Cold Wave Risk in Colorado
All Colorado counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index cold wave score
Cold Wave risk — prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures — is rated for 63 of 64 Colorado counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Adams County carries the state's highest cold wave score at 97.2, with $21M in expected annual cold wave losses.
6 Colorado counties are rated High or Very High for cold wave, and expected annual losses from cold wave total roughly $129M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Cold Wave
| # | County | Cold Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adams County | High | 1.61 / yr | $21M | |
| 2 | Weld County | High | 1.84 / yr | $19M | |
| 3 | Larimer County | High | 0.56 / yr | $16M | |
| 4 | Denver County | High | 1.26 / yr | $10M | |
| 5 | Pueblo County | High | 1.49 / yr | $8M | |
| 6 | Arapahoe County | High | 1.61 / yr | $9M | |
| 7 | Yuma County | Medium | 6.58 / yr | $7M | |
| 8 | Logan County | Medium | 2.74 / yr | $3M | |
| 9 | Kit Carson County | Medium | 5.74 / yr | $3M | |
| 10 | El Paso County | Medium | 1.60 / yr | $4M | |
| 11 | Morgan County | Medium | 2.32 / yr | $3M | |
| 12 | Jefferson County | Medium | 0.38 / yr | $3M | |
| 13 | Boulder County | Medium | 0.59 / yr | $3M | |
| 14 | Prowers County | Medium | 2.11 / yr | $1M | |
| 15 | Douglas County | Low | 0.95 / yr | $2M | |
| 16 | Otero County | Low | 1.68 / yr | $1M | |
| 17 | Alamosa County | Low | 1.07 / yr | $826K | |
| 18 | Rio Grande County | Low | 0.82 / yr | $705K | |
| 19 | Conejos County | Low | 0.88 / yr | $744K | |
| 20 | Broomfield County | Low | 1.20 / yr | $1M | |
| 21 | Washington County | Low | 2.68 / yr | $797K | |
| 22 | Elbert County | Low | 1.82 / yr | $1M | |
| 23 | Las Animas County | Low | 1.21 / yr | $574K | |
| 24 | Baca County | Low | 1.74 / yr | $356K | |
| 25 | Phillips County | Low | 2.74 / yr | $768K | |
| 26 | Cheyenne County | Low | 5.16 / yr | $645K | |
| 27 | Crowley County | Low | 1.63 / yr | $431K | |
| 28 | Montezuma County | Low | 0.04 / yr | $394K | |
| 29 | Mesa County | Low | 0.02 / yr | $445K | |
| 30 | Lincoln County | Low | 1.95 / yr | $503K | |
| 31 | Sedgwick County | Low | 2.74 / yr | $409K | |
| 32 | Saguache County | Low | 0.69 / yr | $316K | |
| 33 | Bent County | Low | 2.00 / yr | $459K | |
| 34 | Costilla County | Very Low | 0.86 / yr | $159K | |
| 35 | Montrose County | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $219K | |
| 36 | Delta County | Very Low | 0.03 / yr | $183K | |
| 37 | Kiowa County | Very Low | 2.10 / yr | $205K | |
| 38 | Fremont County | Very Low | 0.62 / yr | $107K | |
| 39 | Moffat County | Very Low | 0.30 / yr | $143K | |
| 40 | Garfield County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $126K | |
| 41 | Rio Blanco County | Very Low | 0.22 / yr | $76K | |
| 42 | Routt County | Very Low | 0.10 / yr | $107K | |
| 43 | Gunnison County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $62K | |
| 44 | Huerfano County | Very Low | 0.93 / yr | $23K | |
| 45 | Teller County | Very Low | 0.55 / yr | $45K | |
| 46 | Summit County | Very Low | 0.34 / yr | $34K | |
| 47 | Dolores County | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $21K | |
| 48 | Chaffee County | Very Low | 0.64 / yr | $27K | |
| 49 | Mineral County | Very Low | 0.67 / yr | $31K | |
| 50 | Jackson County | Very Low | 0.31 / yr | $17K | |
| 51 | Park County | Very Low | 0.24 / yr | $11K | |
| 52 | Gilpin County | Very Low | 0.29 / yr | $10K | |
| 53 | Custer County | Very Low | 0.56 / yr | $11K | |
| 54 | Clear Creek County | Very Low | 0.33 / yr | $10K | |
| 55 | Grand County | Very Low | 0.26 / yr | $8K | |
| 56 | Lake County | Very Low | 0.72 / yr | $6K | |
| 57 | Eagle County | Very Low | 0.04 / yr | $2K | |
| 58 | Pitkin County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $1K | |
| 59 | San Miguel County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $910 | |
| 60 | La Plata County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $55 | |
| 61 | Archuleta County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $2 | |
| 62 | Ouray County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 | |
| 63 | Hinsdale County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
63 Colorado counties with measurable cold wave risk. See the national cold wave ranking or all Colorado counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Colorado county has the highest cold wave risk?
Adams County has the highest FEMA cold wave risk score in Colorado at 97.2 (High), with $21M in expected annual losses and about 1.61 events per year.
How many Colorado counties face significant cold wave risk?
63 Colorado counties record measurable cold wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 6 of them are rated High or Very High.