States › Colorado › Bent County › Tornado
Tornado in Bent County, Colorado
50 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Bent County, Colorado, has 50 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 17 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2% of the 2,445 tornado events recorded in Colorado; its 3.3 per 100 square miles compares with 2.4 statewide.
By rating: 27 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 11 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Colorado
| Measure | Bent County | Colorado | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 50 | 2,445 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.3 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 86.8 | 4.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
8May
7Jun
18Jul
11Aug
3Sep
0Oct
3Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 50 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 7 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1975 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1957 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1956 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1956 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1956 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Bent County had?
50 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Bent County?
7 Jun 2022 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Bent County?
The tornado of 20 Jun 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M.
How does Bent County compare with Colorado for tornado?
3.3 events per 100 square miles against 2.4 statewide; the county holds 50 of the state's 2,445 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.