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Colorado Tornado History — 2,473 Tornadoes Since 1950

42 cities covered · 1950–present · NOAA Storm Prediction Center
Confirmed records complete through December 29, 2025

How many tornadoes does Colorado get per year?

Colorado has had 2,473 tornadoes on record since 1950, including 25 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes — averaging about 32.5 per year since 1950 (about 40.2 per year over the last decade). Counts come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center archive for Colorado. The 42 cities below report tornadoes within their own search radius, so those figures overlap each other and do not sum to the state total.

When was the most recent tornado in Colorado?

The most recent confirmed tornado in our Colorado dataset was an unrated tornado on September 16, 2025. Confirmed records are complete through December 29, 2025; more recent preliminary reports are listed below.

When is tornado season in Colorado?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes in Colorado, with 892 on record since 1950. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most US states.

Colorado at a Glance

Cities Covered
42
Tornado-prone metros
Tornadoes on Record
2,473
Sum across city radii
EF3+ Tornadoes
25
1.0% of all tornadoes
Peak Month
June
892 aggregate

Notable Tornadoes in Colorado

Deadliest Tornado in Colorado
F3 on June 28, 1960 — 2 fatalities.
Most Recent Tornado
Unrated on September 16, 2025.

21 preliminary tornado reports in Colorado since December 29, 2025

These are 21 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary July 8, 2026
6 SSW New Raymer, Morgan County
Preliminary July 4, 2026
6 NNE Otis, Washington County
Preliminary July 1, 2026
5 E Sterling, Logan County
Preliminary June 27, 2026
4 ENE Firstview, Cheyenne County
Preliminary June 27, 2026
7 N Fort Lyon, Bent County
Preliminary June 27, 2026
7 S Aroya, Cheyenne County
Preliminary June 25, 2026
6 WSW Log Lane Village, Morgan County
Preliminary June 25, 2026
2 SSE Keota, Weld County
Preliminary June 25, 2026
2 W Dailey, Logan County
Preliminary June 22, 2026
7 SSW Fowler, Pueblo County

Showing the 10 most recent of 21 preliminary reports.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Recent tornado warnings in Colorado

County-by-county tornado warning pages for Colorado →

Cities

Arvada, CO
167 tornadoes since 1950
Aurora, CO
298 tornadoes since 1950
Boulder, CO
72 tornadoes since 1950
Brighton, CO
268 tornadoes since 1950
Broomfield, CO
168 tornadoes since 1950
Canon City, CO
18 tornadoes since 1950
Castle Rock, CO
158 tornadoes since 1950
Centennial, CO
227 tornadoes since 1950
Clifton, CO
8 tornadoes since 1950
Colorado Springs, CO
72 tornadoes since 1950
Columbine, CO
142 tornadoes since 1950
Commerce City, CO
251 tornadoes since 1950
Dakota Ridge, CO
124 tornadoes since 1950
Denver, CO
223 tornadoes since 1950
Durango, CO
5 tornadoes since 1950
Englewood, CO
205 tornadoes since 1950
Erie, CO
174 tornadoes since 1950
Evans, CO
198 tornadoes since 1950
Fort Collins, CO
103 tornadoes since 1950
Fountain, CO
60 tornadoes since 1950
Golden, CO
85 tornadoes since 1950
Grand Junction, CO
8 tornadoes since 1950
Greeley, CO
189 tornadoes since 1950
Greenwood Village, CO
205 tornadoes since 1950
Highlands Ranch, CO
172 tornadoes since 1950
Ken Caryl, CO
128 tornadoes since 1950
Lafayette, CO
169 tornadoes since 1950
Lakewood, CO
156 tornadoes since 1950
Littleton, CO
170 tornadoes since 1950
Longmont, CO
127 tornadoes since 1950
Louisville, CO
154 tornadoes since 1950
Loveland, CO
117 tornadoes since 1950
Northglenn, CO
225 tornadoes since 1950
Parker, CO
239 tornadoes since 1950
Pueblo, CO
22 tornadoes since 1950
Pueblo West, CO
35 tornadoes since 1950
Security-Widefield, CO
63 tornadoes since 1950
Sherrelwood, CO
220 tornadoes since 1950
Thornton, CO
230 tornadoes since 1950
Westminster, CO
203 tornadoes since 1950
Wheat Ridge, CO
171 tornadoes since 1950
Windsor, CO
160 tornadoes since 1950