Tornado History
Elk Tornado History
This county-level tornado history page focuses on Elk, Kansas. The records below identify 31 tornadoes from 1956 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $3.1M, with 2 deaths and 8 injuries recorded across the listed events.
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Key Tornado Statistics
Key Tornado Facts for Elk, Kansas
Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.
Average 0.4 tornadoes per year (0.7/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 11 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Elk, Kansas with 1 deaths
1957 was the most active year with 5 tornadoes
The 1950s had the most tornado activity (10 events)
Longest tornado: 22.4 miles in Elk, Kansas
Widest tornado: 880.0 yards in Elk, Kansas
Most tornadoes in one day: 5 on May 16, 1957
Monthly Distribution
Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.
Summary: In Elk, Kansas, April is the most active month with 11 tornadoes.
Annual Tornado Trend
Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.
Summary: 1957 was the most active year with 5 recorded tornadoes.
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.
Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1956 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.
Historical Track Sketch
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Elk, Kansas.
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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.
| Date | Rating | Area | Length | Width | Deaths | Injuries | Min. property damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2, 1956 | F4 | Elk, Kansas | 15.8 mi | 880 yd | 1 | 6 | $2.5M |
| April 2, 1956 | F4 | Elk, Kansas | 11.5 mi | 880 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| April 26, 1991 | F3 | Elk, Kansas | 12 mi | 200 yd | 1 | 2 | $250K |
| November 27, 1960 | F2 | Elk, Kansas | 17.3 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| June 18, 1959 | F2 | Elk, Kansas | 2.5 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| June 3, 1965 | F2 | Elk, Kansas | 22.4 mi | 87 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| October 8, 1982 | F1 | Elk, Kansas | 3 mi | 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| April 26, 1984 | F1 | Elk, Kansas | 13 mi | 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| September 21, 2019 | EF1 | Elk, Kansas | 1.2 mi | 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| April 16, 1960 | F1 | Elk, Kansas | 1 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| April 19, 1968 | F1 | Elk, Kansas | 9.9 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| April 27, 2024 | EF1 | Elk, Kansas | 0.04 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 | N/A |
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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.