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Tornado in Phillips County, Colorado
51 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.
Phillips County, Colorado, has 51 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 2,445 tornado events recorded in Colorado; its 7.4 per 100 square miles compares with 2.4 statewide.
By rating: 34 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 6 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Colorado
| Measure | Phillips County | Colorado | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 51 | 2,445 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.4 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 113.0 | 4.2 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 5 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
1May
16Jun
14Jul
9Aug
9Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1977 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1976 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 1976 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1971 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 1960 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1953 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Phillips County had?
51 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 Phillips County?
30 May 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Phillips County?
The tornado of 18 Jun 1955, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Phillips County compare with Colorado for tornado?
7.4 events per 100 square miles against 2.4 statewide; the county holds 51 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.