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Wray, Colorado

9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1981. It stands in the Wray census division. It lies in ZIP code area 80758. It stands on Holy Joe Creek. The Survey maps it on the Wray quadrangle. 2,358 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,566 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Wray within Yuma County

On record in Wray

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 2 records

Population over time

2 figures

Wray grew from 2,342 to 2,358 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20102,342
20202,358+16 (+1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 9 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

20 since 2010

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 20 fires within 5 miles of Wray between 2010 and 2017, burning about 201 acres in total. 1 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined14
Recreation and ceremony2
Natural1
Railroad operations and maintenance1
Equipment and vehicle use1
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
20 September 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined14 acresColorado State Forest Service-State Headquartersnot named
20 July 2015Railroad operations and maintenance2.0 acresYuma Volunteer Fire Department (Yuma Rural Fire Protection District)UNKNOWN
30 June 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined96 acresColorado State Forest Service-State HeadquartersWRAY
28 June 2010Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreColorado State Forest Service-State Headquartersnot named
27 June 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWray Volunteer Fire Department (Yuma County Fire Protection District)UNKNOWN
19 June 2015Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreYuma Volunteer Fire Department (Yuma Rural Fire Protection District)UNKNOWN
17 June 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreWray Volunteer Fire Department (Yuma County Fire Protection District)UNKNOWN
5 May 2016Recreation and ceremony2.0 acresWray Volunteer Fire Department (Yuma County Fire Protection District)UNKNOWN

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Yuma County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 15 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 15 workings within 5 miles of Wray: 8 past producers, 7 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay, Fire Clay (Refractory), Volcanic Materials. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
UnknownFire Clay (Refractory)OccurrenceSedimentary
UnknownVolcanic MaterialsOccurrence
UnknownPumicePast Producer
UnknownClayOccurrenceSedimentary
UnknownClayPast Producer
UnknownClayPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceSand
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceGravel

Every working recorded in Yuma County

Storms near this place

60 of 206 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Wray in 206 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 154 hail, 37 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado, 6 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1998HailWray$50,000Baseball size hail broke windows and windshields.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindWray$20,000Picked up northwest corner of house roof and dropped it again, breaking four roof trusses. Healthy 12 inch diameter honey locus tree 25 feet tall nearby was uprooted.
May 2005HailWray$6,000Car damage reported to be $6,000.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindWray$5,500As the line of storms moved over the location, 1 inch in diameter tree limbs were snapped off trees and a few shingles blown off the roof of a home.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindWray$2,000Pictures of an un-anchored hay shed flipped and thrown about 100 yards due to wind. Estimated size of the barn is 12X20 feet. Speed is estimated based on nearby measured gusts and the building that was thrown.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindWray$1,000A large cottonwood tree was toppled.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindWray$1,000Trained spotter reported a 6-inch live tree branch broken off and several power poles leaning over as a result of the wind gust.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindWray$1,000Two power poles blown down in town of Wray.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindWray$300Large tree limbs, estimated 4 to 6 inches in diameter, reported down as the line of storms move over the location.
April 2009HailWray$250A trained spotter reported golf ball sized hail broke a window.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWray$10Tree branches reported down due to thunderstorm wind gusts in Wray, CO.
May 2025HailWray-A social media report of quarter size hail in Wray.
May 2025HailWray-Quarter size hail was in reported in Wray by the public. This was with a second round of storms that moved through the area.
June 2025HailWray-Quarter sized hail reported on the east side of Wray.
June 2025HailWray-Numerous reports of hail around half dollar size in Wray throughout a 12 minute span.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindWray-KCOWRAY on WeatherUnderground reported the gust.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindWray-A Spotter Network report of 60 mph wind gust via a handheld anemometer.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindWray-The mesonet site KCOWray25 reported the wind gust.
May 2024HailWray-Multiple reports of hail in the city of Wray over a duration of eight minutes. Hail ranged in size from penny to quarter.
May 2024HailWray-Pea to quarter sized hail fell over the location.
May 2024HailWray-The public reported nickel sized hail in Wray.
May 2024HailWray-Multiple public reports from Wray of hail from 1-1.75 inches across a 25 minute period.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindWray-Report of estimated 70 mph wind gusts on Hwy 385 approx. 3.5 to 1.5 miles south of Hwy 34 in Wray.
May 2023HailWray-Wray law enforcement reported baseball sized hail.
May 2023HailWray-Hail up to two inches in diameter fell over the location.
June 2023HailWray-Report of nickel sized hail 3 miles west of Wray, CO.
July 2022HailWray-Most of the hail was smaller, with a mixture of half to three quarter inch hailstones.
July 2022HailWray-Received a photo of hail slightly smaller than a tennis ball.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindWray-Mesonet station FIXFARM reported a 61 mph gust as the line of storm move over the location.
May 2020HailWray-Public relayed a report via Facebook of dime to nickel size hail falling at their location. They also reported a 24-hour rain total of 0.98.
August 2020HailWray-Trained spotter reported ongoing nickel sized hail.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindWray-A trained spotter observed an estimated 60 mph wind gust as the line of thunderstorms moved over the location.
May 2019HailWray-Also reported broken tree branches, but no diameter was given.
July 2019HailWray-The public reported via Facebook comment golf ball hail three miles west of Wray. The report also included a picture of several large hail stones.
July 2019HailWray-This was near Stalker lake.
July 2018HailWray-Dime size hail was reported.
May 2018HailWray-The hail ranged from penny to nickel size.
July 2018HailWray-Wind gusts of 60 MPH also occurred with the hail.
July 2018Thunderstorm WindWray-Quarter size hail occurred with the winds.
May 2018HailWray-Pea to nickel size hail was reported in Wray.
May 2018HailWray-Dime size hail reported in Wray.
June 2017HailWray-Golf ball to hen egg size hail fell in town.
May 2016Tornado (EF0)Wray-The weak tornado moved due north, crossing CR 32 less than a half mile west of the CR 32 and Highway 385 intersection. The tornado moved through electrical lines, but no power flashes or damage to the lines were evident in video of the tornado from a storm chaser. The tornado remained in open fields during its lifetime.
July 2014HailWray-Hail was mostly dime to quarter size with a few larger stones the size of golf balls.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindWray-Trees and power lines blown down in Wray.
May 2013HailWray-The observer reported hail size ranging from .75 to one inch diameter hail.
May 2013HailWray-The hail sizes ranged from nickel to quarter size in town.
May 2011Flash FloodWray-Republican River reported out of its banks at the Wray shopping center along Highway 34 in town. No stores were immediately being threatened by high water. River reported to be receding at 2034 MDT with rain ending. Rainfall of 1.57 inches reported at one point in the evening.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindWray-NWS employee estimated peak winds to be near 60 mph.
August 2010HailWray-Heavy rain also occurred with water ponding at the intersection of Hwy 385 and Hwy 34.
June 2009HailWray-Most hailstones were 1.0 to 1.5 inches in diameter, but largest was 2.5 inches.
June 2008Flash FloodWray-Observer reported 2.5 inches total rainfall with 2.00 inches falling in about 15 minutes. Observer reported severe flooding locally.
June 2008Flash FloodWray-The second supercell of the afternoon produced torrential rainfall from Wray northward on highway 385. Water was reported running across roads.
June 2008Tornado (EF0)Wray-Employee reported a brief event...no known damage.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindWray-A local irrigation company in Wray measured a wind gust of 55 kts (63 mph).
May 2007HailWray-Hail covered the ground.
April 2007Tornado (EF0)Wray-Over open fields...no known damage.
May 2007Tornado (EF0)Wray-Tornado estimated near Rd JJ, Rd 34 (not Hwy 34). Tornado reported to be brief. Over open fields...no known damage.
April 2007HailWray-Dime-sized hail covered the ground.
April 2007Flash FloodWray-Spotter reported flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms.

Every storm recorded in Yuma County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Laird6.4 miles9
Robb8.1 miles7
Vernon10.2 miles8
Beecher Island14.2 miles10
Eckley14.4 miles8
Wauneta15.1 miles8
Alvin17.8 miles8
Armel20.2 miles10

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on WrayAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q1013925The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 183032. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.