Maine avalanche risk
Piscataquis County has the highest avalanche risk in Maine, scoring 72.2 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piscataquis County | 72.2 | Relatively Low |
| 2 | Oxford County | 69.9 | Relatively Low |
| 3 | Franklin County | 63.5 | Very Low |
| 4 | Somerset County | 60.2 | Very Low |
| 5 | Hancock County | 52.3 | Very Low |
| 6 | Aroostook County | 44.2 | Very Low |
| 7 | Penobscot County | 42.5 | Very Low |
| 8 | Knox County | 30 | Very Low |
| 9 | Waldo County | 15.1 | Very Low |
| 10 | Kennebec County | 9.8 | Very Low |
| 11 | Cumberland County | 5.1 | Very Low |
| 12 | York County | 5 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Avalanche risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Maine:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest avalanche risk county in Maine?
Piscataquis County, ME has the highest avalanche risk in Maine, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 72.2 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Low").
What causes avalanche risk in Maine?
Avalanche risk reflects expected annual losses from snow avalanche events, primarily affecting mountain counties in the West. The highest scores belong to Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Washington counties where active ski terrain, mountain highways, and communities overlap with historically active avalanche paths and high seasonal snowpack. Avalanche events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.