Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Laramie County, WY

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
56021
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2028-04-13. Plan: Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836), approved 2023-04-14.

Since the plan was approved on 2023-04-14: 1 new hazard declaration (1 incident): FM-5490-WY (Happy Jack Fire).

NOAA Storm Events records since that date: 387 records (data through 2026-06-30).

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($13,273,886 a year), Cold Wave ($10,927,650) and Tornado ($7,331,424).

Repetitive-loss flood properties now: FMA RL 0, SRL 0 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 7.

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2028-04-13
Plan:
Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)
Approved:
2023-04-14
Days to expiry:
561

What changed since your last plan (approved 2023-04-14)

New federal declarations:
1 new hazard declaration (1 incident): FM-5490-WY (Happy Jack Fire)
Storm Events records since approval:
387 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 0 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 7
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Laramie CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-04-13Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)2023-04-142028-04-13561this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-05
Albin townTownApproved, expires 2028-04-13Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)2023-04-142028-04-13561
Burns townTownApproved, expires 2028-04-13Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)2023-04-142028-04-13561
Cheyenne cityCityApproved, expires 2028-04-13Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)2023-04-142028-04-13561this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-05
Pine Bluffs townTownApproved, expires 2028-04-13Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)2023-04-142028-04-13561
Eastern Laramie County Sanitation DistrictWater/Sewer AuthorityApproved, expires 2028-04-13Region Seven, WY Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 (FEMA plan 108836)2023-04-142028-04-13561

Plan 108836 covers 15 other participants, named in the Excel file.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$12,491,023$591,104$191,759$13,273,88692
2Cold WaveRelatively HighRelatively High$28,894$459,967$10,438,789$10,927,65025
3TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,844,004$15,978$5,471,442$7,331,42453
4HailRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,929,877$96,261$410,572$2,436,710905
5WildfireRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,954,885$648$129,407$2,084,9393
6LightningRelatively HighRelatively High$13,656n/a$1,271,959$1,285,6151
7Ice StormRelatively HighRelatively High$4,530n/a$1,223,214$1,227,7440No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
8Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$23,931$1,033$1,123,898$1,148,8621,004Includes 823 High Wind records (a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
9Winter WeatherVery HighVery High$45,048$46$1,096,872$1,141,966232
10EarthquakeRelatively LowRelatively Low$669,871n/a$232,664$902,536Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
11Heat WaveVery LowVery Low$15$1,349$64,759$66,1232
12DroughtVery LowVery Lown/a$21,189n/a$21,1890No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
13LandslideVery LowVery Low$708n/a$207$9140No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14AvalancheVery LowVery Low$0n/aunder $1under $10No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide records (Storm Events records this hazard only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: coastal flooding, hurricane, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Avalanchetract 19.02 (Very Low, 0.5)
Earthquaketract 7.02 (Relatively Low, 71.3); tract 7.01 (Relatively Low, 66.8); tract 6.02 (Relatively Low, 63.3)
Landslidetract 19.02 (Relatively Low, 92.2); tract 20.01 (Very Low, 69.9); tract 19.01 (Very Low, 68.6)
Tornadotract 4.01 (Very High, 94.3); tract 15.02 (Very High, 93.7); tract 20.02 (Relatively High, 91.0)
Wildfiretract 19.02 (Relatively High, 98.8); tract 19.01 (Relatively High, 97.7); tract 20.01 (Relatively High, 97.2)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 19.02 is Census Tract 19.02). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Avalanchenone (count and damage only)0Physical measure: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill25 records, 2009 to 2026 (25 zone-level)1 day to 5 days (median 2 days); 20 with a recorded value5 consecutive days, 2024-01-12 to 2024-01-16, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Wind chill: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage0Temperature: in event narratives only (local data needed).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)0Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)1,113 records, 1955 to 20260.5 in to 5 in (median 1 in); 1,113 with a recorded value5 in hail, 1968-06-08Hail, 2002-08-26, $30,000,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cheyenne city (336 records), Albin town (63 records), Pine Bluffs town (54 records), Burns town (48 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)2 records, 2022 (2 zone-level)1 day; 2 with a recorded value1 consecutive day, 2022-09-07, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Heat index: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)0Ice thickness: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)92 records, 1996 to 2025Flash Flood, 2023-07-20, $60,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cheyenne city (35 records), Burns town (7 records), Pine Bluffs town (7 records), Albin town (3 records).Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0Physical measure: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)1 record, 1996No damage or casualties reported in 1 record.Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cheyenne city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties; physical measure in event narratives only (local data needed).
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)823 records, 2009 to 2026 (823 zone-level)35 kt (40 mph) to 95 kt (109 mph) (median 56 kt (64 mph)); 823 with a recorded value95 kt (109 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2026-03-12, 3 direct injuries (reported for the zone); NWS zone WYZ118High Wind, 2025-12-19, $500,000 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (2025 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)242 records, 1955 to 202649 kt (56 mph) to 87 kt (100 mph) (median 52 kt (60 mph)); 228 with a recorded value87 kt (100 mph), measurement type not recorded, Thunderstorm Wind, 1994-06-12Thunderstorm Wind, 2026-06-25, $1,000,000 property; crops not reported (2026 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cheyenne city (49 records), Burns town (11 records), Albin town (8 records), Pine Bluffs town (6 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)128 records, 1953 to 2026F/EF0 to F/EF3 (median F/EF0); 114 with a recorded valueF3 tornado, 1979-07-16, 8.8 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 80 yd wide, $25,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1979 dollars), 1 direct death, 40 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cheyenne city (11 records), Pine Bluffs town (10 records), Burns town (4 records), Albin town (2 records).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)3 records, 2018 to 2024 (3 zone-level)Wildfire, 2024-03-01, $250,000 property; crops not reported (2024 dollars); NWS zone WYZ117Countywide (zone-level records).Acres burned: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)232 records, 2009 to 2026 (232 zone-level)No damage reported in 232 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Snow depth: in event narratives only (local data needed).

