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Tornado in Harper County, Kansas
64 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 64 tornado events in Harper County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 34 years.
May is the busiest month, with 32 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 31 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 8.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 37 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Harper County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 64 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.0 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 120.1 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
6Apr
9May
32Jun
12Jul
1Aug
0Sep
1Oct
2Nov
0Dec
1
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 64 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Dec 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2012 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2012 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $1.2M | $100K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $175K | $200K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F4 | $275K | $75K | — | 1 | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $220K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $140K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $140K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1965 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1955 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 1953 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Harper County had?
64 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 Harper County?
17 Jun 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Harper County?
The tornado of 29 May 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.2M and crop damage at $100K.
How does Harper County compare with Kansas for tornado?
8.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 64 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.