Arvada, CO Tornado History — 167 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Arvada, CO had?
Arvada has had 167 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Arvada?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Arvada was an Unrated on June 13, 2025.
When is tornado season in Arvada?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Arvada, with 80 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Arvada
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 29 total, averaging 1.4 per year over this window.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Have any tornadoes near Arvada been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Arvada from any of the 167 tornadoes since 1950, though 69 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Arvada
About Tornadoes in Arvada
This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Since 1950, the area within 25 miles of Arvada, Colorado has experienced 167 tornadoes, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. The majority of these events have been relatively weak, with 87 rated EF0 and 59 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. Only 14 tornadoes reached EF2 or higher intensity, including two EF3 events. Notably, no tornadoes in this area have resulted in recorded fatalities during this period.
Tornado activity in the Arvada vicinity has varied considerably by decade. The 1980s saw the highest count with 52 tornadoes, followed by 40 in the 1990s. Earlier decades recorded fewer events, with just three tornadoes in the 1950s and 17 each in the 1960s and 1970s. More recent decades have shown lower totals, with 16 tornadoes in the 2000s, 14 in the 2010s, and eight so far in the 2020s. June is by far the peak month for tornado occurrence, accounting for 80 of the 167 recorded events, reflecting the typical late spring and early summer pattern when atmospheric conditions most favor severe thunderstorm development.
The costliest tornado on record struck on June 15, 1988, an F3-rated storm that caused $27.5 million in property damage while traveling a 2.5-mile path with a maximum width of 200 yards. The widest tornado occurred on May 18, 1975, also rated F3, which carved a 4.1-mile path up to 440 yards wide but caused no reported property damage. The longest-tracked tornado was an EF1 event on June 22, 2023, which traveled 6.3 miles with a relatively narrow 25-yard width and no reported damage. The most recent tornado occurred on June 13, 2025, an unrated event with a brief 0.1-mile path and 10-yard width that caused no damage or injuries.