Baca County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08009 · population 3,490 · 2,555 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 760 records for Baca County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 440 days; the most frequent are hail reports (399 records). The deadliest single record is the July 30, 2014 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and $37,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1965, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes” on August 25, 2023.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 760on 440 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $18Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 84strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 2023
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Baca County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 399 since 1955. 60% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Colorado's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 399 | 224 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $568K | 27 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 103 | 76 | 1960-2025 | 1 | 2 | $2.7M | 24 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 98 | 80 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 46 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 84 | 60 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 4 | $15M | 20 of 63 |
| Winter storms | 34 | 29 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 15 | 9 | 1996-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 63 |
| Floods | 11 | 11 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 6 | 2019-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 7 | 7 | 2006-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 63 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 54 of 63 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Baca County had?
NOAA records 84 tornadoes in Baca County from 1955 to 2023, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries recorded in the county. That is 20th of 63 Colorado counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 88 tornadoes whose track touched Baca County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 84: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-05-18 12:50, as SPC files it | UnnamedCrossed CO, OK | F4 | 38.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Baca County (84)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-13 | Campo, Baca County | EF0 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-13 | Springfield Awos, Baca County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-23 | Campo, Baca County | EF1 8.43 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-07 | Two Buttes, Baca County | EFU 8.07 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-07 | Two Buttes, Baca County | EFU 6.35 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-22 | Pritchett, Baca County | EFU 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-25 | Walsh, Baca County | EF0 4.37 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2015-05-28 | Vilas, Baca County | EF0 0.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-07 | Stonington, Baca County | EF1 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2014-06-30 | Springfield, Baca County | EF0 0.27 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-07-25 | Two Buttes, Baca County | EF0 1.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-06-16 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF0 1.05 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-06-14 | Springfield Awos, Baca County | EF0 0.32 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-31 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF0 0.28 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-31 | Campo, Baca County | EF2 9.24 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2010-05-31 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF2 2.82 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2010-05-25 | Walsh, Baca County | EF1 2.48 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2010-05-25 | Walsh, Baca County | EF0 1.05 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2010-05-23 | Springfield, Baca County | EF1 7.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2009-07-29 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF0 0.21 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-07-17 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF0 2.32 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-13 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF0 0.59 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-19 | Pritchett, Baca County | EF0 3.06 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-21 | Campo, Baca County | EF0 2.68 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-05-30 | Campo, Baca County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-10 | Two Buttes, Baca County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2005-06-10 | Campo, Baca County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2005-05-30 | Pritchett, Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-10 | Walsh, Baca County | F0 0.4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-16 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-16 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-16 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-15 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-15 | Campo, Baca County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-15 | Springfield, Baca County | F2 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $201K |
| 2000-07-20 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-16 | Walsh, Baca County | F0 15 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-29 | Walsh, Baca County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-29 | Walsh, Baca County | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-29 | Walsh, Baca County | F1 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1996-09-02 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-02 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-02 | Springfield, Baca County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-25 | Stonington, Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-25 | Campo, Baca County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-03 | Vilas, Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-03 | Campo, Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-19 | Baca County | F1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-06-19 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-19 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-13 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-13 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-13 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-13 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-05 | Baca County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-11 | Baca County | F0 2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-07-14 | Baca County | F0 0.2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-08-01 | Baca County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-21 | Baca County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-06-23 | Baca County | F1 2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Baca County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 25, 2017 tornado ($2,408 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A tornado, at one time multiple-vortex, did some damage to fencing as it moved mainly across open fields around 3 miles west of Walsh and crossed US Highway 160.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 697707)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | High WindBaca County · forecast zone Springfield Vicinity / Baca County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindBaca County · forecast zone Springfield Vicinity / Baca County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowBaca County · forecast zone Springfield Vicinity / Baca County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-09 | HailSpringfield, Baca County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-29 | Thunderstorm WindWalsh, Baca County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-29 | Thunderstorm WindWalsh, Baca County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-29 | Flash FloodStonington, Baca County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-05 | HailCampo, Baca County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | HailCampo, Baca County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | HailCampo, Baca County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | HailPritchett, Baca County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | HailCampo, Baca County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindVilas, Baca County High end EF1 damage occurred with a very compact microburst. A manufactured home was completely destroyed, along with three power poles. | 95 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $37K |
| 1967-06-10 | TornadoBaca County | F2 14.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 2017-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindWalsh, Baca County Trees and tree limbs down, causing damage to power lines, structures and vehicles. Two people sustained very minor injuries. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $2.4M |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindWalsh, Baca County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $2.4M |
| 2010-05-23 | HailSpringfield, Baca County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $338K |
| 2003-05-15 | TornadoSpringfield, Baca County | F2 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $201K |
| 2008-08-12 | Thunderstorm WindSpringfield, Baca County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 1999-06-29 | TornadoWalsh, Baca County | F1 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2009-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindSpringfield Awos, Baca County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2010-05-31 | TornadoCampo, Baca County | EF2 9.24 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2014-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindVilas, Baca County | 95 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $37K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 18, 1977 (tornado, Baca County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Baca County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 86 | 142 | 127 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 16 | 30 | 35 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 29 | 58 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 15 | 8 | 11 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 4 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
60% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 8 · Mar 25 · Apr 51 · May 153 · Jun 230 · Jul 149 · Aug 58 · Sep 16 · Oct 14 · Nov 14 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Baca County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Baca County: 7 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-25 | DR-4731 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-07-16 | DR-4229 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3271 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2001-05-17 | DR-1374 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997-08-01 | DR-1186 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, Mudslides |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3025 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965-06-19 | DR-200 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Baca County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Baca County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.7 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.2M | 138 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $489K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $185K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $255K | once in about 292 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $345K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $38K | 8.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $356K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $235K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Baca County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in ColoradoEvery Colorado tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in ColoradoThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Colorado recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Baca CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Baca County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis