Boulder, CO Tornado History — 72 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Boulder, CO had?
Boulder has had 72 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.
When was the most recent tornado near Boulder?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Boulder was an EF2 on June 7, 2021.
When is tornado season in Boulder?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Boulder, with 31 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 Boulder
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 11 total, averaging 0.6 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 Boulder been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Boulder from any of the 72 tornadoes since 1950, though 49 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Boulder
About Tornadoes in Boulder
This overview was written July 29, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Boulder sits where the Front Range foothills drop onto the Colorado plains, and its tornado history reflects that setting, with events clustering in June and July as storms move east across Boulder County and the adjacent plains.
An F2 carved a 2.3-mile path up to 133 yards wide through the area on June 3, 1981, injuring 42 people and causing $27,500,000 in property damage; a second F2 the same day destroyed $2,750,000 in property along a far shorter track, and an F1 touched down as well. F2 tornadoes returned on June 5, 1988, one running two miles along the ground. Nor is the danger confined to early summer: an F2 struck on October 16, 1980, damaging property along a 1.5-mile path.
Strong tornadoes have come in the modern era too. An EF3 on June 5, 2015 stayed on the ground for 6.71 miles and grew to 440 yards wide. An EF2 on June 7, 2021 traced a 7.5-mile path through the area, causing $530,500 in property damage. Lighter tornadoes appear in many other years — an F1 on September 17, 1953, an EF0 on May 18, 2010 — but June along the Front Range remains the season to watch.