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Tornado in Clay County, Kansas
45 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.
Clay County, Kansas, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 20 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 7.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 7 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Clay County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.0 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 55.7 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
0Apr
7May
20Jun
6Jul
3Aug
0Sep
4Oct
4Nov
0Dec
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 11 | County |
| 26 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 20 | County |
| 25 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1960 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1951 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1951 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1951 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1951 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Clay County had?
45 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 Clay County?
18 May 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Clay County?
The tornado of 25 Sep 1973, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Clay County compare with Kansas for tornado?
7.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 45 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.