Clay County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20027 · population 8,117 · 645 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 671 records for Clay County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 400 days; the most frequent are hail reports (289 records). The deadliest single record is the April 10, 1997 heavy snow, filed for the forecast zone Clay, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1973, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Straight Line Winds” on February 17, 2022.
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
- 671on 400 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 531 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $355Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 45strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 2022
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 Clay County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 289 since 1961. 52% of its hail reports since 1961 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 | 289 | 153 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $587K | 48 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 167 | 118 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 47 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 67 | 65 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 0 | – | 28 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 45 | 32 | 1951-2026 | 1 | 31 | $350M | 22 of 105 |
| Floods | 38 | 27 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 43 of 105 |
| Heat | 17 | 17 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 13 | 1998-2016 | 0 | 0 | $28K | 63 of 105 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 63 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 10 | 10 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 81 of 105 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $28K | 67 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 Clay County had?
NOAA records 45 tornadoes in Clay County from 1951 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 31 injuries recorded in the county. That is 22nd 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 45 tornadoes whose track touched Clay County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 45, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951-05-25 16:00, as SPC files it | Clay Center | F3 | 4.1 mi | 1 |
| 1973-09-25 16:20, as SPC files it | Bennington to Hanover | F3 | 69.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Clay County (45)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Wakefield, Clay County | EFU 1.75 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-09 | Oak Hill, Clay County | EFU 1.92 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-01 | Clifton, Clay County | EF1 8.13 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-01 | Oak Hill, Clay County | EF1 11.89 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-19 | Bala, Clay County | EF0 0.02 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-10-06 | Clay Center, Clay County | EF1 6.41 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-10-06 | Clifton, Clay County | EF1 3.45 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-10-04 | Green, Clay County | EF1 4.92 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-09 | Fact, Clay County | EF0 0.02 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-05-18 | Morganville, Clay County | EF1 5.85 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-14 | Broughton, Clay County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-05 | Clay Center, Clay County | EF1 10.07 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-05 | Idana, Clay County | EF0 4.62 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-05 | Oak Hill, Clay County | EF1 14.35 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-06 | Clay Center, Clay County | F1 9 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $146K |
| 2006-04-06 | Longford, Clay County | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2006-04-06 | Longford, Clay County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-01-28 | Fact, Clay County | F0 0.8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 1989-05-18 | Clay County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-07-15 | Clay County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1988-07-15 | Clay County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1986-05-16 | Clay County | F1 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-06-10 | Clay County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1979-10-18 | Clay County | F2 23.7 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 11 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-09-26 | Clay County | F2 2.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-09-25 | Clay County | F2 5.9 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-09-25 | Clay County | F3 13.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1973-09-25 | Clay County | F3 19.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $25M step |
| 1971-05-17 | Clay County | F1 1.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-06-08 | Clay County | F2 8.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-25 | Clay County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1964-04-20 | Clay County | F2 12.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-05-27 | Clay County | F1 4.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-07-20 | Clay County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1960-05-16 | Clay County | F1 4.7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-05-16 | Clay County | F2 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-05-15 | Clay County | 0 | 0 | $250 step | |
| 1959-05-04 | Clay County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1957-04-22 | Clay County | F1 4.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-04-22 | Clay County | F1 4.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-06-04 | Clay County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1951-05-30 | Clay County | F1 8.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1951-05-30 | Clay County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1951-05-30 | Clay County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1951-05-25 | Clay County | F3 4.1 mi x 440 yd | 1 | 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 Clay County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 2, 2025 flash flood ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-04 | Thunderstorm WindClay Center, Clay County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | HailMorganville, Clay County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | HailMorganville, Clay County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | TornadoWakefield, Clay County | EFU 1.75 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindClay Center, Clay County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | HailClay Center, Clay County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | HailClay Center, Clay County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | Thunderstorm WindClay Center Airport, Clay County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | HailClay Center, Clay County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | HailIndustry, Clay County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindWakefield, Clay County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | Thunderstorm WindBroughton, Clay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-04-10 | Heavy SnowClay County · forecast zone Clay A late season moisture laden snow storm dumped 4 to 8 inches of accumulation across North Central and Northeast kansas generally north and west of Manhattan or along and north of a line from Abilene in Dickenson County to Baileyville in Nemaha County. Locally heavier amounts fell in some areas, especially near the ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-03-07 | BlizzardClay County · forecast zone Clay A snowstorm accompanied by blizzard conditions dumped 6 or more inches of snow northwest of the Kansas Turnpike. A swath of 10 or more inches fell along and north of a line from Holton in Jackson County to Belleville in Republic County. Sabetha reported the most snow with 18 inches. Other higher amounts included ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1951-05-25 | TornadoClay County | F3 4.1 mi x 440 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-09-25 | TornadoClay County | F3 19.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $25M step |
| 1979-10-18 | TornadoClay County | F2 23.7 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 11 | $2.5M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-05-24 | Flash FloodWakefield Airport, Clay County | 0 | 0 | $996K | |
| 2007-05-24 | Flash FloodBroughton, Clay County | 0 | 0 | $285K | |
| 1994-06-11 | HailClay Center, Clay County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $199K |
| 2006-04-06 | TornadoClay Center, Clay County | F1 9 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $146K |
| 2025-04-02 | Flash FloodWakefield, Clay County | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 1993-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindMorganville, Clay County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 1995-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindClay Center, Clay County | 0 | 0 | $8K | |
| 2006-01-28 | TornadoFact, Clay County | F0 0.8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
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: September 25, 1973 (tornado, Clay County); September 25, 1973 (tornado, Clay 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 Clay 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 | 3 | 10 | 28 | 88 | 83 | 57 | 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 34 | 38 | 43 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 41 | 11 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 12 | 17 | 2 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 7 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 22 · Mar 26 · Apr 72 · May 128 · Jun 130 · Jul 90 · Aug 79 · Sep 41 · Oct 17 · Nov 13 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Clay County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Clay County: 14 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-17 | DR-4640 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight Line Winds |
| 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 |
| 2018-10-19 | DR-4403 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-07-20 | DR-4230 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-10-22 | DR-4150 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2011-07-29 | DR-4010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 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 |
| 2007-05-06 | DR-1699 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-09-28 | DR-403 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Clay County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Clay County from 1996 to 2025, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Clay County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $11,000 on 5 claims filed in Clay County; the most in one year was 2 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2011: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 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 Clay County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clay County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $327K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $690K | 8.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $102K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $600K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $220K | once in about 814 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $469K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $996K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Clay 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 Clay CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Clay County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis