Pitkin County, Colorado: hazard risk
FEMA rates Pitkin County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 54.1 of 100, higher than 54% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by avalanche, landslide. Its storm record holds 1,114 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Very High | 98.8 | $11M |
| Landslide | Relatively High | 98.3 | $1.1M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | $639K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 76.6 | $444K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.2 | $13M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.1 | $102K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 38.2 | $202K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 32.2 | $4 |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.6 | $11K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 10.6 | $8K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.9 | $49K |
| Hail | Very Low | 5.1 | $18K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 3.8 | $33K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 3.2 | $1K |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
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 | 779 | 2 | – | 5th of 63 | 35th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 136 | 0 | – | 5th of 63 | 146th of 3,063 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 79 | 26 | $1.2M | 6th of 63 | 11th of 2,278 |
| Floods | 31 | 1 | $5.6M | 13th of 63 | 2091st of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 28 | 0 | $28K | 52nd of 63 | 1555th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 21 | 0 | – | 27th of 63 | 1948th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 12 | 0 | $16M | 25th of 63 | 233rd of 2,972 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 9 | 0 | – | 42nd of 63 | 2898th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | $7K | 16th of 63 | 1214th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 5 | 0 | – | 49th of 63 | 2903rd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 4 | 1 | $3K | 22nd of 63 | 1389th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | $137K | 49th of 63 | 2909th 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 Pitkin County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.