Adams County, Colorado: hazard risk
FEMA rates Adams County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 91.2 of 100, higher than 91% of rated U.S. counties); 6 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hail, winter weather, lightning. Its storm record holds 1,310 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Very High | 99.7 | $44M |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.4 | $1.4M |
| Lightning | Very High | 96.7 | $3.1M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.2 | $21M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.4 | $13M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.8 | $3.0M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | $39M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.3 | $178K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.4 | $3.4M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 80.9 | $571K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 76.9 | $1.7M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.7 | $470K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 69.4 | $123 |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.4 | $761 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 502 | 0 | $681M | 7th of 63 | 526th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 275 | 7 | $30M | 42nd of 63 | 853rd of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 192 | 0 | $101M | 2nd of 63 | 21st of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 135 | 0 | $134K | 9th of 63 | 2388th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 128 | 0 | $282K | 18th of 63 | 375th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 26 | 1 | $4.9M | 25th of 63 | 2445th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 19 | 2 | $634K | 8th of 63 | 496th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 16 | 5 | $12M | 25th of 63 | 1829th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 9 | 0 | – | 29th of 63 | 2246th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 5 | 0 | – | 4th of 63 | 1950th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | $706K | 49th of 63 | 953rd of 2,972 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 42nd of 63 | 363rd of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Adams County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.