Summit County, Colorado severe weather history spans 18 recorded events between 1985 and 2024. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 50.0% of all recorded events. It ranks #3,162 nationally and #58 in Colorado.
18
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
6
Direct injuries
$230K
Property damage
The record
What the Summit County, Colorado severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Summit County, Colorado severe weather history averages 0.5 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2020s, with 9 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 2 events fall before 1990 and 16 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Summit County, Colorado record is thunderstorm wind, responsible for 1 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $200K in reported property damage. In total, 5 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Summit County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 9 | 1 | $5K | 78 | 1985–2022 |
| Lightning | 5 | 1 | $20K | 0 | 1997–2011 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | $0 | 1 | 1988–2024 |
| Flash Flood | 1 | 0 | $200K | 0 | 2011–2011 |
| Heavy Rain | 1 | 0 | $5K | 0 | 2011–2011 |
Decade by decade
Summit County, Colorado severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Summit County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2004 | Lightning | BRECKENRIDGE | 1 | 4 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | DILLON | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 8, 1997 | Lightning | BRECKENRIDGE | 0 | 2 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Two search and rescue volunteers were injured while rescuing a skier atop Peak 10 at Breckenridge Ski Area. Lightning struck the first man as he was towing the injured skier by snowmobile and toboggan. The bolt struck the snowmobile, then the rescuer. He received minor burns to his eyes. The other rescuer was injured 1/4 mile away. Apparently the ground current created by the lightning travelled up his ski pole. He suffered temporary dizziness as a result of the strike.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
31,017
Population (ACS)
$940K
Median home value
6
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
| Apr 9, 2003 | Snowstorm | SNOW | EM |
| Jun 19, 2002 | Fire | WILDFIRES | DR |
| Jan 29, 1977 | Drought | DROUGHT | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Summit County, Colorado?
18 events are on record between 1985 and 2024, causing 2 direct deaths and $230K in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Summit County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 9 recorded events — 50.0% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Summit County?
6 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Summit County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Summit County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Summit County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 60 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Summit County, Colorado severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Sedgwick County 298
- Teller County 163
- San Miguel County 97
- Washington County 1,104
- San Juan County 17
- Weld County 1,900
Cite this page
“Summit County, Colorado.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/colorado/summit-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.