Summit County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08117 · population 31,040 · 608 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 556 records for Summit County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 472 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (411 records). 538 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 April 20, 2013 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet, which covers the county: 5 deaths. FEMA has issued 6 declarations naming the county since 1977, 4 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
- 556on 472 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2328 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $190Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- FEMA declarations
- 6latest 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 Summit County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 411 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 | 411 | 354 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | – | 11 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 87 | 86 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | – | 10 of 63 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 33 | 33 | 2005-2025 | 19 | 16 | – | 7 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 9 | 4 | 1985-2022 | 1 | 0 | $5K | 47 of 63 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1997-2011 | 1 | 6 | $26K | 12 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 2 | 2022-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 63 |
| Drought | 2 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 63 |
| Hail | 2 | 2 | 1988-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 63 |
| Floods | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $276K | 60 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 34 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 2 | 0 | $190M | 50 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 Summit County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 22, 2025 avalanche (1 death).
A backcountry skier is dead after being buried in an avalanche on Berthoud Pass Saturday, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The skier-triggered avalanche happened on Mines Peak east of the pass, in a rocky part of the mountain face known as The Fingers, around 4:45 p.m.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1228812)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | Winter StormBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | Winter WeatherBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | High WindBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 86 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 96 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Winter StormBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-05 | Winter WeatherGrand County and Summit County · forecast zone Grand & Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-24 | High WindBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 76 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-24 | Winter WeatherBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 82 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet | 108 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindGrand County and Summit County · forecast zone Grand & Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet | 74 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-04-20 | AvalancheBoulder County and 4 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet A large avalanche killed five snowboarders over Loveland Pass. | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-01-07 | AvalancheBoulder County and 4 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet Two snowmobilers were caught, buried and killed by a large avalanche. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-10-14 | WildfireGrand County and Summit County · forecast zone Grand & Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet The East Troublesome Fire destroyed 555 structures. Two fatalities were confirmed. Nine buildings suffered major damage and 34 sustained minor damage. Among the buildings destroyed, 366 were residential and 189 were outbuildings. Ten buildings belonging to businesses were destroyed in the fire. Grand County estimated ... | 2 | 0 | $190M | |
| 2004-08-01 | LightningBreckenridge, Summit County Lightning killed a woman as she was hiking in French Gulch near Breckenridge. Four other people hiking with the woman were knocked down but suffered only minor injuries. | 1 | 4 | – | |
| 2005-03-24 | AvalancheBoulder County and 4 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet Two climbers were caught in an avalanche on the south side of Quandary Peak. One man survived with only minor injuries while his friend was buried and killed. Quandry Peak is located at the south end of the Tenmile Range, the summit is about 6.5 miles SSW of Breckenridge. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-02-22 | AvalancheBoulder County and 6 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet A backcountry skier is dead after being buried in an avalanche on Berthoud Pass Saturday, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The skier-triggered avalanche happened on Mines Peak east of the pass, in a rocky part of the mountain face known as The Fingers, around 4:45 p.m. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-04-29 | AvalancheBoulder County and 4 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet A backcountry skier was caught in an avalanche on Bald Mountain, which is about seven miles from Breckenridge. The 31-yr old main was caught, buried and killed in a small, but long-running avalanche. He was found buried nearly 2 feet below the surface of the debris. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-12-31 | AvalancheBoulder County and 4 more · forecast zone S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet A man died in an avalanche outside the Breckenridge Ski Resort boundary on Peak 10. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-10-14 | WildfireGrand County and Summit County · forecast zone Grand & Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet | 2 | 0 | $190M | |
| 2011-07-18 | Flash FloodBreckenridge, Summit County | 0 | 0 | $276K |
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 Summit 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 | 90 | 147 | 98 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 27 | 23 | 30 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
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 Summit County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 84 · Feb 76 · Mar 59 · Apr 74 · May 30 · Jun 11 · Jul 7 · Aug 1 · Sep 3 · Oct 40 · Nov 63 · Dec 108 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Summit County
FEMA's register lists 6 declarations that include Summit County: 2 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and coastal storm (1).
| 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 |
| 2003-04-09 | EM-3185 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 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 Summit County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1 flood or flash flood record for Summit County from 2011 to 2011, on 1 day, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Summit County ranks 1907th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $20,000 on 30 claims filed in Summit County; the most in one year was 7 in 1995. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1995: 7 · 1996: 6 · 1997: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2011: 5 · 2014: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 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 Summit County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Summit County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $29.5 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 | Very High | $11M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $137K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 60 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $221K | 37 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $15M | once in about 28 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $232K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $80K | once in about 3,220 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Summit 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 Summit CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Summit County's FEMA declarations (CSV)6 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis