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Tornado in Rawlins County, Kansas
53 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 53 tornado events in Rawlins County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 31 years.
May is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 24 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 5.0 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 21 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 10 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Rawlins County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 53 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.0 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 207.9 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
6May
15Jun
15Jul
9Aug
6Sep
0Oct
2Nov
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 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $26K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $305K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1999 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1968 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1965 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1962 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1951 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1951 | Tornado | F3 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1951 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 6 Aug 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Rawlins County had?
53 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 Rawlins County?
20 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Rawlins County?
The tornado of 23 Apr 2007, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $305K.
How does Rawlins County compare with Kansas for tornado?
5.0 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 53 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.