475
Recorded events
57
Counties affected
50
Direct deaths
$12.1M
Property damage
Colorado lightning history: 475 recorded events across 57 counties between 1996 and 2024.
Decade by decade
Colorado lightning history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 232 reported lightning events across Colorado. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in Colorado
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | El Paso County | 51 | 6 | $965K | 1996–2017 |
| #2 | Larimer County | 46 | 9 | $217K | 1996–2019 |
| #3 | Boulder County | 35 | 2 | $117K | 1996–2019 |
| #4 | Jefferson County | 34 | 3 | $1.5M | 1996–2023 |
| #5 | Arapahoe County | 30 | 0 | $944K | 1996–2019 |
| #6 | Weld County | 27 | 1 | $1.0M | 1996–2017 |
| #7 | Douglas County | 26 | 1 | $2.7M | 1996–2019 |
| #8 | Adams County | 19 | 2 | $391K | 1996–2011 |
| #9 | Denver County | 19 | 2 | $1.2M | 1997–2018 |
| #10 | La Plata County | 14 | 2 | $86K | 1997–2020 |
| #11 | Montezuma County | 13 | 0 | $252K | 1997–2017 |
| #12 | Archuleta County | 12 | 0 | $173K | 1998–2021 |
| #13 | Mesa County | 11 | 0 | $96K | 1996–2016 |
| #14 | Pueblo County | 10 | 0 | $455K | 1997–2011 |
| #15 | Morgan County | 10 | 0 | $22K | 1996–2021 |
| #16 | Park County | 8 | 1 | $11K | 1997–2018 |
| #17 | Chaffee County | 7 | 2 | $100K | 2003–2015 |
| #18 | Montrose County | 6 | 2 | $501K | 1996–2024 |
| #19 | Fremont County | 6 | 0 | $205K | 1997–2019 |
| #20 | Gunnison County | 6 | 0 | $42K | 1996–2020 |
| #21 | Summit County | 5 | 1 | $20K | 1997–2011 |
| #22 | Teller County | 5 | 2 | $0 | 1998–2006 |
| #23 | Lake County | 5 | 0 | $15K | 1998–2007 |
| #24 | Otero County | 5 | 2 | $17K | 1996–2007 |
| #25 | Pitkin County | 4 | 1 | $2K | 1997–2008 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Colorado
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2008 | Larimer County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Aug 1, 2003 | Garfield County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Sep 9, 2005 | Otero County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 17, 2015 | Chaffee County | — | 1 | 3 |
| Aug 8, 1998 | Teller County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 6, 1997 | El Paso County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 28, 2007 | Jefferson County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | Larimer County | — | 1 | 7 |
| Jun 13, 1996 | Ouray County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 3, 2008 | Custer County | — | 1 | 0 |