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Tornado in Lincoln County, Colorado
115 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.
Lincoln County, Colorado, has 115 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 42 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 50 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 39 events against 49 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.7% of the 2,445 tornado events recorded in Colorado; its 4.5 per 100 square miles compares with 2.4 statewide.
By rating: 80 at (E)F0, 24 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Colorado
| Measure | Lincoln County | Colorado | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 115 | 2,445 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.5 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 202.2 | 4.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
3Apr
8May
25Jun
50Jul
20Aug
8Sep
0Oct
1Nov
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 115 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Tornado | F3 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 14 | County |
| 6 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1982 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1977 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1972 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 1956 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lincoln County had?
115 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 Lincoln County?
13 Jul 2023 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lincoln County?
The tornado of 6 Jun 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Lincoln County compare with Colorado for tornado?
4.5 events per 100 square miles against 2.4 statewide; the county holds 115 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 30 Sep 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.