High wind events in Colorado are most common along the Front Range (due to Chinook and Bora winds coming down from the mountains) and in the northeastern counties. Additionally, the Grand Valley in the western part of the state has also experienced a high number of wind events.
In Colorado, the primary threat of tornado is east of the Continental Divide along the Front Range and foothills. Three counties (Adams, Weld, and Washington) each had over 100 reported tornadoes between 1950 and 2010. Most of these tornadoes are small and short lived. However, occasional strong tornadoes have been reported. The number of tornado fatalities remains very low for Colorado, but much of this is due to the low population density of some of the most tornado-prone areas of eastern Colorado.
The average number of thunderstorms exceeding 50 knots from 2010 to 2015 was just over 100 storms per year (Storm Events Database, n.d.). Thunderstorms are quite prevalent in the Eastern Plains and along the eastern slopes of the mountains during the spring and summer.
Applicable Planning Tools and Strategies
Addressing Hazards in Plans and Policies
- Comprehensive Plan
- Climate Plan
- Exploratory Scenario Planning
- Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Pre-disaster Planning
- Resilience Planning
Improving Buildings and Infrastructure
- Building Code
- Critical Infrastructure Protection