Montrose County, Colorado: hazard risk
FEMA rates Montrose County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 49.0 of 100, higher than 48% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 2,018 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 | 87.5 | $1.0M |
| Avalanche | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | $378K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.2 | $21K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 78.6 | $354K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.3 | $1.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.4 | $12M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.4 | $254K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 45.0 | $54K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 19.9 | $219K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16.9 | $12K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.7 | $39K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 10.5 | $77K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 8.9 | $53K |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.1 | $20K |
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 | 894 | 0 | $27K | 33rd of 63 | 482nd of 3,077 |
| Drought | 545 | 0 | – | 12th of 63 | 716th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 220 | 0 | $31M | 3rd of 63 | 395th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 81 | 0 | $495K | 49th of 63 | 1470th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 62 | 0 | $185M | 16th of 63 | 125th of 2,972 |
| Floods | 40 | 0 | $1.2M | 29th of 63 | 2522nd of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 30 | 0 | $110K | 34th of 63 | 2821st of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 26 | 3 | $9K | 21st of 63 | 83rd of 2,278 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 0 | – | 15th of 63 | 1207th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 14 | 0 | – | 43rd of 63 | 2873rd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 6 | 2 | $472K | 30th of 63 | 1693rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 3 | 0 | – | 9th of 63 | 2276th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 0 | $35K | 45th of 63 | 2883rd 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 Montrose County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.