Natural hazards · Arvada

Arvada, CO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Arvada comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 30 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Arvada?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Arvada to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding40%Hail29%Tornadoes11%Lightning6%Wildfire6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Arvada faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

29% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Lightning

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Wildfire

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamis

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Arvada flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Arvada, from FEMA’s records.

30paid claims since 1978

$87Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late summer storms: 4 claims, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Arvada is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Arvada

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Arvada itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Arvada.

Brought FEMA money into ArvadaDeclared for Jefferson County only

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

102 households applied for aid $109K aid approved $633K to the City of Arvada for repairs

2006

Snow

$131K to the City of Arvada for repairs

2003

Snow

$81K to the City of Arvada for repairs

Jefferson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often fires and floods.

Around Arvada

Arvada and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wheat Ridgemostly inland floodingVery high

Fairmountmostly inland floodingHigh

Arvadamostly inland floodingModerate

Berkleymostly inland floodingModerate

Westminstermostly hailLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Arvada covers 29 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Arvada’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Arvada. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Arvada total about $37.6M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.