Lafayette, CO Tornado History — 169 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Lafayette, CO had?
Lafayette has had 169 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 4 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Lafayette?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lafayette was an Unrated on June 13, 2025.
When is tornado season in Lafayette?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lafayette, 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 Lafayette
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 30 total, averaging 1.5 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
Casualties on Record Near Lafayette
1 fatality has been recorded within 25 miles of Lafayette since 1950, across 1 event. 140 injuries have been reported across all events. 2008 was the deadliest year on record.
The deadliest single event was an EF3 on May 22, 2008, which caused 1 fatality along a 38.7-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Lafayette
About Tornadoes in Lafayette
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.
Lafayette sits in eastern Boulder County, Colorado, where the Front Range foothills flatten into the plains of the Denver–Boulder corridor — ground that severe storms rolling off the mountains cross each late spring and early summer. The area's tornado history follows that calendar closely, with its most serious events concentrated in May and June.
On May 22, 2008, an EF3 tornado tracked 38.69 miles with a path as wide as 1,760 yards, killing one person, injuring 78, and causing $147 million in property damage. Other violent days are scattered through the area's past: an F3 struck on May 18, 1975, cutting a 4.1-mile path some 440 yards wide, and another F3 on June 15, 1988 injured 7 people along a 2.5-mile track. June 3, 1981 brought a swarm of tornadoes near the city, among them an F2 that injured 42 people along a 2.3-mile path.
The pattern has continued in recent years. An EF3 moved through the area on June 5, 2015 along a 6.71-mile path, and on June 7, 2021 an EF2 tracked 7.5 miles, causing $530,500 in property damage. Briefer touchdowns, like the EF1s of June 18, 2013 and June 24, 2015, fill in the years between — a reminder that in this stretch of Boulder County, tornado weather arrives with the first sustained heat of early summer.