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Tornado in Douglas County, Kansas
41 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.
Douglas County, Kansas, has 41 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 9.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Douglas County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 41 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.0 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.4 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
5Apr
2May
12Jun
7Jul
4Aug
4Sep
4Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2019 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 4 | County |
| 28 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 12 | County |
| 6 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $260K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $6.4M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 4 Oct 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | $90K | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | 1 | 33 | County |
| 31 May 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 12 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 2 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1958 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1952 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 8 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Douglas County had?
41 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 Douglas County?
9 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Douglas County?
The tornado of 19 Jun 1981, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 1 death recorded.
How does Douglas County compare with Kansas for tornado?
9.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 41 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.