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Tornado in Phillips County, Kansas
40 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.
Phillips County, Kansas, has 40 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 26 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 6 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 4.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 22 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Phillips County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.5 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 83.1 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
13May
13Jun
8Jul
3Aug
0Sep
1Oct
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 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1985 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1985 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 26 Mar 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 1983 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1978 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1955 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 1950 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Phillips County had?
40 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 Phillips County?
29 May 2013 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Phillips County?
The tornado of 10 May 1985, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Phillips County compare with Kansas for tornado?
4.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 40 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.