National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

 

Colorado "Day By Day" Lightning Casualty Statistics - 1990s
 

Welcome to the Colorado "Day By Day" Lightning Casualty Statistics page, Lightning Casualty Statistics section of the Colorado Lightning Resource Page. This page list "day by day" lightning casualty statistics in text format for the entire state of Colorado from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1999. The date, time, location (county), gender, age and a brief description are listed for each lightning casualty. Data compiled from STORM DATA plus other sources. For official data, please contact the National Centers for Environmental Information.

 
   1999

1999 September, October, November, December : None

1999 August

7th, 1200 mst, Larimer county: 35 year old male killed and two others injured (unknown sex/age) while hiking in a remote drainage in Rocky Mountain National Park.

19th, 1700 mst, El Paso county: 8 football players from the Grace Fellowship church were affected by a nearby lightning flash. One recieved a concussion.

1999 July

21st, 1137 mst, Larimer county: 35 year old male killed and his wife and daughter (ages unknown) were seriously injured while hiking near Gore Range Overlook (11,700 ft) in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

24th, 1045 mst, Huerfano county: 44 year old male recieved direct hit while 100 yards from summit of West Spanish Peak. 41 year old male companion was affected by the flash. 7 year old boy was also thrown and injured.

26th, 1800 mst, Pueblo county: 25 year male old golfer was struck by lightning. CPR was performed which is believed to have saved his life.

1999 June

19th, 1425mst, Larimer county: 10 year old boy was struck at a boy scout ranch.

21st, 1646 mst, Montrose county: Lightning struck a man (age unknown) and his two dogs while he was outside irrigating his property. The flash entered his head and exited his boot (blew a hole in it). The two dogs were killed instantly.

1999 May

24th, 1406 mst, El Paso county: 14 year old girl recieved minor burns and 2 other girls (age unknown) were stunned by a lightning flash.

24th, 1420 mst, El Paso county: 40 year old man was injured by a flash while loading tools onto a truck.

1999 January, February, March, April None

1998

1998, October, November, December None

1998 September

23rd, 1500 mst, Prowers county: Male 31 killed while working on hog farm. 3 other males (age unknown)  were injured.

29th, 600 mst, Mesa county: a man (age unknown) loading a trailer was injured when affected by a lighting flash. He was thrown 20 feet. He received minor burns from the flash

1998 August

9th, 1200 mst, Larimer county: 6 people (gender and age unknown) received minor injuries when lightning struck a nearby scenic overlook atop trail ridge road. The charge (sideflash) apparently moved across the ground and struck the group.

8th, 1400 mst, Teller county: A 4 year old boy was killed and his 10 year old brother was injured while under tree near Rampart reservoir.

19th, 1500 mst, El Paso county: 28 year old man was leaning against a tractor in an open field when lightning struck.

14th, 1322 mst, Rio Blanco county: A 27 year old male was killed and another man (age unknown) was seriously injured by a lightning flash while under a tree. The men were pipeline workers.

1998 July

25th, 1945 mst, Arapahoe county: Female (age unknown) was injured when lightning struck an utility pole. Injuries occurred to the face and shoulder.

4th, 1400 mst, Lake county: Lightning struck an utility pole while 2 people (separate residences) were on the phone. Injuries were "very" minor. (age and gender unknown).

1998 June , None

1998 May

22nd, 1900 mst, Denver county: A male warehouse worker (age unknown) was injured when a lightning flash knocked him off loading dock. Flash originally hit a nearby radio tower and hit him in the arm.

1998 April

7th, 1300 mst, Archuleta county: Lineman (age and gender unknown) in utility basket injured when lightning flash struck nearby. electrical charge raced down line and arched.

1998 March, February, January : None

1997

1997 December, November, October, September : None.

1997 August

11th, 1500 mst, Adams county: Lightning hit outside and the electrical current traveled in the phone lines affecting a man (age unknown) on the phone inside his home.

31st, 1530 mst, La Plata county: A 39 year old female riding a mountain bike along mountain ridge was struck and killed by lightning.

1997 July

6th, 1230 mst, El Paso county: 39 year old man was injured and eventually died when struck by lightning in an open field.

24th, 1815 mst, Pitkin county: a 21 year old man was struck and killed by lightning when hiking on a ridge above Capital creek.

29th, 1210 mst, Jefferson county: Female suffered temporary blindness when lightning "passed" through an office window.

