Highlands Ranch, CO Tornado History — 172 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Highlands Ranch, CO had?
Highlands Ranch has had 172 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Highlands Ranch?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Highlands Ranch was an EF1 on July 14, 2025.
When is tornado season in Highlands Ranch?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Highlands Ranch, with 70 on record. April through June account for 106 of the 172 tornadoes on record near Highlands Ranch.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Highlands Ranch
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 33 total, averaging 1.6 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Highlands Ranch 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
[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 Highlands Ranch. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Highlands Ranch
4 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Highlands Ranch and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 24, 2025 and the most recent on July 14, 2025. They are already counted in the Highlands Ranch totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.
Lasted about 90 seconds. Damage to a commercial building. (BOU)
[Landspout] Photos of a brief landspout from 309 to 313 PM MDT. There was some visible evidence of a funnel at the cloud base despite the absence of a well defined upd (BOU)
Tornado on ground from 1:28PM to 1:34PM (time estimated). (BOU)
(BOU)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
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 Highlands Ranch been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Highlands Ranch from any of the 172 tornadoes since 1950, though 65 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Highlands Ranch
What the record shows near Highlands Ranch
The 1980s were the busiest decade near Highlands Ranch, with 54 of the 172 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 8 so far. The Highlands Ranch record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Highlands Ranch, 156 reached EF0 or EF1 and 12 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Highlands Ranch is rated EF3, of which 2 are logged. A further 4 near Highlands Ranch are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Highlands Ranch has averaged 1.6 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 33 in total. 2008 was the busiest of them with 5, and 9 of those years passed with none at all.