Rich County, Utah
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 49033 · population 2,507 · 1,029 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 476 records for Rich County, Utah from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 453 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (372 records). 444 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 January 11, 1997 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I80 North, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 5 declarations naming the county since 1977, 3 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
- 476on 453 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1637 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 5latest 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 Rich County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 372 since 1996. 40% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 | 372 | 362 | 1996-2026 | 5 | 28 | $1.4M | 7 of 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | 53 | 50 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $33K | 8 of 29 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 22 | 20 | 1994-2026 | 0 | 0 | $15K | 11 of 29 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 15 | 15 | 1999-2025 | 11 | 9 | $24K | 10 of 29 |
| Floods | 4 | 4 | 2005-2021 | 0 | 0 | $388K | 24 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 29 |
| Hail | 2 | 2 | 1987-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 29 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1996-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 29 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1954-1965 | 0 | 0 | $298K | 10 of 29 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 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 Rich County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Rich County from 1954 to 1965, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 10th 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Rich County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Utah.
Every tornado record filed for Rich County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-06-23 | Rich County | F1 0.6 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-05-25 | Rich County | F1 0.5 mi x 333 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Rich County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 16, 2026 winter storm ($500,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A powerful winter storm brought heavy snow and strong winds to the area. Reported snow observations include 27 inches of snow in the Logan Mountains (3.1 inches water), 23 inches of snow at Powder Mountain (2.5 inches water), and 18 inches of snow at Snowbasin - Base (1.9 inches of water). Additionally, several SNOTEL stations including Lightning Ridge, Ben Lomond Peak, and Monte Cristo recorded from 1.6 to 2.7 inches of snow water equivalent, resulting in approximately 21 to 37 inches of snow. Some peak wind gust observations through the event include 97 mph at Snowbasin - Straw Top, 78 mph at Snowbasin - Strawberry Tower 15, and 76 mph at Ogden Peak. Inclement conditions also resulted in widespread winter driving conditions along higher elevation routes. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1306209)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindLaketown, Rich County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLaketown, Rich County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindGarden City, Rich County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-18 | Winter WeatherRich County · forecast zone Bear Lake And Bear River Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 0 | 0 | $500K | |
| 2026-01-03 | Heavy SnowBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-11 | Thunderstorm WindGarden City, Rich County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | Heavy SnowBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowRich County · forecast zone Bear Lake And Bear River Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-13 | Heavy SnowBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | AvalancheBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-01 | Heavy SnowBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-11 | BlizzardCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I80 North A historic winter storm brought death and destruction to Utah during this 3 day period in January. Initially a moist westerly flow was in place over the state. Then a strong arctic front blew through on the 12th creating blizzard conditions. High northeast- east winds were reported along and behind the arctic front. ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-24 | AvalancheCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North On Christmas Eve morning, the first clear day after several consecutive days under stormy weather conditions, four experienced snowmobilers ventured out into a common snowmobiling area at Logan Peak. They were riding near the summit of the east face of Logan Peak at the head of Providence Canyon, in an area known by ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-03-26 | Winter WeatherCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North Accumulating snowfall on roadways contributed to a series of car accidents on Interstate 80 at Echo Junction (milepost 172), or near the junction of Interstate 80 and Interstate 84. Five separate crashes occurred on this stretch of roadway, ultimately involving 23 vehicles, of which 12 of those vehicles were ... | 1 | 16 | – | |
| 2007-12-23 | AvalancheCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North A 30 year-old male was killed in an avalanche at the Canyons Resort. The avalanche was triggered by two men who were descending upper Red Pine Chute; one of the men was caught by the slide, but ended up on top of the snow. The other man was caught and died of head trauma after hitting a tree. A man and a child below ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2025-02-03 | AvalancheBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North A snowmobiler got caught in an avalanche in the Monte Cristo Snowmobile Area near the Rich and Cache county line. The victim's friend called for help, prompting a multi-agency search in which the victim was found deceased around 6:20 p.m. Monday, February 3. Deputies reported the snow was very deep where the avalanche ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-01-18 | AvalancheCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North An 18-year-old male was snowmobiling when he was caught, carried, and killed in an avalanche in Farmington Canyon. He was buried at a depth of 11 feet, which made rescue efforts difficult, and it took rescuers 50 minutes to reach his airway, and another 20 minutes to fully extricate him from the snow. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-03-04 | AvalancheCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North Following a very dry and warm winter, two friends wanted to take advantage of the fresh snowfall from early March, so they decided to go snowboarding at Snowbasin Resort on March 4. On one of their runs, they made their way out-of-bounds of the resort in an area called Hells Canyon. On their way out of this terrain, ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-06-16 | Winter WeatherCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North An unseasonably cold storm system brought snowfall to the mountains of northern Utah, with the heaviest snowfall on Tuesday, June 17. The day before this storm, Monday, June 16, four members of an Ogden family left for a backpacking trip in Wheatgrass Canyon in the back country of Weber County. The family was ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormBox Elder County and 7 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 0 | 0 | $500K | |
| 2004-11-27 | Heavy SnowCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Rich/Cache T Nw/P E C Weber/Most Of Morgan/Nw Summit/Ne Salt Lake/X Ne Box Elder | 0 | 9 | $391K | |
| 2017-02-07 | FloodGarden City, Rich County | 0 | 0 | $301K | |
| 1996-12-20 | Heavy SnowCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I80 North | 0 | 3 | $94K | |
| 2023-03-28 | AvalancheCache County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains I-80 North | 0 | 2 | $19K |
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: May 25, 1954 (tornado, Rich 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 Rich 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 | – | – | – | – | 76 | 152 | 86 | 58 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 14 | 19 | 12 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
40% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 85 · Feb 75 · Mar 78 · Apr 43 · May 12 · Jun 11 · Jul 8 · Aug 5 · Sep 7 · Oct 14 · Nov 50 · Dec 88 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Rich County
FEMA's register lists 5 declarations that include Rich County: 2 major disasters, 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 |
| 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 Rich County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 4 flood or flash flood records for Rich County from 2005 to 2021, on 4 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Rich County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2,842 on 1 claim filed in Rich County; the most in one year was 1 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2011: 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 Rich County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Rich County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $42K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $390K | once in about 474 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | $11K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $119K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $171K | once in about 79 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $32K | 82 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Very Low | $33K | 34 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $69K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Rich 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 Rich CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Rich County's FEMA declarations (CSV)5 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis