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Tornado in Smith County, Kansas
42 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.
Smith County, Kansas, has 42 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 8 events against 18 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 4.7 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Smith County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.7 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 117.4 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
10May
19Jun
9Jul
1Aug
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2013 | Tornado | EF3 | $1.4M | $3.0M | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2003 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1985 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 May 1965 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1959 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Smith County had?
42 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 Smith County?
16 Apr 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Smith County?
The tornado of 27 May 2013, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.4M and crop damage at $3.0M.
How does Smith County compare with Kansas for tornado?
4.7 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 42 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.