Tornado History

Kansas Tornado History

This page summarizes tornado history for Kansas. The local dataset contains 4,882 tornado records from 1950 through 2026, with a strongest listed rating of F5 (Incredible damage) and at least $3.3B in reported property damage. The latest tornado record in this group is May 31, 2026. Across these records, NOAA lists 236 deaths and 2,843 injuries.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes4,882
Total Deaths236
Total Injuries2,843
Property Damage$3.3B
Avg Length4.0 mi
Avg Width127 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Kansas

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 63.4 tornadoes per year (62.3/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 1,899 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F5 in Kansas with 75 deaths
2008 was the most active year with 218 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (1,229 events)
Longest tornado: 106.8 miles in Kansas
Widest tornado: 3,872.0 yards in Kansas
Most tornadoes in one day: 90 on May 23, 2008

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Kansas, May is the most active month with 1,899 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

218146730

Summary: 2008 was the most active year with 218 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
EF3
F4
EF4
F5
EF5
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F0 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 1,524 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$575.0M$57.5M$5.7M$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1991 with at least $575.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Tornado Count By County

Compares the counties with the most tornado records in this state dataset.

Ford
Sherman
Barton
Finney
Butler
Sedgwick
Sumner
Cowley
Reno
Russell
Pratt
Republic
Stafford
Kingman
Ellis
Harper
Kiowa
Gove
Thomas
Scott

Summary: Ford County has the highest count in this state group with 114 tornado records.

Historical Track Sketch

F5 June 8, 19661966F5 April 26, 19911991F5 April 26, 19911991EF5 May 4, 20072007F5 March 13, 19901990F5 March 13, 19901990F5 March 13, 19901990F5 March 13, 19901990F5 March 13, 19901990F5 March 13, 19901990F5 May 20, 19571957F5 May 20, 19571957F5 May 25, 19551955F5 May 25, 19551955F5 May 25, 1955F5 May 25, 1955F5 May 25, 1955F4 May 3, 1999EF4 June 11, 2008F4 April 21, 2001EF4 May 28, 2019F4 May 19, 1960F4 June 8, 1974F4 June 8, 1974F4 April 26, 1991F4 March 26, 1991F4 June 15, 1992F4 May 4, 2003F4 May 4, 2003F4 May 5, 1993F4 June 27, 1951F4 April 2, 1956F4 April 2, 1956F4 April 3, 1956F4 June 10, 1958F4 May 19, 1960F4 May 7, 1961F4 May 7, 1961F4 May 7, 1961F4 May 7, 1961F4 May 10, 1985F4 May 10, 1985F4 May 10, 1985F4 May 10, 1985EF4 May 23, 2008EF4 February 28, 2007F4 May 12, 2004F4 May 4, 1950F4 May 4, 1950F4 June 8, 1950F4 June 8, 1950F4 May 22, 1952F4 May 22, 1952F4 May 22, 1952F4 June 4, 1955F4 June 4, 1955F4 April 2, 1956F4 April 3, 1956F4 May 20, 1957F4 May 19, 1960F4 August 6, 1962F4 April 12, 1964F4 March 16, 1965F4 March 16, 1965F4 June 8, 1966F4 June 23, 1969F4 April 30, 1972F4 April 30, 1972F4 April 17, 1976F4 June 15, 1992EF4 May 18, 2013F4 April 2, 1956F4 April 2, 1956F4 April 2, 1956F4 September 27, 1959F4 April 2, 1956F4 April 2, 1956F4 June 8, 1974EF4 April 14, 2012EF4 May 25, 2016© OpenStreetMap contributors
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
June 8, 1966F5Shawnee, Kansas21.1 mi880 yd16450$250.0M
April 26, 1991F5Butler, Kansas22 mi700 yd13150$250.0M
May 4, 2007EF5Kiowa, Kansas25.8 mi3000 yd1163$250.0M
April 26, 1991F5Sedgwick, Kansas24 mi440 yd475$250.0M
March 13, 1990F5Harvey, Kansas26 mi1320 yd159$25.0M
March 13, 1990F5Marion, Kansas16 mi1320 yd10$25.0M
March 13, 1990F5Reno, Kansas21 mi1320 yd01$25.0M
March 13, 1990F5Harvey, Kansas2 mi1320 yd00$25.0M
March 13, 1990F5McPherson, Kansas1 mi1320 yd00$25.0M
March 13, 1990F5McPherson, Kansas4 mi1320 yd00$25.0M
May 20, 1957F5Miami, Kansas29.1 mi440 yd420$2.5M
May 20, 1957F5Franklin, Kansas27.7 mi440 yd311$2.5M
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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