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Tornado in Linn County, Kansas
15 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.
Linn County, Kansas, has 15 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 14 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 3 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.3% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 2.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 3 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Linn County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 15 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.5 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 15.4 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
2Apr
5May
4Jun
1Jul
1Aug
0Sep
0Oct
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 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF4 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $70K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F2 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1969 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Linn County had?
15 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 Linn County?
13 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Linn County?
The tornado of 28 Feb 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $400K.
How does Linn County compare with Kansas for tornado?
2.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 15 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.