Piute County, Utah
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Piute County, Utah has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 99% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 29 counties in Utah. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and winter weather. FEMA estimates about $1.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $885 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (3 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2026 (cottonwood fire, flooding and mudslides). Only 15 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 Piute County
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Keep a winter kit in the car.
- Have food, water and medicine for several days at home.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 3.4 | $576K | ||
| Earthquake | 49.2 | $274K | ||
| Winter weather | 60.2 | $95K | ||
| Landslide | 93.0 | $88K | ||
| Lightning | 23.9 | $87K | ||
| Wildfire | 58.7 | $80K | ||
| Drought | 33.2 | $36K | ||
| Heat wave | 9.1 | $16K | ||
| Strong wind | 1.9 | $8K | ||
| Tornado | 1.3 | $1K | ||
| Ice storm | 2.1 | $865 | ||
| Avalanche | 48.1 | $484 | ||
| Hail | 0.8 | $69 | ||
| Volcanic activity | 24.8 | $1 |
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 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 Piute County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Utah also had 7 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1984
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 28 storm reports in Piute County since 1984, with 1 death and 0 injuries and about $302,600 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F0 tornado on August 19, 1984.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 1984 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 22, 2026 | Flash Flood | Junction Arpt | $100K |
| Jul 17, 2018 | Flash Flood | Thompsonville | $75K |
| Aug 22, 1997 | Flash Flood | Kingston | $50K |
| Jul 13, 2001 | Flash Flood | Marysvale | $40K |
| Aug 9, 1997 | Flash Flood | Marysvale | $25K |
| Jul 17, 2026 | Flash Flood | Alunite | $3K |
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 Piute County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Piute County
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; 869 housing units.
Compare in Utah
All 29 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | Earthquake | |
| Utah County | Earthquake | |
| Davis County | Earthquake | |
| Weber County | Earthquake | |
| Washington County | Wildfire | |
| Cache County | Earthquake | |
| Tooele County | Wildfire | |
| Box Elder County | Earthquake |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Sevier County | 7 | |
| Beaver County | 7 | |
| Garfield County | 5 | |
| Wayne County | 2 |
Common questions about Piute County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Piute County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Piute County, about $576,499 a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $274,227.
How many federal disasters has Piute County had?
Piute County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 3 major disasters. The most recent was Cottonwood Fire, Flooding, and Mudslides in October 2026.
Is Piute County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 28th 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 Piute County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 59 homes in Piute 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 Piute County had?
NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Piute County since 1950. The strongest was an F0 tornado on August 19, 1984. The weather service has also logged 2 hail reports and 20 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.