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Tornado in Meade County, Kansas
57 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 57 tornado events in Meade County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
June is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 5.8 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 28 at (E)F0, 17 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Meade County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 57 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.8 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 141.7 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
4Apr
4May
18Jun
21Jul
1Aug
1Sep
1Oct
2Nov
3Dec
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 57 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 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Oct 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1962 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 1958 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1952 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Meade County had?
57 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 Meade County?
17 May 2019 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Meade County?
The tornado of 9 Apr 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M.
How does Meade County compare with Kansas for tornado?
5.8 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 57 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.