Summit County, Colorado: hazard risk
FEMA rates Summit County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 60.2 of 100, higher than 60% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by avalanche. Its storm record holds 556 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 | 99.0 | $11M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.6 | $137K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | $1.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | $1.1M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.2 | $221K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 65.4 | $15M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 19.0 | $232K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 53.6 | $80K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46.9 | $326K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 38.8 | $7 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.8 | $382K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.5 | $22K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 5.7 | $34K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
| 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 | 411 | 0 | – | 11th of 63 | 76th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 87 | 0 | – | 10th of 63 | 209th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 33 | 19 | – | 7th of 63 | 13th of 2,278 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 9 | 1 | $5K | 47th of 63 | 2911th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 5 | 1 | $26K | 12th of 63 | 846th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 0 | – | 45th of 63 | 2498th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 2 | 0 | – | 38th of 63 | 2415th of 3,063 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | – | 54th of 63 | 2952nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 1 | 0 | $276K | 60th of 63 | 3032nd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | $7K | 34th of 63 | 2034th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 2 | $190M | 50th of 63 | 974th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Summit County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.