States › Kansas › Ness County › Tornado
Tornado in Ness County, Kansas
46 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.
Ness County, Kansas, has 46 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 10 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 4.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 7 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 | Ness County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 46 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.3 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 172.2 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
7May
21Jun
10Jul
3Aug
0Sep
0Oct
2Nov
2Dec
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 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2016 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2016 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2015 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $22K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | $325K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1972 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1962 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 4 May 1960 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1956 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Ness County had?
46 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 Ness County?
27 May 2016 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Ness County?
The tornado of 25 Apr 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Ness County compare with Kansas for tornado?
4.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 46 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.