The Colorado Rocky Mountains are mostly known for their snow, cold temperatures, and various winter activities. But every once in a while, Mother Nature shifts, and tornadoes form in these Rocky Mountains. While they are very rare, they have happened in the past.
Colorado’s tornadoes typically occur in the plains east of I-25, but a small percentage of the state’s tornadoes per year occur in the mountains and in the high country.
Currently, there have been six tornadoes that have occurred in the mountains of Colorado in the last 10 years. Fortunately, there have been no injuries or fatalities with these storms, as they have occurred in very remote areas.
In July of 2012, a small tornado touched down on the summit of Mt. Blue Sky (Named Mt. Evans at the time). This tornado was very brief, and it was only on the ground for 5-10 minutes with little to no damage reported. This tornado was recorded at 11,900 feet elevation, and currently is the highest altitude tornado recorded as of right now.
More recently, in September 2025, a tornado touched down on Sawtooth Mountain in Saguache County (25 miles west of the town of Saguache or 15 Miles South of Gunnison). This tornado was also very brief and small, it was on the ground for roughly 15 minutes, and most of the damage was to various trees.
There’s a chance that there could have been more mountain twisters that formed, but these are the most documented.
It is important to know that if a tornado is occurring near you, take shelter in the lowest floor of a sturdy structure if possible, or an interior room such as a bathroom. Also, tune into reliable local news sources or purchase a NOAA weather radio to get immediate information on watches or warnings within your area. These also come in handy during the winter months, as they can also broadcast winter weather advisories.
