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Boulder, CO Tornado History — 72 Tornadoes Since 1950

Colorado · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Boulder, CO had?

Boulder has had 72 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 strong to 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. April through June account for 48 of the 72 tornadoes on record near Boulder.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
72
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
1
1.4% of total
Peak Month
June
31 on record
Per Year Avg
0.9
Across 76 years

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.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 0
2024 0
2023 0
2022 0
2021 1
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 2
2014 0
2013 1
2012 0
2011 0
2010 1
2009 3
2008 1
2007 2

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Boulder since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 August 14, 2026
2 ENE Commerce City, Adams County, CO
[Landspout] Reports including a photo of a landspout approximately a mile to the north of Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Lasted approximately 7 minutes. Location estimated (BOU)

Within 25 miles of Boulder. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 6
1970s 8
1980s 18
1990s 21
2000s 10
2010s 4
2020s 1

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.

EF0 39
EF1 26
EF2 6
EF3 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 0
Apr 4
May 13
Jun 31
Jul 15
Aug 6
Sep 1
Oct 2
Nov 0
Dec 0

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, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Boulder

Costliest Tornado
F2 on June 3, 1981 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF3 on June 4, 2015 — 440 yards wide.
Longest Path
EF2 on June 7, 2021 — 7.5 mile track.
Most Recent
EF2 on June 7, 2021.

What the record shows near Boulder

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Boulder, with 21 of the 72 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 1 so far. The Boulder record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Boulder, 65 reached EF0 or EF1 and 7 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Boulder is rated EF3, of which 1 is logged.

Across the last 20 years Boulder has averaged 0.6 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 11 in total. 2009 was the busiest of them with 3, and 13 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Boulder, CO had?
Since 1950, 72 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Boulder. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Boulder?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Boulder, with 31 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Boulder?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Boulder was an EF2 on June 7, 2021.
How do I get tornado warnings for Boulder?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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