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records whose zone no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 5 declarations covering 3 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2024-03-012024-03-01FM-5490-WYFire managementHappy Jack FireWildfireno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2020-04-112020-01-20DR-4535-WYMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$2,283,198.50
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3479-WYEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4535
1985-08-071985-08-07DR-740-WYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Hail & FloodingInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Hailno Public Assistance recorded
1979-07-191979-07-19DR-591-WYMajor disasterSevere Storms & TornadoesTornadono Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1963-07-041963-07-04DR-155-WYMajor disasterHeavy Rains & FloodingInland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 2 rows, $69,264.34

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-4007-WY2011-07-22Severe Storms, Flooding, and LandslidesWyoming Department of Transportation$47,215.94
DR-1923-WY2010-07-14FloodingWyoming Department of Transportation$22,048.40

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Avalanche0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Cold Wave25539001996 to 2026-06-30
Drought0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail1,1131054109101955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave2022001996 to 2026-06-30
Ice Storm0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Inland Flooding9214014101996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning1000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind1,06521574355001955 to 2026-06-30Includes 823 High Wind records.
Tornado128808101950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire3101111996 to 2026-06-30
Winter Weather232392382001996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2026-03-12High Wind95 kt (109 mph) measured gust$100,000 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (2026 dollars)0, 3NWS zone WYZ118 (CENTRAL LARAMIE COUNTY), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2025-12-19High Wind63 kt (72 mph) measured gust$500,000 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (2025 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WYZ117 (SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE FOOTHILLS), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c most damaging: High Wind and Strong Wind
2024-03-01Wildfire$250,000 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (2024 dollars)0, 0NWS zone WYZ117 (SOUTH LARAMIE RANGE FOOTHILLS), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Wildfire
2024-01-12Extreme Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone WYZ106 (CENTRAL LARAMIE RANGE AND SOUTHWEST PLATTE COUNTY), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2023-07-20Flash Flood$60,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)0, 0FEDERALnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2022-09-07Heatdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone WYZ118 (CENTRAL LARAMIE COUNTY), zone-levelin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
2011-12-31High Wind66 kt (76 mph) measured gust$0 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2011 dollars)0, 7NWS zone WYZ118 (CENTRAL LARAMIE COUNTY), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2011-02-11High Wind71 kt (82 mph) measured gust$0 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2011 dollars)1, 0NWS zone WYZ106 (CENTRAL LARAMIE RANGE AND SOUTHWEST PLATTE COUNTY), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2002-08-26Hail2.75 in$30,000,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)0, 0CHEYENNEB1-c most damaging: Hail
1994-06-12Thunderstorm Wind87 kt (100 mph), measurement type not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0NE CheyenneB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
1979-07-16TornadoF3, 8.8 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 80 yd wide$25,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1979 dollars)1, 40location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1968-06-08Hail5 indamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Hail

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (2,661 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Avalanche0.01events per yearabout 1 in 100 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)01994 to 2023 (30 years)see B1-f0.01 is NRI's minimum avalanche frequency for a county in an avalanche susceptibility zone; NRI records no avalanche here, so the descriptor reflects the floor, not local events.
Cold Wave3.4event-days per yearabout 3.4 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 13 of 30 years)event-days in 13 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (43.3%)64.62005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought54event-days per yearabout 54 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)1,8972000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywideNo Storm Events drought record, 1996 to 2025
Earthquake0.000529annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.0529%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail4.9events per yearabout 4.9 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)186.2 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave0.136event-days per yearabout 0.136 days per yearPossible (from Storm Events: 1 of 30 years)event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)0.6442005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Ice Storm0.0325event-days per yearabout 0.0325 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)31946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywideNo Storm Events ice storm record, 1996 to 2025
Inland Flooding2.04event-days per yearabout 2.04 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 22 of 30 years)event-days in 22 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (73.3%)571996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.746events per year (modeled)about 0.75 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning52.4days per year with a strikeabout 52.4 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind0.995events per yearabout 1 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)381986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado1.61events per yearabout 1.61 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.00137annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.137%Possible (from Storm Events: 2 of 30 years)Storm Events records in 2 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (6.67%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fDescriptor from Storm Events, not NRI.
Winter Weather20.9event-days per yearabout 20.9 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 17 of 30 years)event-days in 17 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (56.7%)3982005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 20256613022
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 202561302.03
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025158305.27
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 202513300.433
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20251300.0333
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202542301.4
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20253300.1
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20256300.2

