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Tornado in Gray County, Kansas
53 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.
Gray County, Kansas, has 53 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 27 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 27 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 28 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 6.1 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 6 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 | Gray County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 53 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.1 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 93.9 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
8May
27Jun
4Jul
1Aug
1Sep
1Oct
5Nov
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 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF2 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $160K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Oct 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $850K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $65K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F3 | $2.0M | $150K | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1995 | Tornado | F3 | $400K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 15 May 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $175K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1958 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1956 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Gray County had?
53 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 Gray County?
12 Oct 2021 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Gray County?
The tornado of 26 May 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.0M and crop damage at $150K.
How does Gray County compare with Kansas for tornado?
6.1 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 53 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.