Atchison County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29005 · population 5,305 · 547 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 462 records for Atchison County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 294 days; the most frequent are hail reports (162 records). The most damaging was the May 6, 2007 flood ($8.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1965, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on July 9, 2019.
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
- 462on 294 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $17Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 2020
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: 162 since 1967. 49% of its hail reports since 1967 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Missouri'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 | 162 | 93 | 1967-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | 49 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 140 | 81 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $335K | 78 of 114 |
| Floods | 47 | 43 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $8.8M | 68 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 46 | 46 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $329K | 63 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 16 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.4M | 72 of 114 |
| Drought | 18 | 18 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 114 |
| Heat | 15 | 15 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 2004-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 84 of 114 |
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 19 tornadoes in Atchison County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Atchison County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954-04-05 17:00, as SPC files it | NorthboroCrossed IA, MO | F4 | 6.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Atchison County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-28 | Nishnabotna, Atchison County | EFU 0.15 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-04-15 | Westboro, Atchison County | EF0 0.03 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-06-11 | Westboro, Atchison County | EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-09-09 | Rockport, Atchison County | EF0 4.89 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-19 | Westboro, Atchison County | EF0 0.53 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-05 | Tarkio, Atchison County | EF0 10.48 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $288K |
| 2008-06-05 | Tarkio, Atchison County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-05 | Watson, Atchison County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-08-08 | Fairfax, Atchison County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-04-24 | Watson, Atchison County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-08 | Highway 59, Atchison County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $132K |
| 1968-04-16 | Atchison County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-04-16 | Atchison County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-05-18 | Atchison County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-05-23 | Atchison County | F2 5.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-27 | Atchison County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-04-23 | Atchison County | F2 2.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-05-31 | Atchison County | F2 14.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-04-05 | Atchison County | F4 3 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 June 5, 2008 tornado ($288,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
An EF1 tornado entered Atchison County at 18:59CST 2.3 miles east southeast of Milton. It proceeded north northeast and dissipated 1.3 miles east southeast of Tarkio. It damaged 5 sheds and destroyed 3 grain bins. Several power poles were also snapped off.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 120347)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindFairfax, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindLangdon, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | HailWestboro, Atchison County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindLinden, Atchison County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindTarkio, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindWestboro, Atchison County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindFairfax Steele Airport, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindLangdon, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindLangdon, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindLangdon, Atchison County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-23 | Heavy RainRockport, Atchison County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillAtchison County · forecast zone Atchison | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-05-06 | FloodTarkio Gould Municipal Ar, Atchison County | 0 | 0 | $8.5M | |
| 1993-09-02 | HailTarkio, Atchison County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1997-07-23 | HailWatson, Atchison County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $919K |
| 2008-06-05 | TornadoTarkio, Atchison County | EF0 10.48 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $288K |
| 1996-05-08 | TornadoHighway 59, Atchison County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $132K |
| 1998-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindTarkio, Atchison County | 0 | 0 | $45K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 5, 1954 (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 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 26 | 53 | 63 | 8 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 33 | 47 | 25 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 17 | 17 | 13 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 20 | 18 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its hail reports since 1967 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 23 · Mar 30 · Apr 42 · May 93 · Jun 90 · Jul 31 · Aug 65 · Sep 30 · Oct 9 · Nov 7 · 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 23 declarations that include Atchison County: 17 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4490 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3482 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-07-09 | DR-4451 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2019-05-20 | DR-4435 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-08-07 | DR-4238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-10-31 | DR-4200 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-08-12 | DR-4012 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-06-30 | EM-3325 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-02-03 | EM-3317 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-08-17 | DR-1934 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2009-01-30 | EM-3303 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-06-25 | DR-1773 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-12-27 | DR-1736 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3281 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-06-11 | DR-1708 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3232 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1995-06-02 | DR-1054 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-995 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1984-06-21 | DR-713 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-06-10 | DR-439 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-11-01 | DR-407 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-19 | DR-372 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1965-07-27 | DR-203 | Flood | 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 47 flood or flash flood records for Atchison County from 1996 to 2019, on 43 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Atchison County ranks 1101st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.0 million on 146 claims filed in Atchison County; the most in one year was 53 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1987: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1993: 53 · 2007: 4 · 2008: 12 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 47 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2019: 21; 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 $6.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $10K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $589K | 9.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $345K | 6.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $897K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $552K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $25K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $21K | 11 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 MissouriEvery Missouri tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in MissouriThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Missouri 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)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis