Delta County, Colorado: hazard risk
FEMA rates Delta County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 51.3 of 100, higher than 51% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 1,503 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.0 | $712K |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.5 | $93K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | $311K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | $415K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 86.7 | $709K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.6 | $11M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 68.3 | $604K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 42.3 | $41K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.6 | $183K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.9 | $47K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 17.3 | $0 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 15.1 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 12.2 | $79K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.8 | $44K |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.5 | $18K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 881 | 1 | $10K | 10th of 63 | 62nd of 3,077 |
| Drought | 282 | 0 | – | 6th of 63 | 183rd of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 129 | 0 | $31M | 1st of 63 | 259th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 67 | 0 | $362K | 30th of 63 | 876th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 30 | 0 | $147M | 15th of 63 | 124th of 2,972 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 21 | 0 | $3.9M | 30th of 63 | 2772nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 20 | 0 | $3.2M | 30th of 63 | 2528th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 10 | 4 | $1.9M | 24th of 63 | 99th of 2,278 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 0 | $12K | 13th of 63 | 1116th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 7 | 0 | $202K | 44th of 63 | 2875th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $60K | 31st of 63 | 1704th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 0 | $41K | 39th of 63 | 2770th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 1 | 0 | – | 10th of 63 | 2382nd of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Delta County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.