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Tornado in Osage County, Kansas
51 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.
Osage County, Kansas, has 51 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 19 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 7.2 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 17 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Osage County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 51 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.2 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 32.3 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 17 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
1Apr
5May
21Jun
16Jul
2Aug
1Sep
1Oct
1Nov
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 51 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 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $246K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F3 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2003 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Nov 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 28 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 16 | 3 | County |
| 23 May 1978 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1972 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1964 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1958 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1951 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Osage County had?
51 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 Osage County?
17 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Osage County?
The tornado of 8 Jun 1974, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Osage County compare with Kansas for tornado?
7.2 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 51 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.