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Tornado in Hamilton County, Kansas
36 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.
NCEI records 36 tornado events in Hamilton County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 27 years.
May is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 3.6 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 25 at (E)F0, 3 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Hamilton County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.6 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 144.9 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
3May
12Jun
8Jul
8Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
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 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Aug 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1977 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 21 Nov 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1961 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1951 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Hamilton County had?
36 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 Hamilton County?
3 Aug 2025 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Hamilton County?
The tornado of 26 May 1954, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Hamilton County compare with Kansas for tornado?
3.6 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 36 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.