74
Recorded events
13
Direct deaths
40
Direct injuries
$192.1M
Property damage
Flash Flood in Larimer County, Colorado: 74 recorded events between 1997 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #307 nationally and #3 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Flash Flood in Larimer County, Colorado: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for flash flood in Larimer County is the 2010s, when 34 of the county's 74 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Larimer County archive, flash flood makes up 8.1% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #307 for this hazard and #3 within Colorado, putting it in the 90.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for flash flood in Larimer County with 31 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 1997 | FT COLLINS | 0 | 5 | 40 | $190.0M |
| Jul 20, 2021 | RUSTIC | 0 | 4 | 0 | $500K |
| Jul 15, 2022 | DRAKE | 0 | 2 | 0 | $250K |
| Sep 12, 2013 | BERTHOUD | 0 | 2 | 0 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2024 | DRAKE | 0 | $0 |
| Sep 14, 2023 | POUDRE PARK | 0 | $15K |
| Aug 2, 2023 | GLEN HAVEN | 0 | $25K |
| Aug 1, 2023 | GLEN HAVEN | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 1, 2023 | FT COLLINS | 0 | $250K |
| Jul 20, 2023 | GLEN HAVEN | 0 | $10K |
| Jun 12, 2023 | DRAKES | 0 | $50K |
| Jun 11, 2023 | RUSTIC | 0 | $5K |
| Jun 11, 2023 | RUSTIC | 0 | $5K |
| Aug 15, 2022 | GLEN HAVEN | 0 | $25K |
Other hazards here
More from Larimer County
- Hail 616
- Thunderstorm Wind 136
- Lightning 46
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rain continued to produce widespread flash flooding. A 79-yr old Larimer County resident was killed when she was swept away while trying to climb to safety from her home in Cedar Point. In addition, A 61-yr old Cedar Point resident died when her home was swept down the Big Thompson River by the floodwaters.
Heavy rain and large hail from thunderstorms moving across eastern Larimer, northern Weld and western Logan Counties caused extensive flooding and flash flooding problems throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Rainfall totals ranged anywhere from 2 to 5 inches. Flash Floods washed out several roads and highways. Highway 14, the main highway between Fort Collins and Sterling was extensively damaged. Five bridges were damaged by floodwaters and several sections of the highway were washed out. Lone Tree Creek, near Lucerne, jumped its banks and flooded several homes. Highway 14 was closed for at least a week to repair the damage. Damage to county roads and bridges throughout Weld County was estimated to be $500,000.
Heavy rain produced localized flooding in downtown Fort Collins and Livermore, with standing water 1 to 3 feet deep. Vehicles were reportedly floating at the intersection of College and Mulberry in Fort Collins. Considerable street flooding was observed at several other locations. Extensive flooding occurred on the CSU campus. Trained spotter reported storm totals from 2.00 to 3.64 inches of rainfall.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many flash flood events are on record in Larimer County, Colorado?
74 flash flood events are recorded in Larimer County between 1997 and 2024, causing 13 direct deaths.
What is the strongest flash flood recorded in Larimer County?
The strongest flash flood on record in Larimer County measured 0.
Where does the flash flood data for Larimer County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Flash Flood in Larimer County, Colorado.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/colorado/larimer-county/flash-flood/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.