Natural hazards · Erie

Erie, CO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Erie comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1986. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Erie?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Erie to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding48%Tornadoes16%Cold waves13%Hail11%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Erie faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtVolcanic activity

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamis

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 Erie flood?

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

3paid claims since 1986

$7Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19862026

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

No community discount. Erie isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Weld County.

Disasters that hit Erie

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ErieDeclared for Weld County only

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

135 households applied for aid $129K aid approved $1.0M to the Town of Erie for repairs

Weld County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Erie

Erie and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Frederickmostly inland floodingLow

Eriemostly inland floodingLow

Daconomostly inland floodingLow

Broomfieldmostly inland floodingVery low

Lafayettemostly inland floodingVery low

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. Erie covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Erie’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Erie. 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 Erie total about $7.7M 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.