Summit County, Utah severe weather history spans 51 recorded events between 1973 and 2024. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 52.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #3,044 nationally and #23 in Utah.
51
Recorded events
6
Direct deaths
8
Direct injuries
$5.3M
Property damage
The record
What the Summit County, Utah severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Summit County, Utah severe weather history averages 1.0 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 17 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 4 events fall before 1990 and 47 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, Utah record is lightning, responsible for 4 direct deaths. The costliest is flood, with $5.1M in reported property damage. In total, 6 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 | 27 | 2 | $85K | 63 | 1973–2024 |
| Hail | 12 | 0 | $0 | 1.5 | 1987–2021 |
| Flood | 5 | 0 | $5.1M | 0 | 2010–2014 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | $0 | 0 | 2003–2012 |
| Heavy Rain | 2 | 0 | $100K | 0 | 1998–2021 |
| Flash Flood | 1 | 0 | $1K | 0 | 2022–2022 |
Decade by decade
Summit County, Utah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2003 | Lightning | CENTRAL PORTION | 2 | 3 | $0 |
| Oct 14, 2007 | Lightning | PINEVIEW | 1 | 2 | $0 |
| Aug 14, 2003 | Lightning | CENTRAL PORTION | 1 | 2 | $0 |
| Jul 17, 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | WANSHIP | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 21, 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | KAMAS | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 29, 2012 | Lightning | PINEVIEW | 0 | 1 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A mother and father were killed and their 3 children injured after being hit by lightning near Crystal Lake in the Uinta Mountains. The family had taken shelter from the thunderstorm under a tree when the lightning struck the tree.
A 21-year-old male was riding a paddle board on the reservoir at Rockport State Park when a strong wind gust caused by a thunderstorm moved through the area. The victim was separated from his group of friends and drowned in the reservoir. His body was recovered the next day. The strongest wind gusts recorded from nearby sensors included 52 mph at the Interstate 80 at Silver Creek Junction sensor and 45 mph at the Interstate 80 at Wanship sensor.
A 60-year-old male was struck and killed by lightning while camping near Poison Mountain in the Uinta Mountain range. The man, along with his son and brother, sought shelter in a tent. All three people were injured, but only the one died.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
42,970
Population (ACS)
$1.1M
Median home value
9
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 14, 2021 | Fire | PARLEYS CANYON FIRE | FM |
| Apr 4, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Aug 13, 2013 | Fire | ROCKPORT FIVE FIRE | FM |
| Aug 8, 2011 | Flood | FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Summit County, Utah?
51 events are on record between 1973 and 2024, causing 6 direct deaths and $5.3M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Summit County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 27 recorded events — 52.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Summit County?
9 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, Utah 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
- Sevier County 57
- Tooele County 821
- Sanpete County 43
- Uintah County 109
- San Juan County 217
- Utah County 304
Cite this page
“Summit County, Utah.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/utah/summit-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.