Cheyenne County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20023 · population 2,616 · 1,020 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,142 records for Cheyenne County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 600 days; the most frequent are hail reports (480 records). The deadliest single record is the March 8, 2011 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Cheyenne, which covers the county: 1 death and $33,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 2005, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on July 22, 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
- 1,142on 600 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $28Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 48strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Cheyenne County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 480 since 1956. 51% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in June and July. 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 | 480 | 232 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $677K | 57 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 306 | 171 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 57 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 102 | 84 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $70K | 8 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 78 | 77 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $9.9M | 72 of 105 |
| Drought | 63 | 63 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 48 | 37 | 1951-2025 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 70 of 105 |
| Floods | 40 | 24 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $257K | 70 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 13 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 2017-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 2 | 2006-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 105 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2004-2026 | 0 | 0 | $356K | 56 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2000-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 71 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 Cheyenne County had?
NOAA records 48 tornadoes in Cheyenne County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated EF2, 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 51 tornadoes whose track touched Cheyenne County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 48: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Cheyenne County (48)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-18 | St Francis Airport, Cheyenne County | EF2 3.94 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| 2024-04-25 | Bird City Airport, Cheyenne County | EFU 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-08-07 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | EFU 0.24 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-11 | St Francis Airport, Cheyenne County | EF1 2.84 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-03-14 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | EFU 0.05 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-11 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | EF1 1.23 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2019-06-08 | St Francis Airport, Cheyenne County | EFU 1.12 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-08 | St Francis Airport, Cheyenne County | EFU 1.29 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-07-21 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | EF0 0.01 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-08-09 | Bird City Airport, Cheyenne County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-08-09 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-08-09 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | EF0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-07-20 | St Francis Airport, Cheyenne County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $70K |
| 2009-06-01 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | EF0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-28 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | EF0 2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-28 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | EF1 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2007-03-28 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | EF1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2007-03-28 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | EF2 27 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 2005-06-02 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | F1 3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-26 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-26 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-21 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-06 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-06 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-08-26 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-31 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-06-29 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | F1 2.5 mi x 650 yd | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 1999-07-02 | Bird City, Cheyenne County | F0 0.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-23 | St Francis, Cheyenne County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-23 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-20 | Wheeler, Cheyenne County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-06-10 | St. Francis, Cheyenne County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-06-07 | St. Francis, Cheyenne County | F2 7 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $10.0M |
| 1994-06-07 | Cheyenne County | F2 10 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1994-06-07 | Cheyenne County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-16 | Cheyenne County | F0 7 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-05-13 | Cheyenne County | F0 13 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-05-31 | Cheyenne County | F0 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-05-03 | Cheyenne County | F1 1.3 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-10-17 | Cheyenne County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-05-31 | Cheyenne County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-05-25 | Cheyenne County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1962-05-28 | Cheyenne County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-05-28 | Cheyenne County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1962-05-16 | Cheyenne County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-06-23 | Cheyenne County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1952-07-06 | Cheyenne County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1951-08-10 | Cheyenne County | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Cheyenne County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 8, 2026 lightning ($200,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindBird City, Cheyenne County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindSt Francis, Cheyenne County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindBird City, Cheyenne County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindSt Francis Airport, Cheyenne County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | LightningSt Francis, Cheyenne County | 0 | 0 | $200K | |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindBird City, Cheyenne County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWheeler, Cheyenne County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | DroughtCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-12 | Dust StormCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-11 | Thunderstorm WindSt Francis, Cheyenne County | 66 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-03-08 | Winter WeatherCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne Three inches of snow was reported across the county by observers. A fatality traffic accident occurred in connection with the snow, as a result of poor visibility and slippery roads. | 1 | 0 | $33K | |
| 2000-12-16 | High WindCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne High Winds were common across northwest Kansas for almost 3 days in a row. A strong cold frontal passage increased wind gusts on the 17th, followed by gusts to near 75 mph on the 18th. Considerable blowing dust resulted in near zero visibilities in many places. The combination of high winds and blowing dust made ... | 64 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-06-07 | TornadoSt. Francis, Cheyenne County | F2 7 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $10.0M |
| 1997-10-25 | BlizzardCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne | 0 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 2007-03-28 | TornadoBird City, Cheyenne County | EF2 27 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 1994-06-07 | TornadoCheyenne County | F2 10 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2011-04-14 | BlizzardCheyenne County · forecast zone Cheyenne | 0 | 0 | $573K | |
| 2000-06-29 | HailBird City, Cheyenne County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 2000-06-29 | TornadoBird City, Cheyenne County | F1 2.5 mi x 650 yd | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 2014-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindBird City Airport, Cheyenne County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $309K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 10, 1951 (tornado, Cheyenne County); October 17, 1971 (tornado, Cheyenne County); May 3, 1977 (tornado, Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne 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 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 86 | 118 | 121 | 109 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 5 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 26 | 89 | 92 | 84 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 18 | 28 | 49 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 30 | 25 | 18 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 29 z | 28 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 7 | 5 |
Drought in the 2010s: 29 records against 6 in the decade before, 29 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Cheyenne County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 39 · Feb 27 · Mar 46 · Apr 76 · May 194 · Jun 214 · Jul 251 · Aug 155 · Sep 48 · Oct 32 · Nov 21 · Dec 39 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cheyenne County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Cheyenne County: 9 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4883 | 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 |
| 2017-06-16 | DR-4319 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-10-20 | DR-4287 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-07-20 | DR-4230 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and 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 |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1675 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2006-01-26 | DR-1626 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Cheyenne County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cheyenne County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $663K | 8.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $314K | 80 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $73K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $387K | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $491K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $27K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $136K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $75K | once in about 1,365 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cheyenne County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis