Colorado strong wind risk
Denver County has the highest strong wind risk in Colorado, scoring 96.1 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver County | 96.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Arapahoe County | 95.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 3 | Weld County | 95 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 4 | Douglas County | 93 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 5 | Jefferson County | 92.6 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 6 | Logan County | 92.3 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 7 | Adams County | 91.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 8 | El Paso County | 90.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 9 | Larimer County | 87.9 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 10 | Boulder County | 86 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 11 | Yuma County | 75.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Morgan County | 74.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 13 | Pueblo County | 66 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Baca County | 64.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Otero County | 62.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 16 | Washington County | 60.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 17 | Broomfield County | 56.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 18 | Kit Carson County | 55.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 19 | Phillips County | 49.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 20 | Bent County | 43.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 21 | Crowley County | 34.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Prowers County | 33.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Lincoln County | 29 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Elbert County | 28.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | Fremont County | 25.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Sedgwick County | 25.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 27 | Kiowa County | 19.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Summit County | 19 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 29 | Huerfano County | 17.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 30 | Grand County | 15.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 31 | Park County | 14.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 32 | Cheyenne County | 13.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 33 | Teller County | 13.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 34 | Delta County | 12.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 35 | Eagle County | 11.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 36 | Mesa County | 10.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 37 | La Plata County | 10.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 38 | Montrose County | 10.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 39 | Clear Creek County | 10.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 40 | Garfield County | 9.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 41 | Gilpin County | 9.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 42 | Montezuma County | 7.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Custer County | 5.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Las Animas County | 5.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Routt County | 5.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Chaffee County | 4.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | Archuleta County | 4.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Moffat County | 4.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | Gunnison County | 4.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Pitkin County | 3.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Alamosa County | 3.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Rio Blanco County | 3.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Lake County | 3.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 54 | Rio Grande County | 3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 55 | Costilla County | 2.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 56 | Saguache County | 2.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 57 | San Miguel County | 2.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 58 | Jackson County | 1.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 59 | Conejos County | 1.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 60 | Dolores County | 1.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 61 | Ouray County | 1.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 62 | Hinsdale County | 1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 63 | Mineral County | 1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 64 | San Juan County | 1 | 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.
Strong Wind risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Colorado:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest strong wind risk county in Colorado?
Denver County, CO has the highest strong wind risk in Colorado, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.1 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes strong wind risk in Colorado?
Strong wind risk covers non-convective, non-tropical sustained high winds — including derechos and general high-wind events, but excluding tornado and hurricane winds. High scores appear in mountain passes, coastal headlands, and open plains where topography amplifies wind speeds. Damage concentrates on utility infrastructure, trees, and lightweight structures.