Home › Colorado › Morgan County

Morgan County, Colorado

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

Relatively Low overall risk
19th of 64highest risk in Colorado
$20Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Morgan County, Colorado has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 19th of 64 counties in Colorado. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and hail. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $696 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 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 (78 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $433,000 on 42 claims here.

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

Top risks in Morgan County

$9.4 million 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3.2 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.

Hail

Moderate
$2.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 7 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow55.8
$9M
Cold waveModerate74.8
$3M
HailModerate93.8
$3M
TornadoModerate66.5
$3M
Strong windModerate74.9
$1M
EarthquakeVery Low40.0
$184K
WildfireLow65.2
$145K
LightningLow28.3
$122K
Winter weatherModerate62.0
$116K
Ice stormLow46.8
$88K
Heat waveVery Low18.9
$66K
DroughtVery Low25.0
$14K
LandslideVery Low9.5
$30

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood6
Tornado1
Severe Storm1
Snowstorm1
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
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 9, 2003SnowEmergency
May 17, 2001Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Aug 1, 1997Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, MudslidesMajor 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 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 838 storm reports in Morgan County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 13 injuries and about $42.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 24, 1984.

95tornadoes
509hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
182damaging thunderstorm winds
39floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 24, 1984F2–0 / 0
Sep 18, 1986F2–0 / 0
Jun 14, 1990F2–0 / 0
May 30, 1996F2Ft Morgan0 / 0
Jul 8, 1955F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 15, 2013FloodOrchard$31M
May 22, 1998HailBrush$3M
Jul 29, 1997Flash FloodWeldona$2M
Jul 30, 1996HailFt Morgan$1M
Jun 15, 2015FloodBalzac$650K
May 9, 2015FloodGoodrich$600K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 22, 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 Morgan County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (78 policies)
6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$432,575paid on 42 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $328,086 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 Morgan County

$338,600median home value (Colorado $539,400, US $332,700)
1975median year homes were built (Colorado 1988, US 1980)
60%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.3%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; 11,804 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
Adams CountyModerate10
Weld CountyModerate14
Logan CountyLow10
Washington CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Morgan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Morgan County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Morgan County, about $9.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $3.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Morgan County had?

Morgan County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in July 2015.

Is Morgan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 19th 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 Morgan County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Morgan 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 Morgan County had?

NOAA records list 95 tornadoes in Morgan County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 24, 1984. The weather service has also logged 509 hail reports and 39 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.