30th, 1545 mst, Denver county: 27 year old male killed and woman injured when they took cover under a tree on a golf course.

1997 June

5th, 1400 mst, Boulder county: Lightning hit a nearby power line and then arcing to the left hand of a woman (age unknown) walking towards her car. Time estimated

7th, 1200 mst, Boulder county: Lightning injured a man (age unknown) while talking on the phone. Time estimated.

7th, 1400 mst, Denver county: A 39 year old male plumber was killed and his accomplice (age and gender unknown) was injured while working on a pipe at a construction site. The man who was killed was initially injured by died 3 days later.

8th, 1345 mst, Summit county: 2 male search and rescue personnel (ages unknown) were injured while rescuing a skier. The snowmobile was initially hit by the flash which injured the driver. The 2nd rescuer was injured by same flash, but he was over 1/4 of a mile away from the snowmobile. The skier being rescued was not injured by the lightning flash.

10th, 1420 mst, Douglas county: Lightning struck a male security guard (age unknown) at a golf course.

19th, 1404 mst, Boulder county: A 66 year old man was knocked unconscious by lightning flash at golf course.

6th, 1800 mst, El Paso county: A 13 year old boy in a park struck by a lightning flash.

1997 May, April, March, February, January: None.

1996 December, November: None

1996

1996 October

16th, 1500 mst, Larimer county: Lightning flash hit a goal post at CSU in Ft Collins injuring 3 football players (age unknown) nearby. Injuries were minor.

1996 September

10th, 1330 mst, El Paso county: A man (age unknown) was injured by a lightning flash while walking to his car in a parking lot.

14th, 1300 mst, Douglas county: A 54 year old woman was injured by a lightning flash while preparing a barbecue. Injuries were minor.

25th, 1730 mst, Otero county: A 31 year old man was killed while working in an onion field.

1996 August

3rd, 1220 mst, San Juan county: A woman and 3 children (ages unknown) were affected by a lightning flash while standing under a tree. A boy required mouth to mouth resuscitation. the gender of the two other children were not reported. The family dog was killed.

19th, 1830 mst, Alamosa county: Two 17 year old students (1 male, 1 female)  were knocked down by a lightning flash. The female was injured.

1996 July

10th, 1720 mst, El Paso county: A man (age unknown) leaving a car dealership was affected by a lightning flash and required hospitalization.

20th, 1900 mst, El Paso county: A 27 year old man was struck and killed by a lightning flash while walking back to his vehicle from archery practice in the Colorado Springs Wildlife area.

23rd, 1300 mst, Larimer county: Two workers (gender and age unknown) were injured by lightning standing near a fence.

1996 June

4th, 1700 mst, Larimer county: A man (age unknown) operating a heavy equipment grader was affected by a lightning flash while climbing off a scraper/grader. Injuries were reported as minor.

13th, 1400 mst, Ouray county: A 41 year old man was struck and killed by a lightning flash while hiking near the summit of Mt Sneffles. Interestingly, the man was warned of the threat by hikers coming down the mountain.

21st, 1200 mst, Jefferson county: A man (age unknown) received minor injuries when he was affected by a lightning flash while working on a ladder.

1996 May, April, March, February, January, None

1995

Note: prior to 1996, the "time" in Storm Data was not as specific as the years from 1996 and on.

1995 December, November, October, None

1995 September

4th, evening, Jefferson county: Two people (gender and age unknown) were injured in a home when lightning entered into the attic, traveled through the house and exploded a mirror shattering glass on them.

8th, 1800 mst, Morgan county: A 33 year old male hunter was killed and his partner (age and gender unknown) was injured when lightning struck the shotgun of the man who was killed was carrying. The two hunters were under a tree.

10th, unknown, Chaffee county: A 29 year old female was killed by lightning near the top of Mt Princeton.

29th, evening, Arapahoe county: A couple (ages unknown) was injured by a lightning flash as they were walking in the rain under an umbrella.

1995 August

8th, 1430 mst, Kit Carson county: An male police officer (age unknown) was blinded by a lightning flash and lost control of his cruiser as he was responding to a range land fire started by lightning. Injuries were minor.

9th, 1030 mst, Jefferson county: Lightning struck a 16 year old male camp counselor in the back of the head while he and a friend (who was not injured) were under a tree. He stopped breathing but was resuscitated by others nearby. He was in the hospital for three days.

12th, 1330 mst, Weld county: two female teenagers (13 and 18) were affected by a lightning flash while working in an open field.

21st, 1715 mst, Adams county: A 68 year old woman was injured by a lightning flash while standing under a tree.

1995 July

1st, 1500 mst, El Paso county: A 17 year old female was killed and her mom (age unknown) injured by lightning flash on a golf course.

4th, unknown, Jefferson county: Two people (age and gender unknown) were injured by a lighting flash while in an open field.

9th, 1615 mst, El Paso county: A 38 year old male was killed and his partner (age and gender unknown) injured while walking along Pikes Peak Highway. The man killed was a well known landscape photographer, Rich Buzzeli.

13th, 1700 mst, Jefferson county: Lightning injured an assistant baseball coach (age and gender unknown) during a baseball game.

1995 June

2nd, unknown, El Paso county: A man (age unknown) on the phone was injured when lightning struck the telephone wires nearby.

2nd, 1730 mst, Weld county: A man (age unknown) was injured inside his home when lightning struck the building.

2nd, 1740 mst, Weld county: Lightning injured 2 men (ages unknown) when they were pushing a pickup truck out of the mud.

2nd, 2030 mst, Pueblo county: A man (age unknown) was injured while talking on the phone in his home. The flash hit the house and traveled into the wiring.

17th, 1430 mst, San Miguel county: 2 men (ages unknown)  were injured by a lightning flash while under a picnic canopy.

27th, 1530 mst, Boulder county: Lightning hit a radio tower, then arced to a nearby chimney, down the chimney and hit a man (age unknown) in his home.

1995 May

26th, unknown, Arapahoe county: A woman (age unknown) was injured when lightning struck the car she had just entered into. All the windows were blown out of the car.

29th, 1515 mst, Jefferson county: Lightning struck a soccer post injuring 6 nearby spectators. One female (age unknown) required hospitalization (age and gender of other 5 spectators unknown).

1995 April, March, February, January - None

1994

 

 

1994 December, November, October - None

1994 September

9th, 1257 mst, Montrose county: Lightning killed a man (age unknown) in the middle of a raspberry patch.

18th, 1300 mst, Eagle county: Lightning affected a bicyclist riding on a bern in a park. Two others nearby were also injured. Age and gender of all 3 unknown. 

1994 August

2nd, 1100 mst, Larimer county: A family of three (ages and gender unknown) were injured by a lightning flash while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.

2nd, 1400 mst, Larimer county: A hiker (age and gender unknown) was injured by a lightning flash while while in Rocky Mountain National Park.

3rd, 1400 mst, Huerfano county: Six people (ages and gender unknown) were in a car which was struck by lightning injuring all 6.

13th, 1445 mst, Larimer county: Two men (ages unknown) were injured by a lightning flash while fishing on a lake.

1994 July

14th, 1500 mst, El Paso county: A 15 year old boy was injured by a lightning flash in Colorado Springs.

16th, 1430 mst, Teller county: A 39 year old man was killed by lightning while fishing at a reservoir near Cripple Creek.

1994 June

29th, 1300 mst, El Paso county: A lightning flash injured a man (age unknown) while standing at an intersection in Colorado Springs.

1994 May

19th, 1738 mst, Larimer county: A man (age unknown) was injured by a lightning flash while working on his car.

1994 April

23rd, 1900 mst, Pitkin county: 3 male climbers (ages unknown) near the summit of Capital Peak were affected by a lighting flash. One was killed and 2 were injured.

1994 March, February, January - None

1993 

1993 October, November, December - None

1993 September

6th, 1520 mst, Arapahoe County: A 23 year old man was killed by a lightning flash while standing outside his home in Arapahoe County.

1993 August

29th, 1600 mst, La Plata County: A woman (age unknown) was injured by a lightning flash as she sought cover underneath trees in the city of Breen.

1993 January, February, March, April, May, June, July - None

1992

1992 September, October, November, December - None

1992 August

1st, 1900 mst, Arapahoe County: A 20 year old man skiing on Cherry Hill reservoir was seriously injured by a lighting flash

1st, 1905 mst, Adams County: A 50 year old male was injured by lighting while golfing.

2nd, 1640 mst, Eagle County: A 38 year old man was killed while golfing.

10th, 930 mst, Morgan county: A 48 year old man was injured by an early morning lightning flash in Ft Morgan.

