Uintah County, Utah
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 49047 · population 35,592 · 4,483 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,431 records for Uintah County, Utah from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 847 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (687 records). 1,322 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 1, 2007 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin, which covers the county: 3 deaths and $285,000 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 “Flooding” on August 8, 2011.
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
- 1,431on 847 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 61 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $23Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F1
- 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 Uintah County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 687 since 1997. 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 | 687 | 461 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $28K | 18 of 29 |
| Drought | 416 | 157 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 29 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 94 | 86 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 51 | 43 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | 41 | 38 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $88K | 26 of 29 |
| Hail | 37 | 24 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 0 | $407K | 12 of 29 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 34 | 27 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 23 of 29 |
| Wildfires | 28 | 28 | 2002-2025 | 6 | 0 | $20M | 10 of 29 |
| Floods | 21 | 18 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | $785K | 23 of 29 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1955-2015 | 0 | 1 | $1.3M | 12 of 29 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1998-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 29 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 5 | 5 | 2005-2024 | 0 | 0 | $756 | 27 of 29 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2005 | 0 | 0 | $22K | 15 of 29 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 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 Uintah County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Uintah County from 1955 to 2015, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 12th 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Uintah County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Utah.
Every tornado record filed for Uintah County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-06-16 | Dry Fork, Uintah County | EF0 0.98 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-08-06 | Vernal, Uintah County | EF0 0.49 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2009-08-06 | Leota, Uintah County | EF0 2.18 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
| 1999-09-03 | Naples, Uintah County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| 1993-05-05 | Vernal, Uintah County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-03-23 | Uintah County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1988-05-29 | Uintah County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-06-01 | Uintah 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 Uintah County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 15, 2025 wildfire ($1.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Diamond Canyon Fire started in mid July due to a lightning strike 13.2 miles northwest of Cisco, Utah or 39 miles northeast of Moab, Utah. The fire grew to 323 acres before it was contained in late July. The estimated cost to date was $1 million.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1285480)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-29 | High WindUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Winter WeatherDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Winter WeatherDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-24 | DroughtGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-24 | DroughtUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-05 | Winter WeatherDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-07-01 | WildfireUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin The Neola North Wildfire ignited June 29th during a period of hot and very dry conditions that resulted in explosive fire growth. Shortly after the blaze started it became deadly, rapidly sweeping across a field near the small community of Farm Creek near Whiterocks. The day the fire started it burned over and killed ... | 3 | 0 | $285K | |
| 2007-06-29 | WildfireUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin The Neola North Wildfire ignited during a period of hot and very dry conditions that resulted in explosive fire growth. Shortly after the blaze started it became deadly, rapidly sweeping across a field near the small community of Farm Creek near Whiterocks. The fire burned over and killed three people trying to ... | 3 | 0 | $712K | |
| 1999-09-03 | TornadoNaples, Uintah County The tornado was witnessed by many people in the Naples area, including law enforcement personnel. Several mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. Several garages and sheds were destroyed, with heavy debris strewn for hundreds of yards. Power poles and trees were downed or pulled out of the ground, with some trees ... | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-13 | WildfireDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | |
| 2024-08-01 | WildfireDaggett County and Uintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Mountains | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | |
| 1999-09-03 | TornadoNaples, Uintah County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.2M |
| 2025-07-15 | WildfireGrand County and Uintah County · forecast zone Tavaputs Plateau | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2007-06-29 | WildfireUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin | 3 | 0 | $712K | |
| 2023-04-23 | WildfireUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin | 0 | 0 | $320K | |
| 2007-07-01 | WildfireUintah County · forecast zone Eastern Uinta Basin | 3 | 0 | $285K | |
| 2009-08-06 | TornadoLeota, Uintah County | EF0 2.18 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 1, 1955 (tornado, Uintah County); May 29, 1988 (tornado, Uintah 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 Uintah 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 | – | – | – | – | 37 | 261 | 272 | 117 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 201 | 118 | 97 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 2 | 28 | 36 | 28 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 15 | 22 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 4 | 25 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 4 |
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 Uintah County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 190 · Feb 178 · Mar 158 · Apr 121 · May 86 · Jun 71 · Jul 69 · Aug 76 · Sep 75 · Oct 100 · Nov 117 · Dec 190 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Uintah County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Uintah County: 4 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for flood (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4525 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3478 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-08-08 | DR-4011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2007-06-30 | FM-2703 | Fire | Neola North Fire |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3223 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-01 | DR-1598 | Flood | Flooding and Landslides |
| 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 Uintah County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Uintah County from 1997 to 2021, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Uintah County ranks 2245th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $80,000 on 14 claims filed in Uintah County; the most in one year was 4 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1984: 4 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2019: 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 Uintah County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Uintah County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.8 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 | Relatively Moderate | $429K | 45 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $47K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $260K | once in about 1,003 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $218K | 97 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $535K | once in about 290 years (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Very Low | $456 | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $147K | 0.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $29K | 13 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 Uintah 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 Uintah CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Uintah County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis