Colorado's 2 Most Tornado-Prone Counties Aren't Far From Denver
DENVER (CBS4) - Tornado sightings have been on the rise in the United States since modern records began in 1950.
There could be a number of factors behind this, including increased public awareness and a changing climate.
But a growing population and major changes in technology could be two of the biggest reasons for the trend.
In the United States the population and the number of tornadoes have both doubled since 1950.
They've quadrupled in Colorado over the same period.
More people means more eyes to watch and report what they see happening in the skies.
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In addition there have been vast improvements made in the technology used to monitor weather.
Between the 1960s and 1980s a network of Doppler radars was installed across the United States which greatly improved the ability to track and detect tornadoes.
More recently a series of upgrades has further enhanced storm detection.
COLORADO TORNADOES
(credit: CBS)
Colorado lies on the western edge of tornado alley, a region in the United States prone to thunderstorms that produce tornadoes.
Ninety-four percent of the 2,023 tornadoes documented in Colorado between 1950 and 2014 were recorded along and east of Interstate 25.
But two counties are particularly prone to these violent displays of wind. Nearly a quarter of all Colorado tornadoes have touched down in Weld and Adams counties.
Although most tornadoes touch down on the Eastern Plains they are occasionally reported in areas west of I-25.
All but 11 of Colorado's 64 counties have reported at least one tornado since 1950. Of those without most are located west of the Continental Divide and include Dolores, Garfield, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Lake, Ouray, San Juan, San Miguel and Summit counties.
On the east side of the Continental Divide the two counties without tornado sightings are Gilpin and Colorado's newest county of Broomfield which was formed in 2001.
The following is a list of tornadoes in Colorado reported by county between 1950 and 2014.
Weld - 262
Adams - 167
Washington - 145
Elbert - 102
Lincoln - 98
Kit Carson - 96
Arapahoe - 89
El Paso - 86
Prowers - 82
Yuma - 81
Kiowa - 79
Logan - 79
Baca - 78
Morgan - 71
Cheyenne - 70
Douglas - 60
Bent - 42
Phillips - 40
Sedgwick - 31
Larimer - 30
Las Animas - 29
Otero - 23
Pueblo - 18
Alamosa - 16
Crowley - 16
Denver - 15
Jefferson - 13
Boulder - 10
Mesa - 9
Fremont - 8
Teller - 8
Custer - 7
Huerfano - 7
Moffat - 7
Costilla - 5
La Plata - 5
Park - 5
Saguache - 5
Conejos - 4
Montezuma - 3
Montrose - 3
Rio Grande - 3
Clear Creek - 2
Delta - 2
Eagle - 2
Rio Blanco - 2
Routt - 2
Archuleta - 1
Chaffee - 1
Grand - 1
Jackson - 1
Mineral - 1
Pitkin - 1
Broomfield - 0
Dolores - 0
Garfield - 0
Gilpin - 0
Gunnison - 0
Hinsdale - 0
Lake - 0
Ouray - 0
San Juan - 0
San Miguel - 0
Summit - 0