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Avalanche1 of 270.50.50.5Very Low 1, Not Applicable 26
Cold Wave27 of 2716.993.898.0Very High 8, Relatively High 17, Relatively Moderate 1, Very Low 1
Drought8 of 2767.069.788.3Relatively Low 3, Very Low 5, No Rating 19
Earthquake27 of 2719.449.971.3Relatively Low 19, Very Low 8
Hail27 of 2747.689.896.0Relatively High 15, Relatively Moderate 11, Relatively Low 1
Heat Wave27 of 271.63.65.5Very Low 27
Ice Storm27 of 272.193.496.3Relatively High 18, Relatively Moderate 8, Very Low 1
Inland Flooding27 of 270.432.180.8Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 7, Relatively Low 13, Very Low 6
Landslide26 of 279.314.592.2Relatively Low 1, Very Low 25, No Rating 1
Lightning27 of 270.692.197.9Very High 3, Relatively High 19, Relatively Moderate 4, Very Low 1
Strong Wind27 of 272.777.388.3Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 22, Relatively Low 2, Very Low 1
Tornado27 of 2716.084.394.3Very High 2, Relatively High 16, Relatively Moderate 8, Very Low 1
Wildfire25 of 2718.880.598.8Relatively High 3, Relatively Moderate 6, Relatively Low 6, Very Low 10, No Rating 2
Winter Weather27 of 2719.697.999.4Very High 18, Relatively High 8, Relatively Low 1

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Laramie CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 2$5,561.300 total; 0 since its planIncludes $5,561.30 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4535-WY).
Albin townTownApproved, expires 2028-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded76 total; 12 since its plan
Burns townTownApproved, expires 2028-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded70 total; 6 since its plan
Cheyenne cityCityApproved, expires 2028-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 5no Public Assistance recorded432 total; 31 since its plan
Pine Bluffs townTownApproved, expires 2028-04-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded77 total; 9 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

School districts and special districts get a plan clock row only.

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2023-04-14county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Avalanche$0n/aunder 1$0n/aunder $1building exposure is 0 in NRI
Cold Wave$20,502,100,484$237,665,302100,483$28,894$459,967$10,438,7890.000141%$0
Droughtn/a$21,847,313n/an/a$21,189n/a0.097% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$35,416,468,421n/a100,512$669,871n/a$232,6640.00189%
Hail$20,502,100,484$237,665,302100,483$1,929,877$96,261$410,5720.00941%$1,400,000
Heat Wave$19,158,231,432$226,959,42395,791$15$1,349$64,759under 0.0001%
Ice Storm$20,460,595,084n/a100,040$4,530n/a$1,223,214under 0.0001%
Inland Flooding$20,500,639,106$11,887,6871,415$12,491,023$591,104$191,759n/a (see note)$60,000NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$100,117,330n/a427$708n/a$2070.000707%
Lightning$20,502,100,484n/a100,483$13,656n/a$1,271,959under 0.0001%
Strong Wind$20,502,100,484$237,665,302100,483$23,931$1,033$1,123,8980.000117%$1,025,000$650,000Storm Events damage since the plan includes 5 zone-level High Wind records ($650,000): a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$20,502,100,484$237,665,302100,483$1,844,004$15,978$5,471,4420.00899%$0
Wildfire$3,352,586,051$141,322,04426,541$1,954,885$648$129,4070.0583%$250,000no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)
Winter Weather$20,502,100,484$237,665,302100,483$45,048$46$1,096,8720.00022%$0

Totals since 2023-04-14 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 179 county-coded records, 37 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $2,485,000; 208 zone-level records, 34 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $900,000 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: none recorded on the 1 counted declaration.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population100,483
Building value (total, not at risk)$20,502,100,484
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$237,665,302
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$20,194,015
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$21,655,543
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively Low
Community resilience ratingRelatively Moderate
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition7Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition0

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total0070701
of which: Laramie County (unincorporated area)0020200
of which: Cheyenne city0050501
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0010100

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Laramie County5600290020200
Albin town5600900000000
Burns town5600830000000
Cheyenne city5600300050501
Pine Bluffs town5600310000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential0030300
2 to 4 unit residential0020201
other residential0000000
non-residential0020200
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 7 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment, organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B. Each section heading names the item its tables support; the plan and FEMA's review decide whether the item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Laramie County, WY: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 56021). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/wy/56021/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]

Hazard Plain release 2026-10. As of 2026-09-30; Storm Events data through 2026-06-30. Automated baseline.