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Tornado in Jackson 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.
Jackson County, Kansas, has 36 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 12 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 5.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 12 at (E)F0, 8 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Jackson County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 36 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.5 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 27.1 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
6May
14Jun
5Jul
1Aug
2Sep
5Oct
3Nov
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | 2 | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1978 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | 3 | 1 | County |
| 6 May 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 12 Oct 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1958 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1951 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1950 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 12 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jackson 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 Jackson County?
18 May 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jackson County?
The tornado of 31 May 1978, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 3 deaths recorded.
How does Jackson County compare with Kansas for tornado?
5.5 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.