Utah lightning risk
Washington County has the highest lightning risk in Utah, scoring 99.2 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington County | 99.2 | Very High | 2 |
| 2 | Utah County | 99.1 | Very High | 1 |
| 3 | Davis County | 97.1 | Very High | 0 |
| 4 | Weber County | 94.6 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 5 | Salt Lake County | 94.4 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 6 | Summit County | 91.3 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 7 | Garfield County | 89.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 8 | Emery County | 88 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 9 | Grand County | 87.2 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 10 | Cache County | 85.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 11 | Iron County | 85.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 12 | Duchesne County | 82 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 13 | San Juan County | 81 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Sanpete County | 80.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Tooele County | 79.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 16 | Daggett County | 74 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 17 | Kane County | 73 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 18 | Carbon County | 71.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 19 | Sevier County | 71.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 20 | Wasatch County | 69.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 21 | Box Elder County | 61.6 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 22 | Uintah County | 58.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 23 | Beaver County | 46 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 24 | Wayne County | 39.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | Millard County | 38.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Juab County | 31.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 27 | Piute County | 23.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Morgan County | 23.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 29 | Rich 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 Utah:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in Utah?
Washington County, UT has the highest lightning risk in Utah, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.2 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Utah are rated Very High for lightning risk?
3 of 29 scored Utah counties are rated "Very High" for lightning risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes lightning risk in Utah?
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.