Flash Flood in Colorado
Every flash flood event the National Weather Service has filed in Colorado, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
The most significant on the map
The most significant flash flood episodes in Colorado.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 1,551
- Deaths
- 29
- Injuries
- 75
- Damage
- $437 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Flash Flood in Colorado, July 28, 1997A flash flood killed 5 women and injured 40 others when a 10-15 foot wall of water surged through 2 mobile home parks.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Colorado, September 11 to 20, 2013A deep southerly flow over Colorado, ahead of a near stationary low pressure system over the Great Basin, pumped copious amounts of monsoonal moisture into the area. In addition, a weak stationary front stretched along the Front Range Foothills and Palmer Divide.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Colorado, June 17 to 22, 2023Long duration severe weather event across the northeast plains, and most of the Denver metropolitan area beginning during the early afternoon hours. Scores of tornadoes occurred across Washington and Logan counties.
- Flash Flood in Colorado, July 20, 2021A deadly debris flow from the Cameron Peak burn area, struck Black Hollow Gulch west of Rustic on CO-14. The debris flow, estimated to be 5 to 8 feet deep, destroyed 6 homes and other structures. Four people were killed when their residence was swept away by the floodwaters.
- Flash Flood in Colorado, July 12, 1996Very heavy rain from a fast moving thunderstorm dumped 2 to 3 inches of rain within an hour over southern Jefferson County. Two people were killed near the town of Buffalo Creek when a 20-ft wall of water blasted through the area.
- Flash Flood in Colorado, July 15, 2022Two people were killed after heavy rain which produced a destructive debris flow in the Cameron Peak burn area. The 37-yr old woman and her 12-yr old daughter were in a camp trailer that was swept away at Calcite Road along Sheep Creek.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, June 21, 2005A severe thunderstorm moved south across the eastern side of Colorado Springs, causing copious amounts of hail and heavy rain.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Colorado, June 7, 2012Severe thunderstorms brought damaging wind and hail, heavy rain, along several tornadoes, one of which was rated an EF-2. The storms produced hail from 1.5 to 2.75 inches in diameter. In addition to the large hail, heavy rainfall from 1 to 2 inches also accompanied the storms.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Colorado, June 4 to 5, 2015Severe thunderstorms broke out across Boulder, Denver, Elbert, Jefferson and Larimer Counties. Two large and long lived tornadoes developed in Larimer County near Berthoud and near Simla in Elbert County.
- Flash Flooding in Colorado, August 9, 2013Very heavy rainfall of around 1.5 inches (with rainfall rates up to 5 inches per hour) occurred across the Waldo and Williams Canyon watersheds, producing flooding on US Highway 24 and in Manitou Springs. Flash flooding occurred from Cascade to Waldo Canyon along US Highway 24.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, May 8, 2017Severe thunderstorm broke out across Denver and the surrounding metro area and produced large damaging hail, strong winds, heavy rain and flash flooding.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Colorado, June 9, 2004Severe thunderstorms producing very large hail caused extensive damage across southern sections of the Denver metropolitan area. Parts of Aurora, Lakewood, Littleton and South Denver incurred much of the damage.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Colorado, June 29 to 30, 2023Severe thunderstorms produced large hail, from penny to tennis ball size across parts of Jefferson, Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Washington counties. The hail along with heavy rain caused flooding and flash flooding problems.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, July 24, 2018Thunderstorms produced very heavy rainfall, 1 to 2 inches in less than 30 minutes. In Englewood, the floodwaters quickly inundated a basement apartment and trapped a woman inside. She was found unresponsive in the apartment and died several hours later.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, July 13, 2011Severe thunderstorms produced extensive damage as they moved across the Urban Corridor.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Colorado, July 12, 2000Heavy rain fell across a portion of the Hi Meadow burn area near Buffalo Creek, causing localized flash flooding. Approximately three quarters of an inch /0.75/ of rain fell in 30 minutes across Miller Gulch. Some culverts became plugged by debris from the fire.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Colorado, May 26, 2010Severe thunderstorms pounded parts the Urban Corridor and Northeast Plains with very large hail, damaging wind and tornadoes. The hail, ranging from golfball to baseball size, hit northeast Denver, Brighton and Commerce City the hardest.
- Tornado and Flash Flood in Colorado, July 30, 1997Heavy rain and hail triggered a flash flood which sent a wall of water through the window of the financial aid office at the University of Colorado campus.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Colorado, June 6, 2012Severe thunderstorms broke late in the evening, striking areas hardest from Denver southward. Locations impacted by the storms included but were not limited to: Aurora, Castle Rock, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker, Surrey Ridge.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Colorado, June 22 to 23, 2023Exceptionally severe weather continues over southern Colorado with the continued deluge of moist air coming from the Pacific and remnant moisture from previous moisture from widespread heavy rainfall.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Colorado, September 29, 2014A storm system that moved through the area produced large hail, up to golfball size, and street flooding in parts of the metro area then spread east into the plains.
- Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in Colorado, July 12, 2014One man was killed, and four others injured, when they were struck by lightning in Rocky Mountain National Park. The incident occurred near Rainbow Curve along Trail Ridge Road, not far from where another woman was struck and killed by lightning approximately 26 hours earlier.
- Flash Flood in Colorado, July 23, 1997Flood waters from swollen creeks washed across six roads, including interstate 70, resulting in closures of varying periods. A man driving a pickup tried to cross one of the flooded roads and was swept away to his death.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Colorado, August 11, 1997Large hail, strong winds and torrential rain hammered portions of Lakewood and South Denver. Nearly 1 inch of rain fell in the span of 10 minutes in South Denver with a storm total of 1.81 inches reported.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Colorado, July 20, 2019A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 60 mph at Centennial Airport. A thunderstorm produced a flash flood in southern Jefferson and southwest Denver counties. The flooding was particularly bad on southbound I-25 near 6th Avenue.
More
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.