Sterling, CO Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in Sterling is lower than Colorado average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Sterling is higher than Colorado average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #470
| Sterling, CO | 0.04 |
| Colorado | 1.32 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #187
| Sterling, CO | 0.0000 |
| Colorado | 0.0009 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #136
| Sterling, CO | 166.62 |
| Colorado | 117.98 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 2,313 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Sterling, CO were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 13 | Cold: | 2 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 2 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 103 | Hail: | 1,525 | Heat: | 0 | Heavy Snow: | 14 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 0 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 38 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 523 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 1 | Winter Storm: | 10 | Winter Weather: | 0 |
| Other: | 82 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Sterling, CO.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Sterling, CO.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Sterling, CO.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 37 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Sterling, CO.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 4.5 | 1974-08-15 | 3 | 40°41'N / 103°10'W | 2.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan | |
| 21.7 | 1988-06-13 | 2 | 40°52'N / 102°56'W | 1.50 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan | |
| 24.6 | 1996-07-13 | 2 | 40°58'N / 103°05'W | 40°58'N / 103°05'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Logan |
| Brief Description: Large hail, heavy rain, strong thunderstorm winds and a tornado heavily damaged crops and some property near Peetz in northern Logan County. The tornado touched down 1 mile east of Peetz. Nineteen empty coal cars, still attached to the front and rear of a Burlington Northern train, were picked up and blown off the tracks. A large cottonwood tree was also uprooted near Peetz. The time of the tornado touchdown was approximated. In addition, hail several inches deep covered the ground in and around Peetz. Wheat crops were wiped out. Waist high corn was reduced to 2 inch stalks. Crop damage was estimated to be at least $100,000. Strong thunderstorm winds gusting to 77 mph were measured in Peetz. | |||||||||||
| 25.2 | 1960-06-20 | 2 | 40°59'N / 103°08'W | 2.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Logan | |
| 25.3 | 1986-09-18 | 2 | 40°30'N / 103°50'W | 40°44'N / 103°31'W | 25.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Morgan |
| 25.4 | 2000-07-05 | 3 | 40°41'N / 102°42'W | 40°36'N / 102°43'W | 6.00 Miles | 1320 Yards | 0 | 2 | 750K | 0 | Logan |
| Brief Description: A large and destructive tornado accompanied with hail, up to softball size, ripped through eastern Logan County. An 88-year old farmer and his wife received minor injuries when the tornado flattened their home. The elderly man spared from serious injury when the recliner he was sitting in flipped upside down; just before a wall caved in on top of him. The farmer suffered a cracked vertebra and a lacerated hand. In all, five farmsteads were either damaged or destroyed. Several structures were destroyed, including three homes and numerous outbuildings. One modular home was lifted up and dropped 50 feet away from its foundation. Numerous pieces of farm equipment including, machinery, stock trailers and vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Three square miles of corn crops and several trees were destroyed. Some livestock were also killed. The tornado snapped power poles and downed electrical lines between Holyoke and Fleming. Initial damage estimates to two properties alone were around $750,000. | |||||||||||
| 27.1 | 1956-06-01 | 2 | 40°25'N / 103°38'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Morgan | |||
| 28.7 | 1958-07-20 | 2 | 40°13'N / 103°04'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Washington | |||
| 29.1 | 1975-05-10 | 3 | 40°15'N / 103°22'W | 40°10'N / 103°15'W | 8.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Washington |
| 29.8 | 1955-06-18 | 2 | 40°39'N / 102°39'W | 40°39'N / 102°36'W | 1.90 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Phillips |
| 32.3 | 1955-06-18 | 2 | 40°39'N / 102°36'W | 40°37'N / 102°33'W | 3.00 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Phillips |
| 33.4 | 1960-07-27 | 2 | 40°46'N / 102°35'W | 1.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Sedgwick | |
| 35.2 | 1950-08-05 | 2 | 40°44'N / 102°33'W | 40°43'N / 102°31'W | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Sedgwick | ||
| 37.4 | 1950-08-05 | 2 | 40°42'N / 102°30'W | 40°41'N / 102°28'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Sedgwick | ||
| 38.0 | 1977-07-09 | 2 | 40°37'N / 102°28'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Phillips | |||
| 38.7 | 1951-06-25 | 2 | 41°06'N / 103°03'W | 41°13'N / 102°55'W | 10.40 Miles | 57 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0K | 0 | Cheyenne |
| 38.9 | 1955-07-08 | 2 | 40°15'N / 103°45'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Morgan | |||
| 39.2 | 1960-06-20 | 2 | 41°03'N / 102°42'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cheyenne | |
| 40.9 | 1990-06-14 | 2 | 40°03'N / 103°37'W | 40°08'N / 103°28'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Morgan |
| 41.4 | 1982-05-29 | 2 | 40°02'N / 103°21'W | 1.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Washington | |
| 41.6 | 1956-06-19 | 2 | 40°16'N / 103°50'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Morgan | |||
| 42.3 | 1984-05-24 | 2 | 40°21'N / 103°58'W | 40°23'N / 103°53'W | 5.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Morgan |
| 42.4 | 1958-07-01 | 2 | 41°09'N / 102°38'W | 40°56'N / 102°34'W | 15.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cheyenne |
| 42.4 | 1958-06-15 | 2 | 40°08'N / 102°42'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Yuma | |||
| 43.1 | 1985-07-31 | 2 | 40°14'N / 102°33'W | 0.50 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Yuma | |
| 43.8 | 1960-06-27 | 3 | 40°49'N / 102°26'W | 40°45'N / 102°20'W | 6.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 2 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Sedgwick |
| 44.6 | 1960-06-20 | 3 | 41°23'N / 103°23'W | 41°09'N / 102°59'W | 26.10 Miles | 750 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kimball |
| 44.8 | 1996-07-30 | 2 | 40°21'N / 103°58'W | 40°21'N / 103°58'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Morgan |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down briefly near Weldona. The twister caused substantial damage to a fertilizer truck when it was smashed into a utility pole. The time of the event was approximated. | |||||||||||
| 44.9 | 1977-06-29 | 2 | 41°15'N / 103°26'W | 41°15'N / 103°23'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cheyenne | ||
| 44.9 | 1977-06-29 | 2 | 41°14'N / 103°28'W | 41°15'N / 103°26'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kimball | ||
| 45.8 | 1960-06-27 | 3 | 41°09'N / 102°45'W | 41°05'N / 102°28'W | 15.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Cheyenne |
| 45.9 | 1996-05-30 | 2 | 40°12'N / 103°52'W | 40°12'N / 103°52'W | 1.00 Mile | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Morgan |
| Brief Description: Twin tornadoes developed 5 miles southwest of Fort Morgan. Although one of the twisters dissipated quickly; the other caused substantial damage to a farmstead. A teenager trapped in the home was uninjured when he took shelter in the basement. The tornado lifted the roof off the house temporarily and broke several windows. Also, the roof of a vacant dairy barn nearby was completely torn off. A car, 2 dump trucks and 2 pickups used in the families' tree service business were completely destroyed. One dog and several of the family cats were killed. Debris was spread approximately 300 yards across the area. Not too far away, the tornado also tossed an empty 5,000 gallon propane storage tank 500 yards and a nearly full 250 gallon storage tank 600 yards. Estimated damage to property in Morgan County was around $150,000. | |||||||||||
| 47.5 | 1965-05-24 | 2 | 40°30'N / 102°18'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Phillips | |||
| 47.9 | 1952-06-26 | 2 | 40°00'N / 103°36'W | 7.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Washington | |
| 48.6 | 1996-05-30 | 3 | 39°55'N / 103°11'W | 39°55'N / 103°11'W | 0.50 Mile | 1320 Yards | 0 | 0 | 300K | 0 | Washington |
| Brief Description: A large tornado estimated to be 1/2 mile wide in diameter caused approximately $300,000 damage to a farmstead near Elba as it destroyed several grain silos, storage sheds and vehicles. Only the home on the farm was spared. | |||||||||||
| 49.8 | 1985-05-27 | 3 | 41°28'N / 103°23'W | 41°13'N / 103°04'W | 25.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cheyenne |
| 49.9 | 1954-06-06 | 2 | 41°14'N / 103°39'W | 41°23'N / 103°19'W | 19.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kimball |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.