Summit County, UT Environment & Hazard Risk

• AvalancheVery High$10.3M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.5 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Moderate$10.7M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 224 years
• LandslideRelatively Moderate$141K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.4 events a year
• LightningRelatively High$2.4M/yr expected annual loss, about 43 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively High$587K/yr expected annual loss, about 51 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$1.4M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• EarthquakeVery Low$670K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 142 years
• Volcanic activityVery Low$10/yr expected annual loss, about once every 10,000 years
• DroughtVery Low$30.7K/yr expected annual loss, about 75 events a year
• Heat waveVery Low$57.4K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 19 years
• Ice stormVery Low$14.8K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 67 years
• TornadoVery Low$209K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 9 years
• HailVery Low$55.3K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years
• Cold waveVery Low$102K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 15 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: coastal flooding, hurricane, riverine flooding, tsunami.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

183 of 23,307 (0.8%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

672

Insured in high-risk zones

60 (9%)

Flood claims since 1978

46

Claims paid since 1978

$153K

• Heavy Snow102
• Thunderstorm Wind26 · 2 deaths
• Avalanche25 · 13 deaths
• Winter Storm25
• High Wind19
• Hail10
• Flood5
• Lightning4 · 4 deaths
• Flash Flood3
• Heavy Rain2

• Lightning07/19/2003

  Central Portion, Summit County

  2 deaths, 3 injured

  What happened

  A mother and father were killed and their 3 children injured after being hit by lightning near Crystal Lake in the Uinta Mountains. The family had taken shelter from the thunderstorm under a tree when the lightning struck the tree.

• Avalanche05/09/2024

  Wasatch Mountains South of I-80

  2 deaths, 1 injured

  What happened

  A group of three backcountry skiers set out early in the morning to ski in the Big Willow Aprons area near Lone Peak. After skiing for several hours without issue, an unintentionally triggered soft slab avalanche occurred on the north aspect of the slope (approximately 40 degree angle) around 10,600 feet elevation. The avalanche was approximately 18 inches deep, 150 feet wide, and had a vertical run of 800 feet. All three skiers were caught by the avalanche. One skier was partially buried and was able to self-extricate. After self-extricating, the skier attempted to find the transceiver signal of the buried skiers. Approximately 13 minutes after the avalanche, the skier successfully probed one of the buried skiers and uncovered them, but they were ultimately unresponsive when rescue breaths were attempted. In the subsequent minutes, the second buried skier was probed and uncovered, but also found to be unresponsive to any resuscitation attempts. Around 1-1.5 hours after the avalanche, a helicopter ambulance was able to hoist the injured skier out, and this skier was subsequently taken to the hospital and released later in the day. Due to unfavorable weather, search and rescue...

• Lightning08/14/2003

  Central Portion, Summit County

  1 death, 2 injured

  What happened

  A 20-year-old woman was killed and her grandparents injured when they were struck by lightning while hiking to the Deadhorse lake area in the high Uintas.

• Avalanche02/21/2026

  Wasatch Mountains South of I-80

  1 death, 2 injured

  What happened

  Two skiers left the Butler Fork trailhead in Big Cottonwood Canyon Saturday morning 2/21 with the plan to do a run known as The Triangle. This is in Butler Basin, a Big Cottonwood Canyon drainage east of Gobblers Knob. The skiers ascended a steep north-facing slope next to the desired run, when near the top an avalanche broke. Both skiers were caught and carried around 100 feet down the slope, becoming fully buried at the bottom. Other groups of skiers in the basin witnessed the avalanche occur, and notified 911, Alta Central, and began rescue efforts. Around 10 minutes after the avalanche, one of the bystanders made their way to the debris, conducted a beacon search, and eventually found a splitboard binding still attached. Additional bystanders arrived and helped uncover the first victim, cleared their airway, allowing them to breathe and gain consciousness. The victim had suffered a leg injury, but was moved to a safer location. Around this time others began transceiver searching for the other victim, eventually exposing the boot. The skier was buried around 150 cm and face down. The second victim was unburied and CPR efforts were initiated. An EMT was longlined to assist...

• Lightning10/14/2007

  Pineview, Summit County

  1 death, 2 injured

  What happened

  A 60-year-old male was struck and killed by lightning while camping near Poison Mountain in the Uinta Mountain range. The man, along with his son and brother, sought shelter in a tent. All three people were injured, but only the one died.

• Avalanche02/08/2025

  Wasatch Mountains South of I-80

  1 death, 1 injured

  What happened

  A skier and a guide were caught in an avalanche in the East Bowl of upper Silver Fork. The skier triggered the avalanche above the guide who was skiing below. Both were carried by the avalanche. The skier was badly injured, with a broken leg, but survived. The guide had traumatic injuries and died.

• Park City Water SystemServes 8,875 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Mountain Regional Water SsdServes 8,245 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+21 monitoring or reporting
• Summit Water Distribution CompanyServes 6,000 · Purchased surface water · PrivateNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Gorgoza Mutual Water CoServes 4,326 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Kamas City Water SystemServes 2,200 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• Oakley Town Water SystemServes 1,800 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
• Francis Town Water SystemServes 1,700 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Coalville City Water SystemServes 1,590 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations