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Cheyenne County, Colorado

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

Very Low overall risk
63rd of 64highest risk in Colorado
$3Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Cheyenne County, Colorado has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 97% of US counties. It ranks 63rd of 64 counties in Colorado. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $3.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,694 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms, flooding and tornadoes). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Cheyenne County

Drought

Moderate
$783,870 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 84 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$723,314 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$645,158 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 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
DroughtModerate74.2
$784K
Inland floodingVery Low4.0
$723K
Cold waveLow35.8
$645K
HailLow57.9
$416K
TornadoVery Low15.2
$174K
Strong windVery Low13.6
$131K
Winter weatherLow27.2
$31K
LightningVery Low7.4
$28K
WildfireVery Low30.4
$17K
EarthquakeVery Low8.1
$9K
Ice stormVery Low3.9
$2K
Heat waveVery Low3.0
$1K
LandslideVery Low2.0
$2

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 very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Tornado1
Drought1
Severe Storm1
Fire1
Coastal Storm1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Aug 25, 2023Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 7, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 19, 2002WildfiresMajor disaster
May 17, 2001Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jan 29, 1977DroughtEmergency
Jun 19, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 864 storm reports in Cheyenne County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 7 injuries and about $4.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 16, 1979.

94tornadoes
494hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
245damaging thunderstorm winds
29floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 16, 1979F2–0 / 0
Jul 20, 1958F2–5 / 0
May 10, 1975F2–0 / 0
Jul 15, 2016EF1Salis0 / 0
May 16, 1995F1Kit Carson0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 16, 1979Tornado–$3M
Jun 12, 2009HailWild Horse$750K
Aug 28, 2025Thunderstorm WindWild Horse$175K
Aug 2, 2017Flash FloodWild Horse$150K
Apr 22, 2010HailKit Carson$100K
Jul 26, 2020Thunderstorm WindSalis$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 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 Cheyenne County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Cheyenne County

$187,500median home value (Colorado $539,400, US $332,700)
1968median year homes were built (Colorado 1988, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.8%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; 986 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
Kit Carson CountyVery Low5
Lincoln CountyVery Low8
Wallace County, KSVery Low15
Kiowa CountyVery Low9
Greeley County, KSVery Low8

Common questions about Cheyenne County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cheyenne County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Cheyenne County, about $783,870 a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $723,314.

How many federal disasters has Cheyenne County had?

Cheyenne County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes in August 2023.

Is Cheyenne County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 63rd 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 Cheyenne County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Cheyenne County had?

NOAA records list 94 tornadoes in Cheyenne County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 16, 1979. The weather service has also logged 494 hail reports and 29 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.