Jefferson County, Colorado: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jefferson County's overall risk Relatively High (score 94.9 of 100, higher than 94% of rated U.S. counties); 7 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hail, lightning, winter weather. Its storm record holds 1,455 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 | 99.8 | $58M |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.7 | $11M |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.8 | $1.6M |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 99.5 | $49M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.5 | $22M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 93.4 | $77M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.6 | $3.3M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.6 | $559K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 73.3 | $3.3M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.8 | $325K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.0 | $3.4M |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 77.9 | $131K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.0 | $1.3M |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 71.0 | $139 |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.6 | $24K |
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 | 528 | 0 | $3.3B | 4th of 63 | 194th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 466 | 1 | $50M | 21st of 63 | 193rd of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 277 | 3 | $42M | 4th of 63 | 90th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 54 | 1 | – | 19th of 63 | 2590th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 45 | 3 | $247M | 3rd of 63 | 1549th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 34 | 3 | $2.3M | 2nd of 63 | 140th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | $8.1M | 26th of 63 | 2246th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 12 | 7 | $2.3B | 23rd of 63 | 223rd of 2,972 |
| Drought | 9 | 0 | – | 25th of 63 | 2136th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 0 | – | 26th of 63 | 1854th of 3,076 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 3 | – | 31st of 63 | 147th of 2,278 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | – | 29th of 63 | 1735th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Jefferson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.