate 70 near mile marker 58. The landslide occurred the day after heavy rain fell in the area. The driver of a semi was killed and the tractor-trailer she was driving was destroyed. I-70 traffic was diverted onto another highway for ... | 1 | 0 | $146K | |
| 2006-08-01 | Heavy RainClifton, Mesa County Heavy rain caused flooding of streets, highways, and some properties from Clifton to Palisade. Minor flooding of residential streets and portions of Interstate 70 occurred between the Palisade and Clifton exits. There were multiple reports of water and mud entering some homes in Clifton near the railroad tracks. Water ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-04-01 | AvalancheDelta County and 2 more · forecast zone Grand And Battlement Mesas A backcountry skier triggered an avalanche at about 10,560 feet above sea level on the Grand Mesa while ascending a slope. The skier was swept over some rocks and down into some trees. His companion notified 911 dispatch of the incident. CDOT employees and Mesa County Search and Rescue responded and found the victim ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-10 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $40M | |
| 2025-08-01 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $40M | |
| 2025-09-01 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $40M | |
| 2020-04-14 | Frost/FreezeGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley | 0 | 0 | $34M | |
| 1999-04-16 | Cold/Wind ChillGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley/Grand Junction And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2003-04-04 | Frost/FreezeGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2024-08-01 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 1996-04-19 | Frost/FreezeGarfield County and Mesa County · forecast zone Grand Valley | 0 | 0 | $7.0M |
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 Mesa 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 | – | – | – | – | 176 | 559 | 668 | 310 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 385 | 223 | 170 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 65 | 56 | 115 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 55 | 28 | 81 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 7 | 43 | 74 | 37 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 54 | 29 | 33 |
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 Mesa County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 469 · Feb 393 · Mar 352 · Apr 367 · May 207 · Jun 203 · Jul 233 · Aug 203 · Sep 219 · Oct 280 · Nov 305 · Dec 430 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mesa County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Mesa County: 3 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-08-19 | FM-5335 | Fire | Pine Gulch Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2002-06-10 | FM-2422 | Fire | Co - Dierich Fire - 06/10/02 |
| 1984-07-27 | DR-719 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3025 | 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 Mesa County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 107 flood or flash flood records for Mesa County from 1997 to 2025, on 77 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mesa County ranks 1558th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $293,000 on 61 claims filed in Mesa County; the most in one year was 23 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1980: 1 · 1983: 23 · 1984: 8 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2001: 2 · 2003: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 8 · 2012: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2023: 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 Mesa County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mesa County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $34.7 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 | $2.7M | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively High | $2.2M | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $1.7M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | once in about 605 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $656K | 92 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $123K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.8M | once in about 726 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Mesa 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 Mesa CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mesa County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis