Bent County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08011 · population 5,639 · 1,513 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 355 records for Bent County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 227 days; the most frequent are hail reports (170 records). The deadliest single record is the August 31, 1997 thunderstorm wind: 1 death, 1 injury and $147,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1965, 7 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Snow” on January 7, 2007.
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
- 355on 227 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 110 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $19Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 50strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 2020
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 Bent County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 170 since 1958. 64% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in May and June. 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 | 170 | 106 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 28 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 50 | 34 | 1956-2022 | 0 | 8 | $2.5M | 22 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 48 | 44 | 1962-2024 | 1 | 1 | $581K | 25 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 40 | 39 | 2003-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 63 |
| Winter storms | 21 | 19 | 2005-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 63 |
| Floods | 16 | 15 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 2006-2011 | 0 | 1 | $85K | 42 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 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 Bent County had?
NOAA records 50 tornadoes in Bent County from 1956 to 2022, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries recorded in the county. That is 22nd 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 50 tornadoes whose track touched Bent County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 50, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Bent County (50)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-06-07 | Las Animas, Bent County | EFU 3.4 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-03 | Ft Lyon, Bent County | EF0 4.18 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2022-06-03 | Las Animas, Bent County | EFU 5.26 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-03 | Hasty, Bent County | EFU 5.52 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-02 | Mc Clave, Bent County | EFU 0.92 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-07-14 | Las Animas, Bent County | EFU 2.33 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-26 | Mc Clave, Bent County | EFU 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-15 | Mc Clave, Bent County | EFU 0.59 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-05 | Hasty, Bent County | EF0 0.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-27 | Mc Clave, Bent County | EF2 6.2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2010-04-22 | Mc Clave, Bent County | EF0 0.58 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Hasty, Bent County | EF0 1.92 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Hasty, Bent County | EF0 0.59 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Las Animas, Bent County | EF0 2.45 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Las Animas, Bent County | EF0 4.69 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-07-17 | Pritchett, Bent County | EF0 1.72 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-07-03 | Las Animas, Bent County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-22 | Hasty, Bent County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-14 | Toonerville, Bent County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-07 | Hasty, Bent County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2004-06-20 | Las Animas, Bent County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.6M |
| 2004-06-16 | Las Animas, Bent County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $156K |
| 2004-06-16 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-16 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-07 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-22 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-22 | Mc Clave, Bent County | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-07-30 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-11 | Las Animas, Bent County | F1 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 1997-10-11 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-11 | Las Animas, Bent County | F1 15 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 6 | $368K |
| 1995-06-07 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1995-06-02 | Bent County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-26 | Las Animas, Bent County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-16 | McClave, Bent County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-25 | Bent County | F1 0.8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-25 | Bent County | F1 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1987-06-24 | Bent County | F1 0.6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-07-14 | Bent County | F0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-07-06 | Bent County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-04-16 | Bent County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-05-22 | Bent County | F2 2 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-05-22 | Bent County | F1 2.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1975-05-12 | Bent County | F1 2 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-06-29 | Bent County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-29 | Bent County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-06-11 | Bent County | 0 | 0 | $250 step | |
| 1956-07-19 | Bent County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-07-19 | Bent County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-07-19 | Bent County | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Bent County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 3, 2022 tornado ($5,042 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A tornado was confirmed by an induvial who picked up in a truck, rotated 120 degrees, had his windows blown out, and mirrors ripped off. He reported that the tornado was roughly the size of truck. He also reported power lines down. This was confirmed by local authorities.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1040364)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-04 | HailCaddoa, Bent County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-04 | HailCaddoa, Bent County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-04 | HailCaddoa, Bent County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-04 | HailCaddoa, Bent County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-11 | HailLas Animas, Bent County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-06 | HailHasty, Bent County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-06 | HailMc Clave, Bent County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-06 | HailHasty, Bent County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-06 | HailHasty, Bent County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-15 | HailFt Lyon, Bent County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-07 | HailLas Animas, Bent County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-07 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County | EFU 3.4 mi x 25 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-08-31 | Thunderstorm WindMc Clave, Bent County A damaging microburst wind, estimated to be at least 115 mph in strength struck a mobile home, rolling it a few hundred yards. The intense damage was 50 to 75 yards across. Twin brothers, Dan and Denton Cochell were in the mobile home. Dan was thrown from the mobile home and sustained a broken eye socket. Denton was ... | 1 | 1 | $147K | |
| 1997-10-11 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County The same supercell thunderstorm that brought large hail and a brief tornado to eastern Otero county produced a long track tornado through northwestern Bent and central Kiowa counties. The tornado began about 7 miles west of Las Animas. Eleven people were in the direct path of the tornado as it hit a ranch house and ... | F1 15 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 6 | $368K |
| 2011-04-09 | WildfireBent County · forecast zone Bent County A wildfire over northern Bent County between Ft. Lyons and Hasty consumed around 14,000 acres. Several homes were threatened, at times, and a few farm implemented were destroyed. One firefighter received minor injuries. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-06-20 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County A tornado caused severe damage to at least seven buildings at Mountain Prairie Hog Farms. Seven farrowing barns (380 feet x 60 feet) were destroyed. Only one pig was killed. A fire started in one of the structures when a gas line broke. Debris was scattered a few miles east southeast of the Farms. | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.6M |
| 2004-06-16 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County A tornado struck a ranch destroying the house, and damaging other buildings and two mobile homes. The family of five sought shelter in an interior closet, and the lone injury was the mother, who suffered a minor gash on her forehead. | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $156K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-07 | HailFt Lyon, Bent County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $15M |
| 2004-06-20 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.6M |
| 1997-10-11 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County | F1 15 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 6 | $368K |
| 2006-06-16 | HailHasty, Bent County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $220K |
| 1997-10-11 | HailLas Animas, Bent County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 2001-07-23 | Thunderstorm WindLas Animas, Bent County | 86 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 2004-06-16 | TornadoLas Animas, Bent County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $156K |
| 1997-08-31 | Thunderstorm WindMc Clave, Bent County | 1 | 1 | $147K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 12, 1975 (tornado, Bent 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 Bent 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 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 31 | 53 | 39 | 30 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 27 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 5 · Feb 8 · Mar 9 · Apr 30 · May 64 · Jun 103 · Jul 71 · Aug 33 · Sep 5 · Oct 12 · Nov 7 · Dec 8 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bent County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Bent County: 5 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 |
| 1999-05-17 | DR-1276 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
| 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 Bent County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bent County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.1 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 Moderate | $541K | 119 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $149K | once in about 528 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $555K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $576K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $141K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $37K | 6.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $459K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $284K | about once 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 Bent 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 Bent CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bent County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis