Colorado lightning risk
Jefferson County has the highest lightning risk in Colorado, scoring 99.7 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded lightning events across Colorado have decreased 78% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | 99.7 | Very High | 2 |
| 2 | Douglas County | 99.3 | Very High | 3 |
| 3 | Larimer County | 99.2 | Very High | 3 |
| 4 | Boulder County | 99 | Very High | 1 |
| 5 | Pueblo County | 99 | Very High | 0 |
| 6 | El Paso County | 98.9 | Very High | 2 |
| 7 | Denver County | 98.6 | Very High | 1 |
| 8 | Arapahoe County | 98.4 | Very High | 1 |
| 9 | Mesa County | 97.3 | Very High | 1 |
| 10 | Adams County | 96.7 | Very High | 0 |
| 11 | Fremont County | 96 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 12 | Otero County | 92 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 13 | Weld County | 91.6 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 14 | Eagle County | 89.4 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 15 | Montrose County | 87.5 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 16 | Montezuma County | 86.6 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 17 | Chaffee County | 86.4 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 18 | Broomfield County | 86.2 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 19 | Prowers County | 85.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 20 | La Plata County | 85.2 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 21 | Rio Grande County | 83.7 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 22 | Teller County | 83.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 23 | Delta County | 83 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 24 | Garfield County | 82.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 25 | Grand County | 81.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 26 | Rio Blanco County | 81.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 27 | Summit County | 80.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 28 | Custer County | 79.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 29 | Dolores County | 76.3 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 30 | Saguache County | 76.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 31 | Park County | 67.9 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 32 | Clear Creek County | 67.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 33 | Las Animas County | 67.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 34 | Pitkin County | 66.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 35 | Routt County | 65.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 36 | Alamosa County | 65.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 37 | Huerfano County | 62.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 38 | Gunnison County | 62.1 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 39 | Ouray County | 61.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 40 | Mineral County | 60.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 41 | Archuleta County | 60.6 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 42 | Baca County | 58.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 43 | San Miguel County | 56 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 44 | Logan County | 55.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 45 | Crowley County | 42.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 46 | Elbert County | 42.5 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 47 | Gilpin County | 42 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 48 | Conejos County | 39.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 49 | Lake County | 38.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 50 | San Juan County | 36.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 51 | Costilla County | 33.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 52 | Bent County | 30.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 53 | Moffat County | 29.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 54 | Morgan County | 28.3 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 55 | Yuma County | 25.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 56 | Sedgwick County | 24 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 57 | Kit Carson County | 23.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 58 | Phillips County | 21.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 59 | Hinsdale County | 19.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 60 | Lincoln County | 17 | Very Low | 0 |
| 61 | Jackson County | 14.1 | Very Low | 1 |
| 62 | Kiowa County | 9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 63 | Washington County | 8.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 64 | Cheyenne County | 7.4 | Very Low | 0 |
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.
Lightning risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Colorado:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in Colorado?
Jefferson County, CO has the highest lightning risk in Colorado, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.7 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Colorado are rated Very High for lightning risk?
10 of 64 scored Colorado counties are rated "Very High" for lightning risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes lightning risk in Colorado?
Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.