Cheyenne County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cheyenne County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cheyenne County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 16% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cheyenne County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including biological (2), flood (1), snowstorm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 30.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4 | 12 | 0 | $229K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 8.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.2 | 23 | 0 | $79K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.9 | 114 | 0 | $26K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 13.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 27.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 35.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 7.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Cheyenne County ranks in the 8th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 8th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 42nd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 53rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 3rd | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 149 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 81 in 2016–20 vs 68 in 2021–25 (-16% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Cheyenne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cheyenne County, Colorado are drought, hail, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cheyenne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cheyenne County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Cheyenne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Cheyenne County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes in 2023.
How does Cheyenne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kit Carson County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Wallace County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Cheyenne County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cheyenne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cheyenne County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Cheyenne County's composite score of 3 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 3% of US counties.