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Tornado in Sumner County, Kansas
89 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 89 tornado events in Sumner County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 37 years.
May is the busiest month, with 42 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 41 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.8% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 7.5 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
NCEI attributes 5 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 53 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 8 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 2 at (E)F5 and 4 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Sumner County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 89 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.5 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 39.8 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 5 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
10Apr
10May
42Jun
16Jul
4Aug
4Sep
2Oct
0Nov
1Dec
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 89 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2026 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2019 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F3 | $500K | $75K | — | 2 | County |
| 12 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | $150K | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F3 | $18M | $100K | — | 1 | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F3 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $450K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $750K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $1.9M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1991 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Mar 1991 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 1984 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1966 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 20 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 1960 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1956 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1955 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1955 | Tornado | F5 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1955 | Tornado | F5 | $250K | — | 5 | 3 | County |
| 18 Mar 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1953 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1953 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1952 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sumner County had?
89 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 Sumner County?
5 Mar 2026 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sumner County?
The tornado of 29 May 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $18M and crop damage at $100K.
How does Sumner County compare with Kansas for tornado?
7.5 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 89 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.