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Wheat Ridge, CO Tornado History — 171 Tornadoes Since 1950

Colorado · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Wheat Ridge, CO had?

Wheat Ridge has had 171 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Wheat Ridge?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Wheat Ridge was an Unrated on June 13, 2025.

When is tornado season in Wheat Ridge?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Wheat Ridge, with 81 on record. April through June account for 109 of the 171 tornadoes on record near Wheat Ridge.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
171
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
2
1.2% of total
Peak Month
June
81 on record
Per Year Avg
2.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Wheat Ridge

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 28 total, averaging 1.4 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 0
2023 3
2022 4
2021 0
2020 0
2019 3
2018 0
2017 0
2016 0
2015 2
2014 4
2013 2
2012 1
2011 0
2010 1
2009 5
2008 2
2007 0

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Wheat Ridge 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 Wheat Ridge. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Wheat Ridge

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Wheat Ridge and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on June 13, 2025 and the most recent on June 13, 2025. It is already counted in the Wheat Ridge totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

June 13, 2025
2 SSW Lochbuie, Adams County, CO
Landspout tornado confirmed by Denver International Airport observer as well as trained spotter and public sources. Location is approximate. (BOU)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 3
1960s 18
1970s 20
1980s 52
1990s 40
2000s 17
2010s 13
2020s 8

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 89
EF1 61
EF2 12
EF3 2
Unrated 7

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 0
Apr 7
May 21
Jun 81
Jul 36
Aug 14
Sep 7
Oct 5
Nov 0
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Wheat Ridge been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Wheat Ridge from any of the 171 tornadoes since 1950, though 67 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Wheat Ridge

Costliest Tornado
F3 on June 15, 1988 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F3 on May 18, 1975 — 440 yards wide.
Longest Path
EF1 on June 22, 2023 — 6.3 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on June 13, 2025.

What the record shows near Wheat Ridge

The 1980s were the busiest decade near Wheat Ridge, with 52 of the 171 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 8 so far. The Wheat Ridge record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Wheat Ridge, 150 reached EF0 or EF1 and 14 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Wheat Ridge is rated EF3, of which 2 are logged. A further 7 near Wheat Ridge are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Wheat Ridge has averaged 1.4 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 28 in total. 2009 was the busiest of them with 5, and 9 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Wheat Ridge, CO had?
Since 1950, 171 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Wheat Ridge. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Wheat Ridge?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Wheat Ridge, with 81 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 Wheat Ridge?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Wheat Ridge was an Unrated on June 13, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Wheat Ridge?
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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