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Tornado History

Seward Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Seward, Kansas. The records below identify 37 tornadoes from 1951 through 2023, including a highest listed rating of F3 (Severe damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $16.1M, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes37
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries12
Property Damage$16.1M
Avg Length3.8 mi
Avg Width187 yd

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Key Tornado Facts for Seward, Kansas

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

Average 0.5 tornadoes per year (0.3/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 12 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F0 in Seward, Kansas with 0 deaths
1982 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (12 events)
Longest tornado: 18.56 miles in Seward, Kansas
Widest tornado: 1,900.0 yards in Seward, Kansas
Most tornadoes in one day: 3 on May 26, 1996

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 Seward, Kansas, May is the most active month with 12 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

3210

Summary: 1982 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
F3
EF3
Unknown

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 10 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.

$14.2M$1.4M$142K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2003 with at least $14.2M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F3 June 21, 19741974F3 June 6, 19891989EF3 November 16, 20152015F2 May 15, 20032003F2 May 15, 20032003F2 May 26, 19961996F2 May 15, 20032003F2 April 9, 19941994F2 March 18, 19821982F1 April 14, 19761976F1 August 5, 19801980F1 August 29, 19821982F1 March 7, 20002000EF1 May 24, 20152015EF1 July 1, 2020F1 May 26, 1996F1 May 28, 1953EF1 August 2, 2009F1 July 17, 1981F1 July 3, 1967F1 April 5, 2005F1 June 16, 2005F0 May 26, 1996F0 May 15, 1982F0 April 26, 1951F0 May 7, 1998F0 May 29, 2001F0 July 10, 2002F0 April 5, 2005F0 June 22, 2006EF0 June 10, 2009EF0 May 24, 2015EF0 December 25, 2016EF0 February 26, 2023Unknown October 26, 1954Unknown June 4, 1955Unknown June 4, 1955© OpenStreetMap contributors

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 21, 1974F3Seward, Kansas2.7 mi30 yd02$25K
June 6, 1989F3Seward, Kansas12 mi500 yd00$25K
November 16, 2015EF3Seward, Kansas18.56 mi1900 yd00N/A
May 15, 2003F2Seward, Kansas2.5 mi100 yd00$8.0M
May 15, 2003F2Seward, Kansas2.5 mi100 yd00$6.0M
May 26, 1996F2Seward, Kansas14 mi450 yd00$200K
May 15, 2003F2Seward, Kansas4.9 mi100 yd00$150K
April 9, 1994F2Seward, Kansas7 mi1000 yd08$50K
March 18, 1982F2Seward, Kansas0.5 mi30 yd00$25K
April 14, 1976F1Seward, Kansas1.3 mi50 yd00$250K
August 5, 1980F1Seward, Kansas10 mi23 yd00$250K
August 29, 1982F1Seward, Kansas0.1 mi10 yd00$250K

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Source And Limits

Data source: NOAA/NCEI. TornadoTrace summarizes historical records for screening and research. Coordinates, damage estimates, narratives, and event details can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. Do not use this page as legal, insurance, engineering, real estate, emergency management, or safety advice.