Utah cold wave risk
Cache County has the highest cold wave risk in Utah, scoring 53.6 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cache County | 53.6 | Relatively Low |
| 2 | Davis County | 51.5 | Relatively Low |
| 3 | Weber County | 46.5 | Relatively Low |
| 4 | Utah County | 42.3 | Relatively Low |
| 5 | Salt Lake County | 32.6 | Relatively Low |
| 6 | Box Elder County | 21.9 | Very Low |
| 7 | Uintah County | 13.9 | Very Low |
| 8 | Iron County | 8.2 | Very Low |
| 9 | Summit County | 8.2 | Very Low |
| 10 | Wasatch County | 6.9 | Very Low |
| 11 | Rich County | 6 | Very Low |
| 12 | Duchesne County | 5.7 | Very Low |
| 13 | Millard County | 5.4 | Very Low |
| 14 | Washington County | 5 | Very Low |
| 15 | Beaver County | 4.9 | Very Low |
| 16 | Morgan County | 4.7 | Very Low |
| 17 | Wayne County | 4.3 | Very Low |
| 18 | Daggett County | 3.9 | Very Low |
| 19 | Garfield County | 3.6 | Very Low |
| 20 | Tooele County | 3.5 | Very Low |
| 21 | Juab County | 3.4 | Very Low |
| 22 | Grand County | 3.2 | Very Low |
| 23 | Kane County | 2.9 | Very Low |
| 24 | San Juan County | 2.8 | Very Low |
| 25 | Emery County | 2.5 | Very Low |
| 26 | Carbon County | 2.3 | Very Low |
| 27 | Sevier County | 2.3 | Very Low |
| 28 | Piute County | 0 | No Rating |
| 29 | Sanpete County | 0 | No Rating |
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.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Utah:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Utah?
Cache County, UT has the highest cold wave risk in Utah, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 53.6 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Low").
What causes cold wave risk in Utah?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.