Garfield County, Colorado severe weather history spans 229 recorded events between 1974 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 27.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,259 nationally and #29 in Colorado.
229
Recorded events
5
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$162.8M
Property damage
The record
What the Garfield County, Colorado severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Garfield County, Colorado severe weather history averages 4.5 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 92 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 4 events fall before 1990 and 225 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Garfield County, Colorado record is lightning, responsible for 2 direct deaths. The costliest is debris flow, with $153.4M in reported property damage. In total, 9 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Garfield County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 64 | 1 | $16K | 100 | 1974–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 42 | 1 | $748K | 0 | 1997–2023 |
| Heavy Rain | 35 | 0 | $22K | 0 | 1998–2025 |
| Debris Flow | 34 | 0 | $153.4M | 0 | 2013–2024 |
| Hail | 20 | 0 | $15K | 1.75 | 1984–2023 |
| Wildfire | 15 | 0 | $6.7M | 0 | 1998–2003 |
| Flood | 14 | 1 | $1.8M | 0 | 2001–2023 |
| Lightning | 4 | 2 | $113K | 0 | 1998–2004 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2021–2021 |
Decade by decade
Garfield 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 Garfield County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2003 | Lightning | RIFLE | 2 | 0 | $0 |
| May 21, 2023 | Flood | GLENWOOD SPGS | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 23, 1997 | Flash Flood | SILT | 1 | 0 | $150K |
| Jun 26, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | NEW CASTLE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Mar 28, 1998 | Heavy Rain | GLENWOOD SPGS | 0 | 1 | $20K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon ran high and fast as a result of accelerated snowmelt. While rafting in Glenwood Canyon, two rafters fell into the river while navigating a rapid and eddy. Both men were pulled from the water and brought back to shore. The rafting party began CPR on the two individuals – one rafter responded, but the other one did not.
Major flash flooding and debris flows occurred throughout Glenwood Canyon from the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar as a result of significant rainfall from showers and thunderstorms. Multiple mudslides were reported by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Numerous vehicles were trapped between slides for several hours. Rainfall rates in excess of 4 inches/hour were estimated with storms. Remote gauges recorded between 1 and 2 inches in less than an hour along the south and east sides of the burn scar. CDOT reported damage to the structure of Interstate 70 which remained closed for over two weeks due to cleanup operations and surveys.
Multiple debris flows occurred along Interstate 70 within the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar between mile marker 123 and Hanging Lake Tunnel. Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) described the damage from the new flows as extreme. The new debris piles were around 17 feet tall over the roadway and house-sized boulders fell as well. Hanging Lake trail received considerable damage. At least seven bridges were either destroyed, washed downstream or otherwise severely damaged. National Forest officials say it will be at least late-season 2022 before the trail can be reopened.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
62,479
Population (ACS)
$528K
Median home value
12
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2020 | Fire | GRIZZLY CREEK FIRE | FM |
| Aug 19, 2020 | Fire | PINE GULCH FIRE | FM |
| Mar 28, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Jun 19, 2007 | Fire | NEWCASTLE FIRE | FM |
| Sep 1, 2006 | Fire | RED APPLE FIRE | FM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Garfield County, Colorado?
229 events are on record between 1974 and 2025, causing 5 direct deaths and $162.8M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Garfield County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 64 recorded events — 27.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Garfield County?
12 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Garfield County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Garfield County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Garfield County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 65 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Garfield 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
- Fremont County 203
- Gilpin County 19
- El Paso County 2,710
- Grand County 44
- Elbert County 805
- Gunnison County 65
Cite this page
“Garfield County, Colorado.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/colorado/garfield-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.