Natural hazards · Sterling

Sterling, CO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sterling comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sterling?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sterling to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding38%Tornadoes19%Strong wind15%Cold waves15%Hail6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Sterling faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Strong wind

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hail

6% 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 wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

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 Sterling flood?

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

26paid claims since 1981

$587Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Late summer storms: 3 claims, $511K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Logan County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Sterling

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SterlingDeclared for Logan County only

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$170K to the City of Sterling for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$2K to the City of Sterling for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

276 households applied for aid $499K aid approved $315K to the City of Sterling for repairs

Logan County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Sterling is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.