San Miguel County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08113 · population 8,002 · 1,287 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,551 records for San Miguel County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,118 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (856 records). 1,454 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 February 1, 2021 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains, which covers the county: 3 deaths and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1970, 7 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
- 1,551on 1,118 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1717 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $143Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 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 San Miguel County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 856 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 | 856 | 725 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $47K | 12 of 63 |
| Drought | 298 | 146 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 63 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 120 | 112 | 1998-2026 | 16 | 15 | $906K | 4 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 112 | 53 | 2003-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 50 | 37 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | $141M | 11 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 37 | 33 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $183K | 53 of 63 |
| Floods | 35 | 34 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $976K | 16 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 19 | 18 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 11 | 2003-2016 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 11 of 63 |
| Hail | 6 | 5 | 1981-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 63 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2021-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 63 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1997-2002 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 37 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 2 | 2002-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 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.
When was the last damaging storm in San Miguel County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 21, 2026 avalanche (1 injury).
On the accident day, the avalanche danger in the area was rated 3/5 - Considerable at all levels, below, near, and above treeline. Avalanche danger was rated on all aspects, with large to very large avalanches likely west through north to east aspects, and small avalanches possible on southwest through southeast aspects. Avalanche discussion indicated that recent avalanches in the area had been large enough to bury, injure, or kill a person, and could be triggered remotely, from a distance or below, and could travel long distances. The accident group consisted of three backcountry tourers, 1 split board rider and 2 skiers, and the intention was to ski a southwest slope from a sub-peak south of Bonita Peak into Minnehaha Basin (37.893, -107.625). Before ascending toward their destination, they stomped on several areas of drifted snow with no reaction. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1315393)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | Winter WeatherArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDolores County and 2 more · forecast zone Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDolores County and 3 more · forecast zone Paradox Valley / Lower Dolores River Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGunnison County and 4 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter StormArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherGunnison County and 4 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Heavy SnowDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Winter StormArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Winter WeatherGunnison County and 4 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | DroughtDolores County and 2 more · forecast zone Four Corners / Upper Dolores River Basin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-01 | AvalancheGunnison County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains A group of backcountry skiers triggered a large avalanche while on a multi-day trip in the mountains near The Nose, Middle Fork Mineral Creek southeast of Ophir. This was a soft slab avalanche that was 1000 feet wide and ran 1500 vertical feet. Four skiers were caught in the avalanche with 3 fatalities. Please visit ... | 3 | 4 | – | |
| 2010-02-11 | AvalancheGunnison County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains Seven back-country skiers ventured out on a hut trip near the Ridgeway Hut in the northern San Juan Mountains when two of the skiers were caught in an avalanche. Nearby observations indicated anywhere from 10 to 16 inches of fresh snow had fallen in the 6 days leading up to the event. The skiers were attempting their ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2002-03-15 | AvalancheGunnison County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains Two out-of-bounds skiers triggered a soft-slab avalanche east of the Telluride Ski Area at an elevation of 11,800 feet. The slide traveled 2200 vertical feet, killing one person and seriously injuring another. The victim was not recovered until weeks later, as debris at the bottom of the slide was estimated to be 30 ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-02-20 | AvalancheArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) rated the avalanche danger at this location on the day of the incident as Moderate (2/5), with persistent slab avalanches being the main concern. The likelihood of an avalanche was rated as Possible and the expected size was Small to Large (up to D2), large enough to ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-07 | AvalancheGunnison County and 4 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains The Colorado Avalanche Information Center provided all the information regarding this fatal avalanche accident. The incident occurred in the Northwest San Juan Mountains, on the slopes of Red Mountain #3. The snowpack in this location was known to be weak, and the avalanche danger on the day of the accident was rated ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-01-22 | AvalancheGunnison County and 4 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains A backcountry skier, who was alone, triggered an avalanche in Waterfall Canyon, south of the town of Ophir. Avalanche danger was rated as moderate (2/5) to Considerable (3/5) on the day. The skier was caught, managed to self extricate, but succumbed to injury and exposure roughly 500-600 feet below the avalanche. The ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-06-06 | Strong WindGunnison County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains A 70 year old man was struck and killed by a tree that had been snapped by an earlier derecho event that moved across the area as he was clearing debris. The snapped tree had been stuck in taller trees and was dislodged by gusty winds that continued to blow in the wake of the derecho. | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2020-01-18 | AvalancheGunnison County and 3 more · forecast zone Northwestern San Juan Mountains A mix of broken ice and snow fell over a cliff and picked up additional loose snow before stopping in Red Mountain Creek. A photographer (participant in a guided back-country tour) was struck by the falling ice and snow and buried, resulting in a fatality. | 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 | |
| 2024-08-01 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2024-05-14 | WildfireArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2025-07-10 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2025-08-01 | WildfireDelta County and 4 more · forecast zone Uncompahgre Plateau And Dallas Divide | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2024-06-11 | WildfireArchuleta County and 6 more · forecast zone Southwestern San Juan Mountains | 0 | 0 | $941K |
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 San Miguel 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 | – | – | – | – | 92 | 263 | 293 | 208 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 130 | 88 | 80 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 3 | 56 | 30 | 31 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 18 | 79 z |
| Wildfires | – | – | – | – | 0 | 14 | 11 | 25 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 13 | 6 | 13 |
Extreme cold in the 2020-26: 79 records against 18 in the decade before, 79 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 San Miguel 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 San Miguel County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 240 · Feb 200 · Mar 169 · Apr 156 · May 80 · Jun 50 · Jul 95 · Aug 80 · Sep 57 · Oct 105 · Nov 145 · Dec 174 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for San Miguel County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include San Miguel County: 5 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2002-07-15 | FM-2442 | Fire | Co - Burn Canyon Fire - 07/15/02 |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1984-07-27 | DR-719 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3025 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-07-06 | DR-396 | Flood | Flooding & Landslides |
| 1970-09-22 | DR-293 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 San Miguel County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 35 flood or flash flood records for San Miguel County from 1996 to 2023, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), San Miguel County ranks 2128th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $133,000 on 18 claims filed in San Miguel County; the most in one year was 6 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 3 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 1 · 2016: 2; 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 San Miguel County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates San Miguel County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $3.5M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $51K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $582K | once in about 548 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $408K | 57 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $74K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $5.2M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $123K | once in about 655 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $13K | 82 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 San Miguel County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- 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 San Miguel CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download San Miguel County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis