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Tornado in Thomas County, Kansas
62 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 62 tornado events in Thomas County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 30 years.
May is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 4,965 tornado events recorded in Kansas; its 5.8 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.
By rating: 35 at (E)F0, 9 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 14 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Thomas County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 62 | 4,965 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.8 | 6.1 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 78.7 | 16.9 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 238 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
6May
18Jun
15Jul
12Aug
3Sep
3Oct
5Nov
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 62 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2023 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $42K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF0 | $48K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $16K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $125K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 26 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $37K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $700K | $3.5M | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1982 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1970 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1970 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1968 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1965 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1962 | Tornado | — | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1957 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1957 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 1956 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1951 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1951 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Thomas County had?
62 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 Thomas County?
21 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Thomas County?
The tornado of 12 May 1995, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $700K and crop damage at $3.5M.
How does Thomas County compare with Kansas for tornado?
5.8 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 62 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.