BlockColorado City, Texas
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1952 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Colorado City census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79512. It stands on Lone Wolf Creek. The Survey maps it on the Colorado City quadrangle. 3,991 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 2,067 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Colorado City
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 1 record
Scott-Majors Houselisted 1979
Population over time
2 figuresColorado City fell from 4,146 to 3,991 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4,146 | |
| 2020 | 3,991 | -155 (-4%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 9 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1952 USGS Colorado City quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1954 USGS Big Spring quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1958 USGS Big Spring quadrangle1:250000
- 1985 USGS Sweetwater quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
5 since 2005Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 5 fires within 5 miles of Colorado City between 2005 and 2011, burning about 13,744 acres in total. None 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/undetermined | 3 |
| Debris and open burning | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 February 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 13,740 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | MITCHELL COMPLEX-COLORADO CITY FIRE |
| 28 December 2005 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 23 January 2006 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 18 January 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 11 January 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Colorado City: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Sand and Gravel Operation | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 187 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Colorado City in 187 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 96 hail, 55 thunderstorm wind, 23 flash flood, 11 tornado. The reports record 4 injuries. 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2004 | Tornado (F2) | Colorado City | 3 hurt, $250,000 | A National Weather Service damage survey team concluded that a significant tornado struck rural areas of southeastern Mitchell County during the evening of the 11th. The team examined a damage path marked by shredded vegetation (mostly mesquite trees), downed utility poles, agricultural fences, and a complex of destroyed mobile homes that extended over ten miles in a continuous horseshoe shaped path that crossed State Route 208 twenty miles south-southeast of Colorado City.The tornado developed seventeen miles south-southeast of Colorado City around 2028 CST. Damage indicates the tornado's motion was initially toward the southeast then east as it crossed the heavily traveled State Route 208. Two Texas Tech University students traveling north on 208 (south of the tornado's path) watched as a Ford Expedition drove into the tornadic circulation. The large sports utility vehicle was blown 100 yards off of the highway. Evidence supports the vehicle was rolled a considerable distance by the tornadic winds, but it is unclear whether it became airborne. Three motorists were transferred to local hospitals. One person sustained serious injuries that included a broken back.A detailed damage path analysis and corresponding radar data suggest that the tornado then tracked very slowly east a few miles before curving to the northeast. Similar curved damage paths (turning left of the tornado's original motion) are commonly observed when well-developed tornadoes enter the dissipation stage. The tornado proved to remain very dangerous, however, as eight mobile homes were destroyed by the tornado near the end of its life cycle twenty miles southeast of Colorado City. The light weight and unanchored structures were blown over and shredded by the dissipation stage tornadic winds. The trailers were arranged in a complex and were used to provide shelter for groups of hunters that frequent the ranch property. They were not occupied when the tornado struck. |
| August 1997 | Lightning | Colorado City | 1 hurt | Lightning strikes at Lake Colorado City injured a young girl who suffered burns on her arm. |
| September 2003 | Tornado (F1) | Colorado City | $250,000 | A tornado developed along Farm to Market Road 1983 just west of Colorado City, approximately one half mile south of Interstate Business 20. The tornado initially moved northwest, and produced light damage to two mobile homes along 1983. An eyewitness who observed the tornado during its early stages described the tornado as a tall and narrow vortex which lofted debris approximately 200 feet into the air. The tornado began moving west along Interstate Business 20. Part of the roof was blown off of the KVCM-KAUM Radio station. The tornado then strengthened as it moved through a rural residential neighborhood immediately south of Business 20. A house west of the radio station lost part of its roof, a car port, and a storage barn. Two campers were destroyed at this residence, with one being deposited southeast of its original location. Utility poles and trees were also damaged. F1 damage was sustained to the next house along the path to the west. Tornadic winds damaged the garage door of this well built home on the northeast corner of the structure. After the garage door was compromised, high speed winds (estimated between 90 and 100 MPH) entered the remainder of the structure, and the roof blew off. Large pieces of roof debris knocked down utility poles, damaged large trees, and moved vehicles located downwind of the house. The adjacent house to the west was also sustained damage from flying debris. A home owner two houses further west observed the the tornado, and fled in his vehicle on Business 20. He observed the dissipation of the debris-filled tornado, and watched as large pieces of roof were deposited on his property causing additional minor damage. |
| March 2004 | Tornado (F0) | Colorado City | $125,000 | A tornado severely damaged two trailer homes and a few recreational vehicles in the Lake Champion vicinity along Highway 208 south of Colorado City. The roof was partially removed from one trailer house, and another was rolled onto its top. No injuries were reported. |
| October 1997 | Tornado (F1) | Colorado City | $100,000 | An early morning tornado damaged two houses nine miles south of Colorado City. The tornado also destroyed a shed, blew over three gasoline storage tanks, and tore the roof off of a barn. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $80,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage nine miles southeast of Colorado City. A 750 foot long center pivot irrigation system was toppled over on its side. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $80,000 | A broad swath of severe thunderstorm winds resulted in up to forty downed power and utility poles over southeastern Mitchell County. A National Weather Service damage survey concluded that these winds were associated with the storm's occlusion and precluded tornadogenisis. These rear flank downdraft winds snapped poles along State Route 208 and in rural areas east of the highway to the county line. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $75,000 | An intense gust front associated with the RFD surged south from the tornadic supercell in northern Mitchell County. This gust front was visually demarked by a classic dust foot that tracked from northwest to southeast across the town of Colorado City. The RFD winds resulted in downing at least two power poles. Utility lines were blown down across the city, and numerous large trees were uprooted. One tree fell onto a car. In addition, a portion of a roof was blown off of a mobile home, and damage was reported to a radio tower. No injuries were reported, but a local utility company reported at least fifty-two customers were left without electricity after the storm. |
| May 1997 | Hail | Colorado City | $70,000 | no account filed |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $50,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage three miles west of Colorado City. There was an estimated wind gust of 75 mph that flipped a semi-trailer on I-20. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $50,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage seven miles south southeast of Colorado City. Near Lake Champion at CR 121/119 at Highway 208 there was significant damage observed to trees including eight inch diameter tree limbs down, two trees broken, and one uprooted. There was roof damage observed on multiple structures as well as a damaged utility trailer. The time of the damage was estimated from radar and the wind speed was estimated from the damage. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $50,000 | Widespread wind damage was reported at Lake Colorado City. Several trailer homes were overturned or experienced roof damage. A 25-foot tree was toppled and others were stripped of their leaves. Another resident reported that a tire was blown from the roof of their carport and loosened gutters at a neighbor's house. |
| May 2002 | Tornado (F0) | Colorado City | $50,000 | Storm spotters reported a tornado. An NWS damage survey determined a path width of 250 yards with a length between one half mile and one mile. The tornado blew down sixteen power poles as it crossed Highway 208 north of Colorado City. Dollar estimates of damage determined through interviews with utility company responsible for damaged power poles. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $50,000 | Winds blew down several trees and power lines at Lake Colorado City. |
| September 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $30,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced a 61 mph wind gust which caused wind damage in Colorado City. There was moderate tree and roof damage reported. The time was estimated from radar. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $30,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage on the south end of Colorado City. Roofs were blown off and four telephone poles were blown down. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| March 2004 | Hail | Colorado City | $25,000 | Reports indicate that hail ranging in size from quarters to ping pong balls fell in the town of Colorado City for fourteen minutes. Several cars were severely damaged. |
| May 2008 | Hail | Colorado City | $20,000 | Golfball to baseball sized hail fell in Colorado City. |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $20,000 | Strong outflow winds from thunderstorms caused minor damage. Some wooden fences were knocked down near Lubbock and part of a warehouse's roof was blown off in Plainview. In Colorado City, trees were uprooted and roofs were damaged on several mobile homes. |
| August 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $15,000 | A roof was blown off of a home south of Colorado City. Damage was likely due to downdraft winds associated with a thunderstorm that passed just to the south. Time is based on radar. Wind speeds were estimated to be 100 mph. Property damage cost is an estimation. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $15,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage in Colorado City. The roof was blown off of the Wallace school in Colorado City. The cost of damage is a rough estimate. |
| May 2006 | Tornado (F1) | Colorado City | $15,000 | A third tornado formed nine miles southwest of Colorado City along Texas Highway 163. Extensive tree and structural damage was found at a residence on the west side of the road. Several large trees were uprooted or heavily damaged. A grass seeder weighing approximately 150 pounds was carried a distance of 50 feet. Also, extensive damage to a barn and storage shed were found at the residence. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $15,000 | Trees and power poles were downed by severe thunderstorm winds. |
| March 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $12,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage in Colorado City. There were large tree limbs that were blown down and power poles were snapped. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | Report of a large tree blown down onto a vehicle and damage to the roof of an outbuilding just north of Colorado City. Time is estimated from radar and nearby observations. Wind speeds were estimated to be between 80 to 90 mph. Property damage cost amount is an estimation. |
| October 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | Report of a carport being tossed into a home causing damage and T-posts ripped out of the ground and being lodged into a barb-wired fence. Time is estimated from radar. Wind speeds are estimated to be 80 mph. Property cost damage is an estimation. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage nine miles east of Colorado City. Power poles were blown down due to the thunderstorm. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced damaging winds in Colorado City. An 18 wheeler was jack-knifed on Interstate 20 as a result of the winds. The cost of damage is a rough estimate. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | Strong thunderstorm winds from a previously tornadic supercell snapped a power pole and damaged a metal barn. |
