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Tornado in Atchison County, Kansas
22 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Atchison County, Kansas, has 22 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 2 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Atchison County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 22 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.5 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
7May
4Jun
1Jul
0Aug
1Sep
1Oct
4Nov
2Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 22 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1993 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1988 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 9 | County |
| 28 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Oct 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 18 Oct 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1964 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 1961 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1951 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Atchison County had?
22 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Atchison County?
21 May 2019 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Atchison County?
The tornado of 26 Apr 1984, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Atchison County compare with Kansas for tornado?
5.1 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 22 of the state's 4,965 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.