Colorado Storm & Severe Weather History
Since 1996, Colorado has logged 46,416 severe-weather events — about 1,497 a year — with 289 direct deaths, 964 injuries and $10.4B in reported property damage.
By event type
Hail12,835—$4.8B
Winter Weather5,8592 d$132K
Winter Storm5,4962 d$33.5M
High Wind4,1828 d$78.4M
Thunderstorm Wind3,64113 d$23.4M
Heavy Snow3,2154 d$36K
Drought3,043——
Flash Flood1,55029 d$433.4M
Tornado1,3473 d$180.8M
Heavy Rain7862 d$787K
Wildfire66812 d$3.8B
Frost/Freeze611——
Lightning47550 d$12.1M
Blizzard42611 d$71.7M
Dense Fog4091 d$350K
Flood40517 d$775.8M
Events by year
19962026
Notable events (299)
Events with deaths, major damage, or a strong tornado — deadliest first.
Flash FloodJuly 28, 1997
Larimer · 5 killed · 40 injured · $190.0M damage
AvalancheApril 20, 2013
S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet · 5 killed ·
Flash FloodJuly 20, 2021
Larimer · 4 killed · $500K damage
BlizzardOctober 24, 1997
Southern El Paso County/Colorado Springs And Vicinity · 4 killed · 2 injured · $300K damage
WildfireMarch 26, 2012
Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet · 3 killed · $11.0M damage
Debris FlowMay 25, 2014
Mesa · 3 killed · $25K damage
AvalancheFebruary 1, 2021
Northwestern San Juan Mountains · 3 killed · 4 injured ·
Flash FloodSeptember 11, 2013
Boulder · 3 killed · 2 injured ·
AvalancheFebruary 6, 1999
West Elk And Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park / W Lake / W Chaffee / Wc To Ec Gunnison · 3 killed · 1 injured ·
Cold/Wind ChillDecember 18, 1998
Denver Metropolitan Area · 3 killed · 15 injured ·
WildfireDecember 30, 2021
Boulder & Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet / W Broomfield County · 2 killed · 6 injured · $2.0B damage
WildfireJune 26, 2012
Northern El Paso County / Monument Ridge / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft · 2 killed · $400.0M damage
WildfireOctober 14, 2020
Grand & Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet · 2 killed · $166.6M damage
High WindJanuary 9, 2017
Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft · 2 killed · $20.0M damage
Tornado (EF3)March 28, 2007
Prowers · 2 killed · 9 injured · $4.0M damage
Flash FloodJuly 12, 1996
Jefferson · 2 killed · $520K damage
Flash FloodJuly 15, 2022
Larimer · 2 killed · $250K damage
Flash FloodJune 21, 2005
El Paso · 2 killed · $100K damage
AvalancheMarch 13, 2007
Gore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys · 2 killed · $1K damage
AvalancheFebruary 25, 2023
Southwestern San Juan Mountains · 2 killed · 2 injured ·
AvalancheJanuary 7, 2023
S & Se Grand / W Central & Sw Boulder / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Summit / N & W Park Counties Above 9000 Feet · 2 killed ·
AvalancheDecember 19, 2020
Southwestern San Juan Mountains · 2 killed · 1 injured ·
AvalancheFebruary 15, 2020
Flattop Mountains · 2 killed · 1 injured ·
AvalancheFebruary 16, 2019
West Elk And Sawatch Mountains · 2 killed ·
AvalancheFebruary 15, 2014
Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft · 2 killed · 3 injured ·
Flash FloodSeptember 12, 2013
Larimer · 2 killed ·
AvalancheMarch 19, 2010
Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft · 2 killed ·
AvalancheDecember 26, 2008
S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet · 2 killed ·
LightningJuly 24, 2008
Larimer · 2 killed ·
AvalancheJanuary 1, 2006
S & E Jackson / Larimer / N & Ne Grand / Nw Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet · 2 killed ·
Thunderstorm WindJuly 2, 2005
Larimer · 2 killed · 4 injured ·
LightningJuly 31, 2003
Garfield · 2 killed ·
AvalancheMarch 17, 2000
Gore And Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys · 2 killed ·
FloodAugust 6, 1997
Fremont · 2 killed ·
Tornado (EF3)May 22, 2008
Weld · 1 killed · 78 injured · $147.0M damage
Flash FloodAugust 9, 2013
El Paso · 1 killed · 3 injured · $2.0M damage
Flash FloodJuly 24, 2018
Arapahoe · 1 killed · $500K damage
BlizzardOctober 24, 1997
Pueblo And Eastern Fremont Counties/Pueblo And Vicinity · 1 killed · $200K damage
Flash FloodJuly 23, 1997
Garfield · 1 killed · $150K damage
BlizzardMarch 13, 2019
Colorado Springs Vicinity / Southern El Paso County / Rampart Range Below 7500 Ft · 1 killed · $100K damage
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Counts are every logged event since 1996; the "notable" list is filtered to events with fatalities, major damage or a strong tornado. Damage is the reporting office's estimate. A record of past weather is not a forecast. See About the Data.