Teller County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08119 · population 24,661 · 557 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 570 records for Teller County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 394 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (253 records). 407 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the August 8, 1998 lightning: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1965, 11 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
- 570on 394 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 28 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $24Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Teller County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 253 since 1996. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 253 | 169 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $184K | 25 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 143 | 92 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 7 of 63 |
| Hail | 110 | 80 | 1971-2025 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 14 of 63 |
| Floods | 25 | 24 | 1997-2022 | 0 | 0 | $794K | 6 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 13 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $49K | 21 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 2002-2018 | 0 | 4 | $20M | 21 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 63 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1998-2006 | 2 | 4 | – | 11 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 4 | 1996-2015 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 43 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2022-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 63 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 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 Teller County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Teller County from 1968 to 2025, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 21st 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Teller County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Teller County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-30 | Divide, Teller County | EF1 0.8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-17 | Divide, Teller County | EF1 0.43 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-08-09 | Cripple Creek, Teller County | EF1 0.92 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-20 | Woodland Park, Teller County | EF1 1.45 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-30 | Cripple Creek, Teller County | EF0 2.14 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-08 | Florissant, Teller County | EF1 0.33 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-25 | Florissant, Teller County | EF0 0.08 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-08-23 | Woodland Park, Teller County | EF1 0.64 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2007-06-27 | Woodland Park, Teller County | EF1 0.88 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-12 | Divide, Teller County | F1 0.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-06-28 | Teller County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1979-07-25 | Teller County | F1 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1968-07-03 | Teller County | F0 | 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 Teller County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 8, 2015 thunderstorm wind ($4,980 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A severe storm produced damaging microbursts just north of Cripple Creek. Scores of pine and aspen trees were leveled, and there was minor damage to a house and surrounding outbuildings and outdoor furniture. The damage path was around 3/4 of a mile long and at a maximum 750 yards wide.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 573369)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | Heavy SnowEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | High WindEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Heavy SnowEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-04 | High WindEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindEl Paso County and Teller County · forecast zone Pikes Peak Above 11000 Ft | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-03 | Heavy SnowCuster County and 2 more · forecast zone Canon City Vicinity / Eastern Fremont County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-03 | Heavy SnowEl Paso County and 2 more · forecast zone Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-08 | LightningWoodland Park, Teller County Zach Powers, 4, and his 10-year-old brother Dustyn, took shelter under a tree when a storm hit during a family hike at the Rampart Reservoir. Dustyn held an umbrella and held his brother's hand. Lightning apparently struck the umbrella, travelled through Dustyn and then Zach. Zach was airlifted to Memorial Hospital ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-07-19 | LightningWoodland Park, Teller County A young man playing soccer was struck and killed by lightning. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-07-27 | LightningCripple Creek, Teller County Two teenage boys were hospitalized after a lightning strike occurred near them on Teller County Road 1 near Cripple Creek. Neither was seriously injured. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2002-07-01 | WildfireFlorissant, Teller County The Hayman Fire, largest in Colorado this century, was fully contained on July 2nd. | 0 | 2 | $9.8M | |
| 2002-06-09 | WildfireFlorissant, Teller County The largest wildfire in Colorado this century began on the evening of June 8th in Park county and spreads into Teller county early on the morning of the 9th. The wildfire was not fully contained until July 2nd. The Hayman Fire was allegedly started by a U.S. Forest Service employee. The fire consumed 43,000 acres of ... | 0 | 2 | $9.8M | |
| 2003-08-11 | LightningWoodland Park, Teller County Lightning struck a power pole outside a house, and a 19 year old male talking on the telephone was affected by the current. He was taken to the hospital, and no injuries were found. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-06-09 | WildfireFlorissant, Teller County | 0 | 2 | $9.8M | |
| 2002-07-01 | WildfireFlorissant, Teller County | 0 | 2 | $9.8M | |
| 2004-07-16 | Flash FloodWoodland Park, Teller County | 0 | 0 | $781K | |
| 2008-08-23 | TornadoWoodland Park, Teller County | EF1 0.64 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2015-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindCripple Creek, Teller County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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: July 3, 1968 (tornado, Teller 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 Teller 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 70 | 86 | 85 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 29 | 52 | 57 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 35 | 32 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 14 | 9 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Teller County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 49 · Feb 54 · Mar 61 · Apr 54 · May 43 · Jun 54 · Jul 78 · Aug 28 · Sep 9 · Oct 26 · Nov 45 · Dec 69 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Teller County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Teller County: 6 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for fire (4) and flood (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 |
| 2018-06-30 | FM-5247 | Fire | Chateau Fire |
| 2012-06-28 | DR-4067 | Fire | High Park and Waldo Canyon Wildfires |
| 2008-06-27 | FM-2778 | Fire | Nash Ranch Fire |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3270 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-04-09 | EM-3185 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3025 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Teller County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 25 flood or flash flood records for Teller County from 1997 to 2022, on 24 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Teller County ranks 2358th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $12,000 on 10 claims filed in Teller County; the most in one year was 2 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1991: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 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 Teller County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Teller County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $16.8 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 | Relatively High | $1.2M | 69 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $11M | once in about 84 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $107K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $220K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $621K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $6 | once in about 10,000 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $52K | once in about 1,815 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Teller 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
- Winter storms in ColoradoThe state's winter storm records, 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 Teller CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Teller County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis