Golden, CO Tornado History — 85 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Golden, CO had?
Golden has had 85 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 1 violent (EF3+) tornado.
When was the most recent tornado near Golden?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Golden was an EF1 on June 22, 2023.
When is tornado season in Golden?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Golden, with 44 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 Golden
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 16 total, averaging 0.8 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 Golden been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Golden from any of the 85 tornadoes since 1950, though 57 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Golden
About Tornadoes in Golden
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.
Golden, Colorado, situated along the Front Range where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, has experienced 85 documented tornadoes within a 25-mile radius since 1950, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. This relatively active tornado history reflects the region's position in an area where warm, moist air from the plains can collide with cooler mountain air, creating conditions favorable for severe thunderstorm development. The vast majority of these tornadoes have been weak, with 44 rated EF0 and 30 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage to structures and vegetation.
Tornado activity in the Golden area has varied considerably by decade. The 1980s saw the highest concentration with 31 recorded tornadoes, followed by 19 in the 1990s. More recent decades have seen fewer events, with only 5 tornadoes in the 2000s, 9 in the 2010s, and 2 so far in the 2020s. June stands out as the peak month for tornado activity, accounting for 44 of the 85 total events. This seasonal pattern aligns with the typical late spring and early summer severe weather season across the central United States, when atmospheric conditions most favor supercell thunderstorm development.
The most significant tornado on record occurred on June 15, 1988, when an F3-rated tornado caused $27.5 million in property damage along a 2.5-mile path with a maximum width of 200 yards. Remarkably, despite this tornado's intensity and another F2 tornado the same day that reached 400 yards in width, no fatalities have been recorded from any tornado in the Golden area since 1950. The most recent tornado, an EF1 that touched down on June 22, 2023, traveled 6.3 miles—the longest path length on record for the area—but caused no reported damage or injuries.
Of the 85 tornadoes documented, only one reached F3/EF3 intensity, while 9 reached F2/EF2 strength. One tornado remains unrated in the historical records. The absence of fatalities across more than seven decades of tornado activity, even during stronger events, distinguishes Golden's tornado history from many other regions where tornadoes occur with similar frequency.