2 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Moffat County, Colorado. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flooding in Moffat County, Colorado, is characterized primarily by a mix of river floods driven by seasonal snowmelt and flash flooding from summer thunderstorms. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 10 flood events—resulting in one death—and 7 flash flood events.
Recent events illustrate these distinct seasonal hazards. In April 2023, above-normal temperatures accelerated a near-record snowpack, creating high and fast river flows that compromised county roads and bridges in Moffat County and several surrounding areas. Later that year, in August 2023, abundant subtropical moisture and slow-moving thunderstorms produced heavy rain, leading to localized flooding in portions of the county.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties situated near rivers, drainages, and low-lying roads that are vulnerable to accelerated snowmelt and heavy seasonal rainfall.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
8 NOAA storm reports from Moffat County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Colorado flood stories →
6 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Wildfires | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Severe Storms, Mudslides, Landslides & Flooding | Jul 27, 1984 |
| Drought | Jan 29, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
17 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 10 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2024 | — |
| Flood | May 18, 2023 | $1,000 |
| Flood | May 16, 2023 | — |
| Flood | Aug 16, 2023 | $10,000 |
| Flood | Apr 13, 2023 | $4,000 |
| Flood | Jul 6, 2019 | — · 1 killed |
| Flash Flood | Jul 29, 2014 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 17, 2013 | $20,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 16, 2024. High pressure began to retrograde to the west towards Arizona with drier air moving in from the north, keeping the subtropical moisture in place for areas south of Interstate 70. Enough moisture remained in addition to a shortwave moving through the flow to allow for a few strong storms still capable of moderate to heavy rainfall rates, that produced some localized flash flooding and mudslides in areas of steep te…
Flood · May 18, 2023. Accelerated snowmelt from a near-record snowpack due to above normal temperatures produced high and fast flow on drainages in several counties across the Western Slope. As a result, flooding compromised various low-lying roads and areas. This included some lanes along I-70 west of Fruita, Colorado.
Flood · May 16, 2023. Accelerated snowmelt from a near-record snowpack due to above normal temperatures produced high and fast flow on drainages in several counties across the Western Slope. As a result, flooding compromised various low-lying roads and areas. This included some lanes along I-70 west of Fruita, Colorado.
Flood · Aug 16, 2023. Abundant subtropical moisture paired with weak steering flow resulted in slow moving showers and thunderstorms across the higher terrain of western Colorado. Some of the stronger storms produced heavy rain which led to debris flows in portions of Garfield County, including on the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar in Glenwood Canyon. Flooding also occurred in portions of Moffat County due to heavy rain from storms.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Moffat County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.