Pueblo County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08101 · population 168,034 · 2,387 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,704 records for Pueblo County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 832 days; the most frequent are hail reports (549 records). The deadliest single record is the October 24, 1997 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Bent County/Las Animas And Vicinity, which covers the county: 1 death and $184,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1965, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Wildfires, Flooding, and Mudslides” on September 1, 2026.
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
- 1,704on 832 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 234 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $379Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 20strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2026
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 Pueblo County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 549 since 1958. 53% 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 | 549 | 257 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 17 | $303M | 21 of 63 |
| Winter storms | 453 | 234 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $552K | 46 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 264 | 138 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 26 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 170 | 128 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 7 | $5.8M | 17 of 63 |
| Floods | 120 | 83 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 7 | $53M | 8 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 81 | 32 | 2019-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 20 | 1974-2024 | 0 | 0 | $201K | 29 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 17 | 15 | 2005-2018 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 33 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 13 | 7 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 63 |
| Lightning | 10 | 10 | 1997-2011 | 0 | 3 | $719K | 21 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 1999-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 63 |
| Drought | 2 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 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 Pueblo County had?
NOAA records 20 tornadoes in Pueblo County from 1974 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 29th 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Pueblo County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 20: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Pueblo County (20)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-03-26 | Pueblo West, Pueblo County | EFU 0.18 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-07-12 | Pueblo West, Pueblo County | EF0 0.08 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-24 | Pinon, Pueblo County | EF0 0.31 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-10 | Cedarwood, Pueblo County | EF0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2011-05-02 | Blende, Pueblo County | EF0 0.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-07-09 | Pueblo West, Pueblo County | F1 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $146K |
| 2004-08-10 | Boone, Pueblo County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-20 | Boone, Pueblo County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-09-05 | Pueblo West, Pueblo County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-19 | Pueblo Municipal Airport, Pueblo County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-07-01 | Pueblo West, Pueblo County | F0 7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 1996-08-29 | Beulah, Pueblo County | F0 0.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-08-21 | Pueblo County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-09-13 | Pueblo County | F1 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1981-08-06 | Pueblo County | F1 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1980-06-19 | Pueblo County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-05-05 | Pueblo County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-07-17 | Pueblo County | F0 1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-08-08 | Pueblo County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-08-15 | Pueblo County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Pueblo County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 10, 2017 flash flood ($482,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Strong storms producing very heavy rain, which caused flash flooding and road washouts between Beulah and the Pueblo Reservoir. Flowing water well over 6 inches deep was widespread, with some standing water reported to be near 3 feet deep.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 686480)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindPueblo County · forecast zone Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | High WindPueblo County · forecast zone Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowPueblo County · forecast zone Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindPueblo County · forecast zone Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-03 | Heavy SnowPueblo County · forecast zone Pueblo Vicinity / Pueblo County Below 6300 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-03 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-09 | HailPueblo Municipal Arp, Pueblo County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | HailPueblo Municipal Arp, Pueblo County | 1.75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-10-24 | BlizzardCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Bent County/Las Animas And Vicinity While blizzards are not uncommon in Colorado, the widespread areal extent of this blizzard was, perhaps a one in 50 year event. A powerful low pressure system moved in from the northwest through Utah, and settled into northern New Mexico. Meantime, arctic air invaded eastern Colorado, setting the stage for high winds, ... | 1 | 0 | $184K | |
| 1996-08-30 | Flash FloodPueblo County Two separate rounds of heavy rain affected Kramer Creek late Thursday night the 29th. The two events combined to create a flash flood early the morning of the 30th at the intersection of Highway 96 and Kramer Creek. James Cantu, 44, was driving to work early that morning when his car was washed off the road and ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1984-08-21 | HailPueblo County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 9 | – |
| 2009-07-29 | HailCedarwood, Pueblo County The city of Pueblo was particularly hard hit with golf ball to tennis ball size hail. Damage estimates were around $110 million to vehicles, structures, and crops. | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 7 | $151M |
| 1996-07-09 | Flash FloodPueblo County Severe storms brought flooding rain, damaging winds, and large hail the evening of the 9th. From 2 to 4.5 inches of rain fell in a short period of time on the east side of Pueblo, causing widespread flooding of low spots and roof collapses of three businesses. Forty to 50 power poles were blown down, affecting 15,000 ... | 0 | 5 | $4.2M | |
| 1995-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindPueblo Lake, Pueblo County Strong thunderstorm winds capsized a boat and injured four occupants on Pueblo Lake. | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 2006-08-26 | Thunderstorm WindPueblo County Severe winds ripped through Pueblo West and mainly the north half of Pueblo causing some flooding and widespread minor damage. Three people suffered minor injuries at the Colorado State Fair when a large tent was upset. There were power outages which affected around 10,000 Pueblo West and Pueblo residents and ... | 51 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $1.5M |
| 1999-07-17 | Flash FloodBoone, Pueblo County Heavy rain caused the low water crossing on Highway 96 at Kramer Creek to flood. Four people were rescued...two were hospitalized. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-07-29 | HailCedarwood, Pueblo County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 7 | $151M |
| 1993-08-04 | HailPueblo County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $102M |
| 1997-08-11 | FloodPueblo County | 0 | 0 | $46M | |
| 2000-07-20 | HailPueblo Municipal Airport, Pueblo County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $34M |
| 2005-07-06 | WildfireCuster County and 3 more · forecast zone Wet Mountains Between 8500 And 10000 Ft | 0 | 0 | $8.0M | |
| 2003-06-20 | HailPueblo County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $6.4M |
| 1996-07-09 | Flash FloodPueblo County | 0 | 5 | $4.2M | |
| 2001-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindPueblo West, Pueblo County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.2M |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 6, 1981 (tornado, Pueblo County); August 21, 1984 (tornado, Pueblo 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 Pueblo 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 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 80 | 185 | 173 | 60 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 25 | 147 | 127 | 154 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 44 | 83 | 126 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 30 | 32 | 38 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 15 | 13 | 42 | 50 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 7 | 74 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 101 · Feb 101 · Mar 112 · Apr 112 · May 226 · Jun 220 · Jul 309 · Aug 195 · Sep 49 · Oct 94 · Nov 58 · Dec 127 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pueblo County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Pueblo County: 8 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 5 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (7) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4944 | Fire | Wildfires, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2026-06-29 | FM-5642 | Fire | Aspen Acres Fire |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-10-17 | FM-5157 | Fire | Junkins Fire |
| 2016-10-04 | FM-5155 | Fire | Beulah Hill Fire |
| 2015-07-16 | DR-4229 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2013-09-12 | EM-3365 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-10-23 | FM-5022 | Fire | Wetmore Fire |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3270 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3271 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-10 | FM-2566 | Fire | Mason Fire |
| 2003-04-09 | EM-3185 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1999-05-17 | DR-1276 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3025 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-08-02 | DR-517 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flash Flooding |
| 1973-05-23 | DR-385 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snowmelt and Flooding |
| 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.
How many floods has Pueblo County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 120 flood or flash flood records for Pueblo County from 1996 to 2025, on 83 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pueblo County ranks 1304th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $332,000 on 100 claims filed in Pueblo County; the most in one year was 13 in 1980. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 7 · 1980: 13 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 8 · 1983: 5 · 1984: 4 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 6 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 5 · 1999: 6 · 2006: 5 · 2007: 5 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Pueblo County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pueblo County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $48.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Very High | $4.3M | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.6M | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $6.7M | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $8.1M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 627 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $21M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $858K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pueblo 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 Pueblo CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pueblo County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis