Home › Colorado › Adams County

Adams County, Colorado

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Moderate overall risk
5th of 64highest risk in Colorado
$131Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0

Adams County, Colorado has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 91% of US counties. It ranks 5th of 64 counties in Colorado. The costliest hazards here are hail, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $131 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $252 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2015 (severe storms, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (283 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $594,000 on 154 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Adams County

Hail

Very High
$44.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$38.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$21.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HailVery High99.7
$44M
Inland floodingModerate87.2
$39M
Cold waveHigh97.2
$21M
TornadoHigh93.4
$13M
EarthquakeLow84.4
$3M
LightningVery High96.7
$3M
Strong windHigh91.8
$3M
Heat waveLow76.9
$2M
Winter weatherVery High97.4
$1M
WildfireLow80.9
$571K
DroughtLow63.7
$470K
Ice stormModerate60.3
$178K
LandslideVery Low38.4
$761
Volcanic activityVery Low69.4
$123

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Adams County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Snowstorm2
Tornado1
Fire1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Jul 16, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2013Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Sep 12, 2013Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesEmergency
Jan 7, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 9, 2003SnowEmergency
Jun 19, 2002WildfiresMajor disaster
May 23, 1973Heavy Rains, Snowmelt and FloodingMajor disaster
May 19, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 19, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Colorado also had 15 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 882 storm reports in Adams County since 1953, with 3 deaths and 62 injuries and about $477 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 12, 1982.

192tornadoes
502hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
143damaging thunderstorm winds
26floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 12, 1982F3–0 / 0
May 18, 1975F3–0 / 0
Jun 3, 1981F2–42 / 0
Jul 13, 1996F2Strasburg0 / 0
May 30, 1976F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 13, 2011HailWatkins$165M
May 22, 1996HailThornton$120M
May 26, 2010HailBarr Lake$70M
Jun 20, 2001HailWatkins$49M
Jun 14, 1999HailAurora$35M
Jun 3, 1981Tornado–$25M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 29, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Adams County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (283 policies)
21.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$593,660paid on 154 flood claims since 1978
2022costliest year, with $98,922 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Adams County

$484,200median home value (Colorado $539,400, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Colorado 1988, US 1980)
37%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.4%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 195,793 housing units.

Compare in Colorado

All 64 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
El Paso CountyModerateInland flooding
Denver CountyHighInland flooding
Arapahoe CountyModerateHail
Jefferson CountyHighInland flooding
Adams CountyModerateHail
Larimer CountyModerateInland flooding
Douglas CountyModerateInland flooding
Boulder CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Denver CountyHigh9
Arapahoe CountyModerate10
Jefferson CountyHigh13
Weld CountyModerate14
Broomfield CountyVery Low4
Morgan CountyLow10
Washington CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Adams County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Adams County?

Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Adams County, about $44.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $38.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Adams County had?

Adams County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in July 2015.

Is Adams County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 5th highest of 64 in Colorado. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Adams County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Adams County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Adams County had?

NOAA records list 192 tornadoes in Adams County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 12, 1982. The weather service has also logged 502 hail reports and 26 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.