Vermont avalanche risk
Chittenden County has the highest avalanche risk in Vermont, scoring 78.9 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chittenden County | 78.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 2 | Bennington County | 67.4 | Relatively Low |
| 3 | Rutland County | 66.7 | Very Low |
| 4 | Addison County | 60.8 | Very Low |
| 5 | Lamoille County | 56.1 | Very Low |
| 6 | Windsor County | 55.4 | Very Low |
| 7 | Orleans County | 52.2 | Very Low |
| 8 | Washington County | 46.9 | Very Low |
| 9 | Windham County | 46.1 | Very Low |
| 10 | Essex County | 45 | Very Low |
| 11 | Orange County | 36.8 | Very Low |
| 12 | Franklin County | 34.4 | Very Low |
| 13 | Caledonia County | 31.6 | 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 Vermont:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest avalanche risk county in Vermont?
Chittenden County, VT has the highest avalanche risk in Vermont, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 78.9 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Moderate").
What causes avalanche risk in Vermont?
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.