Barber County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20007 · population 4,227 · 1,134 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 881 records for Barber County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 467 days; the most frequent are hail reports (426 records). The deadliest single record is the December 18, 2016 extreme cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Barber, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1973, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 11, 2025.
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
- 881on 467 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 15 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $77Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 42strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2025
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 Barber County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 426 since 1964. 54% of its hail reports since 1964 fell in May and June. 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 | 426 | 205 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 94 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 215 | 142 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.7M | 87 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 66 | 60 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 102 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 62 | 51 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 28 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 42 | 30 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 2 | $4.1M | 98 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 32 | 22 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 105 |
| Floods | 23 | 17 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $28K | 88 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 105 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 0 | $32M | 102 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 2000-2016 | 1 | 1 | – | 94 of 105 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 1 | $151K | 46 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | $37M | 48 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 Barber County had?
NOAA records 42 tornadoes in Barber County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 2 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 42 tornadoes whose track touched Barber County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 42, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-04-17 01:50, as SPC files it | Sharon | F4 | 19.5 mi | 0 |
| 1964-05-05 20:45, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 33 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Barber County (42)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-25 | Hazelton, Barber County | EF0 1.34 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-09-24 | Elm Mills, Barber County | EF0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-19 | Isabel, Barber County | EF0 0.41 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-19 | Medicine Lodge, Barber County | EF0 0.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-19 | Uppdegraff, Barber County | EF0 2.98 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-12 | Sharon, Barber County | EF0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-08 | Lake City, Barber County | EF0 0.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-08 | Deerhead, Barber County | EF0 16.24 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-04-02 | Hazelton, Barber County | EF0 0.26 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-14 | Sun City, Barber County | EF0 2.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-03-07 | Uppdegraff, Barber County | EF0 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Elm Mills, Barber County | EF0 3.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Elm Mills, Barber County | EF0 2.47 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Lake City, Barber County | EF2 6.9 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Deerhead, Barber County | EF0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Aetna, Barber County | EF0 4.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-06 | Uppdegraff, Barber County | EF0 1.43 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-06 | Gerlane, Barber County | EF0 1.34 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-06 | Hardtner, Barber County | EF0 3.01 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-01 | Sun City, Barber County | F1 7.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-12 | Kiowa, Barber County | F1 2.5 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2004-05-12 | Kiowa, Barber County | F0 0.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-03-27 | Hardtner, Barber County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-26 | Medicine Lodge Airport, Barber County | F0 4.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-09-27 | Hazelton, Barber County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-03-17 | Barber County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-02 | Barber County | F0 1.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-02 | Barber County | F0 1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-08-01 | Barber County | F1 3 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-05-17 | Barber County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1979-09-01 | Barber County | F0 8.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1976-04-17 | Barber County | F4 19.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1976-03-11 | Barber County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-10-16 | Barber County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-06-11 | Barber County | F2 32.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-05-05 | Barber County | F3 33 mi x 660 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-10-20 | Barber County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-04 | Barber County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-04 | Barber County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1957-06-14 | Barber County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1957-05-31 | Barber County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1954-06-14 | Barber County | F0 2 mi x 440 yd | 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 Barber County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 15, 2017 thunderstorm wind (1 injury).
A semi truck was blown off the road by the high wind. The driver suffered non-life threatening head injuries but was taken to the hospital.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 711231)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindDeerhead, Barber County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | HailSharon, Barber County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | HailMedicine Lodge, Barber County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | HailUppdegraff, Barber County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-05 | HailSharon, Barber County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-05 | HailKiowa Airport, Barber County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-16 | High WindBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-19 | Dense FogBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-23 | Thunderstorm WindLake Arrowhead, Barber County | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-12-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillBarber County · forecast zone Barber The coroner reported that a 52 year old male froze to death sometime between midnight and 12 PM on the 18th. The location was near Manter. The individual apparently was under the influence of drugs and got locked out of his home and was not able to get back inside. Low temperatures were around 20 below zero. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1976-04-17 | TornadoBarber County | F4 19.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 2017-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindStubbs, Barber County A semi truck was blown off the road by the high wind. The driver suffered non-life threatening head injuries but was taken to the hospital. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2009-07-27 | LightningMedicine Lodge, Barber County A 14 year old male was struck and severely injured by a lightning bolt. He was going outside where some tents were pitch. CPR had to be performed as he had not pulse or respiration when rescuers reached him. Miraculously he made a full recovery after about 2 weeks in the hospital. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-03-22 | WildfireBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 0 | 0 | $37M | |
| 2003-08-28 | DroughtBarber County · forecast zone Barber | 0 | 0 | $32M | |
| 1997-06-16 | HailKiowa, Barber County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $919K |
| 1998-05-24 | Thunderstorm WindMedicine Lodge, Barber County | 0 | 0 | $905K | |
| 1995-05-22 | HailSawyer, Barber County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $775K |
| 2008-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindHardtner, Barber County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $493K |
| 2004-05-12 | TornadoKiowa, Barber County | F1 2.5 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
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 17, 1976 (tornado, Barber County); June 11, 1967 (tornado, Barber 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 Barber 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 | 3 | 19 | 103 | 171 | 106 | 22 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 33 | 63 | 72 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 38 | 13 | 8 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 7 | 17 | 34 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 1 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 13 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its hail reports since 1964 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 29 · Mar 70 · Apr 108 · May 172 · Jun 205 · Jul 90 · Aug 62 · Sep 44 · Oct 33 · Nov 13 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Barber County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Barber County: 15 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (12) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-11 | DR-4891 | 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 |
| 2019-02-25 | DR-4417 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2018-10-19 | DR-4403 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-03-23 | FM-5120 | Fire | Anderson Creek Fire |
| 2013-10-22 | DR-4150 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2013-04-26 | DR-4112 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2009-06-25 | DR-1849 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2009-06-24 | DR-1848 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow |
| 2008-07-09 | DR-1776 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 2008-02-01 | DR-1741 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-08 | DR-1579 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1402 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1973-09-28 | DR-403 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1973-05-02 | DR-378 | 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 Barber County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Barber County from 1996 to 2023, on 17 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Barber County ranks 2685th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1,219 on 3 claims filed in Barber County; the most in one year was 2 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1995: 1 · 1996: 2; 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 Barber County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Barber County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.1 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 High | $2.3M | 59 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.5M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $727K | 9.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $108K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $339K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $97K | 7.7 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Barber 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 Barber CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Barber County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis