Utah County, Utah
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 49049 · population 659,138 · 2,004 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,266 records for Utah County, Utah from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 848 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (723 records). 959 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 6, 2021 avalanche, filed for the forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80, which covers the county: 4 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1983, 11 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Iron Fire” on June 21, 2026.
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
- 1,266on 848 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 68244 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $203Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 2026
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 Utah County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 723 since 1996. 41% 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 | 723 | 465 | 1996-2026 | 16 | 166 | $4.2M | 11 of 29 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 183 | 134 | 1967-2026 | 3 | 18 | $112M | 4 of 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | 146 | 122 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 7 | $1.5M | 7 of 29 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 68 | 62 | 1998-2026 | 43 | 30 | $748K | 4 of 29 |
| Hail | 53 | 43 | 1959-2024 | 0 | 8 | $878K | 4 of 29 |
| Floods | 40 | 38 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 2 | $10M | 10 of 29 |
| Wildfires | 18 | 14 | 2012-2026 | 1 | 7 | $72M | 7 of 29 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1965-2013 | 0 | 0 | $343K | 5 of 29 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1997-2020 | 1 | 4 | $299K | 5 of 29 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 1996-2012 | 1 | 2 | $32K | 8 of 29 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 2 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 29 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2019-2021 | 2 | 0 | – | 5 of 29 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $588K | 10 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 Utah County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Utah County from 1965 to 2013, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 5th 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Utah 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 Utah.
Every tornado record filed for Utah County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-07 | American Fork, Utah County | EF0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2005-05-30 | Lehi, Utah County | F0 0.2 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-09 | Payson, Utah County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1997-04-05 | Cedar Vly, Utah County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-08-13 | Utah County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-09-13 | Utah County | F0 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-09-02 | Utah County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-12-02 | Utah County | F1 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-04-17 | Utah County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1965-07-09 | Utah County | F1 0.4 mi x 17 yd | 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 Utah County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 22, 2026 avalanche (1 death and 1 injury).
A group of seven snowbikers met in Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Guardsmans Pass trailhead with the intention to ride in the area during the afternoon. Most of the group had extensive backcountry, including formal avalanche training, and members of the group were equipped with transceiver (though no transceiver check was performed), probe, shovel, and avalanche airbag. While they were aware of the conditions, including considerable avalanche danger rating (per Utah Avalanche Center), they set out planning to stick to low-angle slopes in Caribou Basin which they knew well. While riding, they observed numerous avalanches, and noted the loose underlying snow characteristics when getting one member unstuck from deep snow. After taking a break, the group decided to do one more session around the basin before returning to the trailhead. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1306850)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | WildfireBox Elder County and 3 more · forecast zone Great Salt Lake Desert And Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | WildfireUtah County · forecast zone Utah Valley | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-13 | High WindBox Elder County and 3 more · forecast zone Great Salt Lake Desert And Mountains | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLehi, Utah County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLehi Carter Airport, Utah County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindLehi, Utah County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-22 | High WindBox Elder County and 3 more · forecast zone Great Salt Lake Desert And Mountains | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-22 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-02-21 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Winter StormCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | $80K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-02-06 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 The Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center reported that two groups, totaling eight people, were backcountry skiing at Wilson Glade in Millcreek Canyon, when an avalanche was triggered. The avalanche caught and buried six of the people, leading to four fatalities, while two survived, one with injuries. The avalanche ... | 4 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-01-11 | Winter StormJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I80 A broad Pacific trough moved through the region. High winds occurred with the cold front on the 11th. Some of the highest gusts included: Mt. Ogden 107 mph (93kts), Hidden Peak 71 mph (62kts), Bountiful 50 mph (43kts), NWSFO SLC 47 mph (41kts) and Logan 43 mph (37kts). Criteria snow fell in all listed zones with Alta ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-12-26 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone W Summit T Nw/Se Salt Lake/Wasatch X Sc/E Utah/P X E Juab/X Nw San Pete Three snowboarders were killed as a large avalanche swept down the mountain near the Aspen Grove area around Sundance. There were a total of 14 people in the path of the avalanche, but the rest of the skiers and snowboarders were only partially buried and managed to dig themselves out unscathed. | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-09 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 A group of three backcountry skiers set out early in the morning to ski in the Big Willow Aprons area near Lone Peak. After skiing for several hours without issue, an unintentionally triggered soft slab avalanche occurred on the north aspect of the slope (approximately 40 degree angle) around 10,600 feet elevation. ... | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2001-11-29 | Winter StormJuab County and Utah County · forecast zone W Utah T X Nw/P X E Juab Another strong storm pounded Northern Utah, resulting in 3 fatalities. A 9-year-old girl was killed when a snowplow lost control in heavy snow and low visibilities, colliding into a school bus near Delta. Twelve other children were injured in the accident. Also, a head-on collision in heavy snow and icy roads resulted ... | 2 | 1 | $33K | |
| 2002-03-16 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone W Summit T Nw/Se Salt Lake/Wasatch X Sc/E Utah/P X E Juab/X Nw San Pete Two snowboarders were buried and killed by a massive avalanche which swept down a steep slope in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon. The two were part of a large group of snowboarders traveling through the backcountry near the Brighton Ski Resort. Most of the group had traversed across an open slope when a large section of ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-01-11 | AvalancheJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone W Summit T Nw/Se Salt Lake/Wasatch X Sc/E Utah/P X E Juab/X Nw San Pete Two skiers were killed in a large avalanche in the backcountry near The Canyons ski resort. The slide from Square Top Peak was estimated to be near 500 feet wide and 5 feet deep, with a vertical drop of 1000 feet. The couple, a man and a woman, were discovered the next day by a search team. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-01-15 | Heavy SnowJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone W Summit T Nw/Se Salt Lake/Wasatch X Sc/E Utah/P X E Juab/X Nw San Pete A moist west-northwest flow with embedded shortwaves was over the region during this time. Avalanches continued to occur in the Wasatch mountains. The highest snow totals were at Alta 30" and Trenton 7" (valleys). 2 snowmobilers were killed in separates slides. The first fatality occurred in the Pleasant Creek area of ... | 2 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindProvo, Utah County | 0 | 15 | $100M | |
| 2018-07-01 | WildfireCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2018-08-01 | WildfireCarbon County and 5 more · forecast zone Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2012-07-01 | WildfireJuab County and 4 more · forecast zone Wasatch Mountains South Of I-80 | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2006-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Utah County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 2002-09-12 | Flash FloodSantaquin, Utah County | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 2006-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindProvo Municipal Airport, Utah County | 92 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.4M |
| 2012-09-01 | Flash FloodLehi, Utah County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
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: April 17, 1966 (tornado, Utah County); September 13, 1982 (tornado, Utah 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 Utah 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 | – | – | – | – | 186 | 276 | 159 | 102 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 32 | 27 | 22 | 71 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 35 | 59 | 35 |
| Landslides and avalanches | – | – | – | – | 3 | 23 | 16 | 26 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 13 | 15 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% 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 169 · Feb 147 · Mar 148 · Apr 124 · May 69 · Jun 84 · Jul 81 · Aug 90 · Sep 41 · Oct 38 · Nov 92 · Dec 183 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Utah County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Utah County: 5 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 6 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (6) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-21 | FM-5639 | Fire | Iron Fire |
| 2023-12-23 | DR-4752 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020-09-07 | FM-5353 | Fire | Ether Hollow Fire |
| 2020-06-28 | FM-5318 | Fire | Knolls Fire |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4525 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3478 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-09-21 | FM-5277 | Fire | Bald Mountain Fire |
| 2012-06-22 | FM-2983 | Fire | Dump Fire |
| 2011-08-08 | DR-4011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3223 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-08-19 | FM-2381 | Fire | Ut - Mollie Fire - 08/19/01 |
| 1984-08-17 | DR-720 | Flood | Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding |
| 1983-04-30 | DR-680 | Flood | Severe Storms, Landslides & 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 Utah County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 40 flood or flash flood records for Utah County from 1998 to 2025, on 38 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Utah County ranks 1286th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $505,000 on 105 claims filed in Utah County; the most in one year was 19 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 3 · 1980: 3 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 19 · 1984: 16 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1988: 2 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 7 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 3; 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 Utah County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Utah County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $288 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 | $6.9M | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $35M | once in about 81 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $163M | once in about 71 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $896K | 41 a year (modeled) |
| Avalanche | Relatively High | $3.4M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.8M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $8.1M | 1.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $64M | 1.1 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 Utah 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 Utah CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Utah County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis