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Tornado in Rush 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 Rush County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
May is the busiest month, with 24 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 27 events against 11 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 7.4 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 31 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Rush County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 53 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.4 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 179.5 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
11May
24Jun
7Jul
4Aug
2Sep
4Oct
0Nov
0Dec
1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Dec 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1978 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 10 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1964 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1963 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1958 | Tornado | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 1951 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1951 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Rush 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 Rush County?
19 Sep 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Rush County?
The tornado of 18 Jun 1968, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K.
How does Rush County compare with Kansas for tornado?
7.4 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.