Kansas recorded 4,573 tornadoes from 1950 through 2024, an average of 61 a year, in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database. They killed 237 people. The busiest year was 2008, with 187.
Tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950: none under 10 10 to 25 25 to 50 50 to 75 75 to 100 over 100. Tap a county for its history.
Tornadoes by year
The rise since the 1990s is mostly better detection of weak tornadoes, not a jump in strong ones.
Tornado season in Kansas
May is the peak, with 1,747 tornadoes since 1950 (38% of the total).
How strong
| Rating | Estimated 3-second gust | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) | 2,608 |
| F1 / EF1 | Moderate: 86 to 110 mph | 1,122 |
| F2 / EF2 | Considerable: 111 to 135 mph | 471 |
| F3 / EF3 | Severe: 136 to 165 mph | 193 |
| F4 / EF4 | Devastating: 166 to 200 mph | 42 |
| F5 / EF5 | Incredible: over 200 mph | 8 |
| EF-U | Unknown: no damage to rate (mostly since 2016) | 129 |
Kansas has had 8 F5 or EF5 tornadoes, the top of the scale.
The deadliest tornadoes in Kansas
| Date | Rating | Deaths in Kansas | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 1955 | F5 | 80 | Cowley County, Sumner County |
| April 26, 1991 | F5 | 17 | Butler County, Sedgwick County |
| June 8, 1966 | F5 | 16 | Shawnee County |
| June 17, 1978 | F1 | 16 | Osage County |
| June 10, 1958 | F4 | 15 | Butler County |
| May 4, 2007 | EF5 (the Greensburg tornado) | 11 | Comanche County, Kiowa County |
| May 20, 1957 | F5 | 7 | Franklin County, Johnson County, Miami County |
| June 8, 1974 | F4 | 6 | Lyon County, Osage County, Shawnee County |
| May 3, 1999 | F4 | 6 | Sedgwick County, Sumner County |
| June 27, 1951 | F4 | 5 | Trego County |
Counties with the most tornadoes
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 | Per 1,000 sq mi | Strongest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford County | 115 | 105 | F4 |
| Sherman County | 112 | 106 | F3 |
| Barton County | 107 | 119 | F4 |
| Finney County | 103 | 79 | F3 |
| Butler County | 91 | 63 | F5 |
| Sedgwick County | 91 | 90 | F5 |
| Reno County | 89 | 70 | F5 |
| Sumner County | 88 | 74 | F5 |
| Cowley County | 87 | 77 | F5 |
| Russell County | 82 | 91 | F4 |
| Pratt County | 73 | 100 | EF3 |
| Stafford County | 73 | 92 | EF3 |
| Republic County | 72 | 100 | F4 |
| Kingman County | 67 | 77 | EF3 |
| Ellis County | 66 | 73 | F3 |
Big counties collect more tornadoes simply because they are big. By area, the most tornado-dense counties are Barton County (119 per 1,000 sq mi), Sherman County (106 per 1,000 sq mi), Ford County (105 per 1,000 sq mi), Shawnee County (104 per 1,000 sq mi), Republic County (100 per 1,000 sq mi).
Every county in Kansas
Staying safe
When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.
Sources
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Severe Weather Database, tornadoes 1950 to 2024 (public domain)
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center: The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale)
- National Weather Service: Tornado safety
Sources last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many tornadoes does Kansas get a year?
About 61 on average from 1950 to 2024; recent years run higher because weak tornadoes are better detected.
When is tornado season in Kansas?
May has had the most. Spring and early summer bring most of them.
What was the deadliest tornado in Kansas?
May 25, 1955: 80 deaths in Kansas.