| May 2006 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | $10,000 | The Mitchell County Sheriff's Office reported several cars stranded by floodwaters on Interstate 20. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | The emergency manager in Mitchell County reported that two homes had their roofs blown off by thunderstorm associated winds. One was a mobile home that had a roof attached. It is unknown what type of house the other home was. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $10,000 | A semi-truck was damaged by severe thunderstorm winds. |
| June 1997 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | $10,000 | Interstate 20 and HIghway 208 were flooded in and around Colorado City. Several wrecks were attributed to the rain. |
| April 2007 | Tornado (EF0) | Colorado City | $8,000 | A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service determined that a tornado touched down just north of the intersection of Interstate 20 and southbound Texas Highway 208 near Colorado City and continued to parallel the Interstate to just northwest of Loraine.|This tornado remained over open fields inaccessible by roadways at its maximum intensity. Some damage found to a field irrigation system, power poles, including those near the intersection of Farm to Market Road 1899 and Interstate 20, vegetation, and damage to an Interstate 20 sign for exit 223 led the damage survey team to assign an EF0 rating to this tornado. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $8,000 | Several power poles were blown down and a roof was severely damaged |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $7,000 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced wind damage in and around Colorado City. Downed power lines were reported on several county and farm to market roads as well as State Highway 208. The cost of damage is a rough estimate. |
| July 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $6,000 | High winds downed 10 to 12 power poles. |
| June 2022 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | $5,000 | Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding one mile south southwest of Colorado City. There was street and road flooding which lead to street and road closures. Vehicles were stranded. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $5,000 | Power poles and trees were blown down. The tree sizes and number of power poles/trees were unknown. Power outages were also reported just west of Colorado City, TX. The property damage for this event was estimated. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $5,000 | Law enforcement reported a roof was blown off an old small structure and trees were downed by thunderstorm winds. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $5,000 | A local radio broadcaster reported thunderstorm winds as "exceptional" in Colorado City. A vehicle was blown off of the highway just west of the city. No injuries were reported. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $5,000 | A roof was blown off a house and several trees uprroted |
| June 2003 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | $3,000 | Local officials reported flash flooding which resulted in high water in parts of Colorado City. One report indicated the water was "knee high" outside a partially flooded trailer home. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $2,000 | Local law enforcement reported multiple power lines were downed due the strong winds. The number of power poles/lines damaged was not available. |
| July 2021 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | $1,000 | Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding in Colorado City. There were multiple low water crossing rescues that occurred around Colorado City. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Colorado City | $1,000 | Penny to quarter size hail fell west of Colorado City, breaking at least one windshield. |
| September 2016 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | $500 | Heavy rain fell across Mitchell County and produced flash flooding in and south of Colorado City. Cones were put out for a section of highway South 208 at the Lake Champion turnoff. Rapid water is flowing over the road. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $500 | Power lines were knocked down across the eastern sections of Mitchell County. |
| May 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | $500 | A radio station in Colorado City reported wind gusts to 60 miles an hour. Only minor damage resulted. |
| May 1993 | Hail | Colorado City | $500 | SKYWARN spotters and the public reported golf ball-size hail in Colorado City. The hail covered the ground and caused minor damage to crops and vehicles. As the storm moved northeast, quarter-size hail fell north of Loraine, as reported by the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office. |
| March 2018 | Hail | Colorado City | $100 | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced quarter sized hail seven miles south southeast of Colorado City. There was light impact denting on steel roofing but no broken windows. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Colorado City | - | A storm chaser reported quarter-sized hail. 40 mph winds were also measured with this storm. The total time of occurrence is estimated from radar. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Colorado City | - | Quarter-size hail was reported in Colorado City. The time of occurrence is estimated from radar. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Colorado City | - | Penny-size hail was reported in Colorado City. The time of occurrence is estimated from radar. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Colorado City | - | Golf ball-sized hail was reported near Lake Colorado City. |
| September 2024 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | - | This was a report from mPING indicating potential road closures. |
| October 2023 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | - | Report received from mPING of flash flooding. |
| September 2023 | Flash Flood | Colorado City | - | Report from mPING of flash flooding. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Colorado City | - | A thunderstorm moved across Mitchell County and produced a 62 mph wind gust at the Colorado City mesonet site. |
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.
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 Colorado City | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q982585 | The 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 1333141. 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.