30th, 1130 mst, Boulder County: A 49 year old male climber going up Longs Peak was seriously injured by a lighting flash.

1992 July

15th, 1430 mst, Douglas County: A man (age unknown) was injured by a lightning flash while riding near Castle Rock.

15th, 1510 mst, Douglas County: 2 people (age and gender unknown) were injured by a lightning flash in Highlands Ranch

15th, 1530  mst, Douglas County: A man (age unknown) riding in the back of a pickup was injured by a lighting flash. Note the three last entries were all in Douglas county within 1 hour of each other.

1992 June

5th, 1030 mst, Adams County: A lightning flash injured a 15 year old boy.

23rd, 1830 mst, Eagle County: 14 horseback riders in Vail were affected by a lighting flash. 6 were injured including a 64 year old female. The age and gender of the other 5 injured were unknown. 2 horses were killed.

24th, 1310 mst, Larimer County: A male (age unknown) telephone company repair person was affected by a lightning flash while working on equipment.

28th, 1900 mst, Larimer County: Two male climbers were casualties of a lightning flash in Rocky Mountain Park. A 31 year old man was killed while the other man (age unknown) was injured.

1992 May

9th, 1630 mst, Jefferson County: 3 boys (ages 11, 12 and 16) were injured by a lighting flash which hit a large tree which they were under.

1992 April

5th, 1255 mst, Summit County: A rare report of lightning casualties in the early spring in the mountains in Colorado. 1 Skier (38 year old male) was killed and 2 injured (1 male/1 female - ages unknown) at Vail ski resort.

1992 January, February, March - None

1991

1991 October, November, December - None

1991 September

7th, 1300 mst, Costilla County: A 48 year old man was injured by a lightning flash while fishing near San Luis.

1991 August

9th, 1500 mst, Larimer County: A 29 year old woman from Massachusetts was injured by a lightning flash while sightseeing in Rocky Mountain National Park.

18th, 1900 mst, Kit Carson County: A 33 year old man was injured by a lightning flash while filling oil tanks in Hugo.

1991 July

9th, 1340 mst, Moffat County: A lightning flash killed a 37 year old man in Craig.

1991 June

12th, 1430 mst, Denver County: 7 people (5 male/2 female) picnicking under a tree were injured, 1 seriously, by a lightning flash. (Ages ranged between 19 and 26, but know specifics were given).

13th, 1400 mst, Boulder County: A 36 year old man in a tent was injured by a lighting flash.

16th, 1140 mst, Larimer County: Two people (age and gender unknown) hiking in an exposed ridge top at Horsetooth Reservoir were injured, 1 critically, by a lightning flash.

16th, 1330 mst, Chaffee County: A 36 year old man fishing near Buena Vista was injured by a lightning flash.

27th, 1800 mst, Pueblo County: A 42 year old female was killed by a lightning flash and 3 others (1 male/2 female - no ages reported) injured at a wedding rehearsal.

1991 May

29th, 1545 mst, Weld County: A 13 year old boy was seriously injured by lighting while in a field.

31st, 1615 mst, El Paso County: 3 teenagers (no gender reported) were injured, one 16 year old seriously, by a lightning flash at the Air Force Academy. The other 2 teenagers' ages were not reported.

1991 April

29th, 1700 mst, Arapahoe County: 2 men (ages unknown) were injured while golfing at Cherry Hills golf course.

1991 January, February, March - None

1990

1990 October, November, December - None

1990 September

1st, 1855 mst, Routt County: A 48 year old man hunting near Steamboat Springs was killed by a lightning flash. His 34 year old male partner was seriously injured.

1990 August

17th, 1455 mst, Arapahoe County: 4 construction workers (ages and gender unknown) were injured by a lighting flash while standing in a field.

1990 July

1st, 1300 mst, Summit County: 5 people hiking up Grays Peak were injured by a lightning flash. Gender and ages unknown except for a 36 year old female who was injured seriously.

9th 1615 mst, El Paso County: A 23 year old male Montana National Guardsman training at Ft Carson was injured while reaching for the radio in a military vehicle.

9th, 1800 mst, El Paso County: A lightning flash injured a 41 year old man while he was walking outside to check for water damage.

14th, 0700 mst, San Juan County: A 35 year old man was killed and his fiancee (age unknown) seriously injured by an early morning lightning flash while camping.

1990 January, February, March, April, May, June - None