Heat Wave Risk in Colorado
All Colorado counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index heat wave score
Heat Wave risk — prolonged periods of extreme heat that threaten health and infrastructure — is rated for 52 of 64 Colorado counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. El Paso County carries the state's highest heat wave score at 77.7, with $2M in expected annual heat wave losses.
No Colorado county reaches the High band for heat wave, and expected annual losses from heat wave total roughly $13M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Heat Wave
| # | County | Heat Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Paso County | Low | 0.73 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Adams County | Low | 0.76 / yr | $2M | |
| 3 | Denver County | Low | 1.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 4 | Jefferson County | Low | 0.18 / yr | $1M | |
| 5 | Arapahoe County | Low | 0.73 / yr | $1M | |
| 6 | Boulder County | Low | 0.31 / yr | $815K | |
| 7 | Weld County | Low | 0.62 / yr | $775K | |
| 8 | Mesa County | Low | 0.33 / yr | $568K | |
| 9 | Larimer County | Low | 0.18 / yr | $817K | |
| 10 | Pueblo County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $488K | |
| 11 | Douglas County | Low | 0.24 / yr | $702K | |
| 12 | Fremont County | Low | 0.35 / yr | $179K | |
| 13 | Garfield County | Very Low | 0.04 / yr | $234K | |
| 14 | Broomfield County | Very Low | 0.91 / yr | $215K | |
| 15 | Otero County | Very Low | 0.58 / yr | $82K | |
| 16 | Montezuma County | Very Low | 0.08 / yr | $84K | |
| 17 | Las Animas County | Very Low | 0.25 / yr | $85K | |
| 18 | Logan County | Very Low | 0.58 / yr | $54K | |
| 19 | Morgan County | Very Low | 0.58 / yr | $66K | |
| 20 | Delta County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $47K | |
| 21 | Huerfano County | Very Low | 0.25 / yr | $35K | |
| 22 | Prowers County | Very Low | 0.47 / yr | $28K | |
| 23 | Montrose County | Very Low | 0.15 / yr | $39K | |
| 24 | Rio Grande County | Very Low | 0.18 / yr | $22K | |
| 25 | Alamosa County | Very Low | 0.34 / yr | $23K | |
| 26 | Crowley County | Very Low | 0.47 / yr | $17K | |
| 27 | Elbert County | Very Low | 0.31 / yr | $23K | |
| 28 | Washington County | Very Low | 0.58 / yr | $13K | |
| 29 | Conejos County | Very Low | 0.19 / yr | $10K | |
| 30 | Saguache County | Very Low | 0.12 / yr | $11K | |
| 31 | Bent County | Very Low | 0.47 / yr | $15K | |
| 32 | Chaffee County | Very Low | 0.04 / yr | $14K | |
| 33 | San Miguel County | Very Low | 0.25 / yr | $15K | |
| 34 | Phillips County | Very Low | 0.63 / yr | $13K | |
| 35 | La Plata County | Very Low | 0.03 / yr | $10K | |
| 36 | Yuma County | Very Low | 0.16 / yr | $10K | |
| 37 | Dolores County | Very Low | 0.06 / yr | $6K | |
| 38 | Costilla County | Very Low | 0.21 / yr | $4K | |
| 39 | Lincoln County | Very Low | 0.34 / yr | $8K | |
| 40 | Sedgwick County | Very Low | 0.63 / yr | $7K | |
| 41 | Kit Carson County | Very Low | 0.16 / yr | $6K | |
| 42 | Baca County | Very Low | 0.11 / yr | $2K | |
| 43 | Archuleta County | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $2K | |
| 44 | Custer County | Very Low | 0.05 / yr | $3K | |
| 45 | Cheyenne County | Very Low | 0.16 / yr | $1K | |
| 46 | Kiowa County | Very Low | 0.16 / yr | $1K | |
| 47 | Teller County | Very Low | 0.01 / yr | $19 | |
| 48 | Gunnison County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $11 | |
| 49 | Rio Blanco County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 | |
| 50 | Moffat County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 | |
| 51 | Park County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 | |
| 52 | Ouray County | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
52 Colorado counties with measurable heat wave risk. See the national heat wave ranking or all Colorado counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Colorado county has the highest heat wave risk?
El Paso County has the highest FEMA heat wave risk score in Colorado at 77.7 (Low), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 0.73 events per year.
How many Colorado counties face significant heat wave risk?
52 Colorado counties record measurable heat wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.