Atchison County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20005 · population 16,341 · 431 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 386 records for Atchison County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 282 days; the most frequent are hail reports (131 records). The most damaging was the June 14, 2004 hail ($2.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1967, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 1, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 386on 282 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 012 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $81Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Atchison County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 131 since 1961. 53% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in April and May. The rank column places the county among Kansas's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 131 | 82 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 89 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 81 | 61 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $127K | 74 of 105 |
| Floods | 62 | 52 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $895K | 9 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 43 | 41 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 2 | $414K | 40 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 20 | 1951-2019 | 0 | 10 | $77M | 34 of 105 |
| Drought | 18 | 18 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 50 of 105 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2015-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 98 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 of 105 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 50 of 105 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Atchison County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Atchison County from 1951 to 2019, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 10 injuries recorded in the county. That is 34th of 105 Kansas counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 21 tornadoes whose track touched Atchison County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-04-26 22:02, as SPC files it | Troy | F3 | 32 mi | 0 |
| 1967-06-11 18:00, as SPC files it | Leona | F3 | 43.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Atchison County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-21 | Effingham, Atchison County | EF1 5.39 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-08-24 | Lancaster, Atchison County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-21 | Atchison County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-21 | Atchison County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-04-27 | Effingham, Atchison County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 1997-10-08 | Muscotah, Atchison County | F1 9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 1993-05-06 | Arrington, Atchison County | F2 12 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1991-04-26 | Atchison County | F2 20 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-11-15 | Atchison County | F1 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-11-15 | Atchison County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1984-04-26 | Atchison County | F3 16 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 9 | $25M step |
| 1982-05-28 | Atchison County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-10-21 | Atchison County | F1 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1979-10-18 | Atchison County | F2 10.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-03-08 | Atchison County | F2 17.2 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-04-30 | Atchison County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1967-06-11 | Atchison County | F3 16.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-09-13 | Atchison County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-20 | Atchison County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1961-10-12 | Atchison County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1954-03-12 | Atchison County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1951-05-02 | Atchison County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Atchison County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 29, 2006 ice storm (2 injuries and $15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A traffic accident near Atchison from icy streets, resulted in two injuries. Up to 1/4 of an inch of ice across the county.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 4446)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindPotter, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-31 | HailAtchison County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindAtchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-05-21 | TornadoEffingham, Atchison County | EF1 5.39 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindCummings, Atchison County | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindLancaster, Atchison County | 72 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-26 | HailLancaster, Atchison County | 2.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-08 | HailAtchison Earhart Arp, Atchison County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-05-10 | HailAtchison Earhart Arp, Atchison County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-07 | HailAtchison County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-04-26 | TornadoAtchison County | F3 16 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 9 | $25M step |
| 2006-11-29 | Ice StormAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison A traffic accident near Atchison from icy streets, resulted in two injuries. Up to 1/4 of an inch of ice across the county. | 0 | 2 | $15K | |
| 1979-10-21 | TornadoAtchison County | F1 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-06-14 | HailLancaster, Atchison County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
| 1993-05-06 | TornadoArrington, Atchison County | F2 12 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2001-06-19 | FloodAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison | 0 | 0 | $433K | |
| 2002-01-30 | Heavy SnowAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison | 0 | 0 | $328K | |
| 1997-10-08 | TornadoMuscotah, Atchison County | F1 9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 2002-04-27 | TornadoEffingham, Atchison County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2006-11-29 | Ice StormAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison | 0 | 2 | $15K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 26, 1984 (tornado, Atchison County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Atchison County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 17 | 44 | 46 | 7 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 15 | 24 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 24 | 24 | 14 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 16 | 22 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 17 · Feb 19 · Mar 20 · Apr 45 · May 77 · Jun 65 · Jul 34 · Aug 37 · Sep 13 · Oct 25 · Nov 12 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Atchison County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Atchison County: 16 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4940 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-03-29 | DR-4504 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3481 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-06-20 | DR-4449 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,and Mudslides |
| 2015-07-20 | DR-4230 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-09-23 | DR-4035 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-06-25 | EM-3324 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-08-10 | DR-1932 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2010-03-09 | DR-1885 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm |
| 2008-02-01 | DR-1741 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005-11-15 | DR-1615 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-08 | DR-1579 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1984-06-22 | DR-714 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1977-09-20 | DR-539 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-09-28 | DR-403 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1973-05-02 | DR-378 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1967-07-18 | DR-229 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Atchison County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 62 flood or flash flood records for Atchison County from 1996 to 2019, on 52 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Atchison County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $31,000 on 3 claims filed in Atchison County; the most in one year was 1 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2011: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Atchison County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Atchison County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.4 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $215K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $326K | once in about 531 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $625K | 9.4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $443K | 19 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $644K | 13 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $95K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $577K | 7 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Atchison County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in KansasEvery Kansas tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in KansasThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Kansas recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Atchison CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Atchison County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis