Key facts: Salt Lake City
- In 1983, heavy snowmelt turned State Street in Salt Lake City into a sandbagged river, a reminder of what spring runoff can do.[1]
- Canyon creeks rise with warm spells after a big snow year.
- Basements near the benches can take water through foundation joints.
Spring runoff
Canyon creeks rise with warm spells after a big snow year. Basements near the benches can take water through foundation joints.
Old brick and new basements
Many homes have basements, finished later, and older brick walls hold water. Check low on the walls each spring.
Flood claims recorded in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake City sits in Salt Lake County. FEMA publishes every National Flood Insurance Program claim with personal details removed, which gives a plain record of where water has reached insured buildings here.
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Flood insurance claims on record | 406 |
| Year with the most claims | 1982 (112) |
| Largest named event | Flooding (24) |
| Claims outside high-risk A and V zones | 69% |
| Claims on buildings built before 1975 | 47% |
County-wide counts of insured claims only. Uninsured losses, burst pipes and appliance leaks are not in this data.
What the Salt Lake City claim record shows
For Salt Lake City homes, the local precedents are the events behind the most Salt Lake County claims: Flooding (24 claims) and Tropical Storm Hilary (1 claims).
About 69% of claims with a recorded zone came from outside the high-risk A and V zones, so a moderate-risk label does not mean a Salt Lake City home stays dry.
A newer Salt Lake City home is not exempt: 53% of claims with a known build date involved homes built in 1975 or later.
Federal disaster history for Salt Lake County
FEMA lists 12 federal declarations covering Salt Lake County. The most common types are fire (3), flood (3) and biological (2). The latest are Parleys Canyon Fire in 2021, Straight-Line Winds in 2021 and Earthquake and Aftershocks in 2020. If your loss falls inside an open declaration, Salt Lake City homeowners can check DisasterAssistance.gov as well as their insurance policy.
Salt Lake City weather and your home
Weather records for Salt Lake City from 2015 through 2024 average 21 inches of precipitation a year, and March and April are the wettest months. The area averages 0.6 days a year with an inch or more.
Salt Lake City falls to 20°F or below on about 36 nights a year, which puts pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and garages at risk.
When rain falls in Salt Lake City
Seasonal averages for Salt Lake City, 2015 through 2024. Plan roof, gutter and sump pump checks before the wettest stretch.
| Season | Average | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 7.8 in | 37% |
| April to June | 5.3 in | 25% |
| July to September | 2.3 in | 11% |
| October to December | 5.9 in | 28% |
Modeled from Open-Meteo historical weather data. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow.
Salt Lake City home checklist from these records
- Don't rely on recent quiet years. Only 15% of Salt Lake County claims date from 2015 or later, so older floods still show what can happen.
- Insulate exposed pipes before 36-plus hard-freeze nights arrive, and know your main shutoff.
- Check roof flashing and drains before March, the wettest month in Salt Lake City.
- Keep dated photos of each room. After Flooding, 24 insured Salt Lake County owners filed claims at about the same time.
What to tell the Salt Lake City contractor
- Whether snow is melting fast
- Your basement's finish
- Whether a canyon creek is near
Services Salt Lake City callers ask about
Questions
Salt Lake City water damage questions
Do you cover Sandy and Provo?
Yes, both are in our coverage data.
When is flood risk highest?
Often during spring melt after a heavy snow year.