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Tornado in Johnson County, Kansas
45 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.
Johnson County, Kansas, has 45 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 18 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 9.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Johnson County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.5 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.7 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
6May
18Jun
6Jul
5Aug
1Sep
4Oct
0Nov
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 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1988 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1972 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 19 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 9 Jul 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 11 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1952 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Johnson County had?
45 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 Johnson County?
19 May 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Johnson County?
The tornado of 19 Apr 1966, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Johnson County compare with Kansas for tornado?
9.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 45 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.