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Emery County, Utah

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

Very Low overall risk
23rd of 29highest risk in Utah
$4Mexpected losses a year
4federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Emery County, Utah has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 93% of US counties. It ranks 23rd of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, lightning and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $3.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $371 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2011 (flooding). Only 8 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 Emery County

$1.5 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.
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 46 times a year.
  • Go indoors when you hear thunder.
  • Use surge protectors for electronics.
$613,244 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 165 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low12.4
$2M
LightningHigh88.0
$1M
EarthquakeLow66.0
$613K
Heat waveVery Low32.1
$148K
Winter weatherModerate63.5
$100K
WildfireVery Low59.3
$77K
DroughtLow40.5
$67K
Strong windVery Low4.5
$29K
TornadoVery Low5.1
$19K
AvalancheLow75.6
$16K
LandslideLow80.5
$16K
HailVery Low2.5
$4K
Ice stormVery Low6.2
$3K
Volcanic activityVery Low36.2
$4
Cold waveVery Low2.5
$0

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 relatively moderate 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 Emery County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood2
Drought1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Aug 8, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Apr 30, 1983Severe Storms, Landslides & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

Utah also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 116 storm reports in Emery County since 1961, with 4 deaths and 3 injuries and about $1.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 2, 1967.

7tornadoes
19hail reports, largest 2 inches
20damaging thunderstorm winds
56floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 2, 1967F2–0 / 0
Jul 26, 1991F0–0 / 0
Jul 26, 1991F0–0 / 0
Jun 8, 2006F0Green River0 / 0
May 4, 1961n/a–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 1, 2021Flash FloodMohrland$1M
Sep 10, 2013FloodEmery$150K
Aug 1, 2012Flash FloodMohrland$50K
Sep 1, 2012Flash FloodMohrland$50K
Jul 16, 2013Debris FlowMohrland$50K
Aug 1, 2013Flash FloodHuntington Arpt$50K

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 Emery County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (8 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$12,159paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2006costliest year, with $11,853 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 Emery County

$218,700median home value (Utah $489,400, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Utah 1992, US 1980)
56%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
13.8%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; 4,122 housing units.

Compare in Utah

All 29 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Salt Lake CountyHighEarthquake
Utah CountyHighEarthquake
Davis CountyModerateEarthquake
Weber CountyModerateEarthquake
Washington CountyModerateWildfire
Cache CountyLowEarthquake
Tooele CountyLowWildfire
Box Elder CountyLowEarthquake

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Sanpete CountyVery Low8
Sevier CountyVery Low7
Carbon CountyVery Low3
San Juan CountyVery Low4
Grand CountyVery Low2
Wayne CountyVery Low2

Common questions about Emery County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Emery County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Emery County, about $1.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Lightning is second at $1 million.

How many federal disasters has Emery County had?

Emery County has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in August 2011.

Is Emery County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 23rd highest of 29 in Utah. 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 Emery County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Emery 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 Emery County had?

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Emery County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 2, 1967. The weather service has also logged 19 hail reports and 56 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.