Coffey County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20031 · population 8,345 · 627 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 657 records for Coffey County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 416 days; the most frequent are hail reports (245 records). The deadliest single record is the January 11, 2005 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Coffey, which covers the county: 1 death, 5 injuries and $12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1967, 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
- 657on 416 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 336 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $18Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest 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 Coffey County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 245 since 1956. 51% of its hail reports since 1956 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 | 245 | 127 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 18 | $2.0M | 79 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 190 | 133 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 3 | $429K | 30 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 70 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 10 | $1.7M | 23 of 105 |
| Floods | 46 | 33 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | 27 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 22 | 1950-2024 | 0 | 5 | $9.0M | 77 of 105 |
| Heat | 21 | 20 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 19 | 17 | 1997-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 10 | 1998-2009 | 0 | 0 | $73K | 80 of 105 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 105 |
| Lightning | 7 | 6 | 1996-2012 | 2 | 0 | $281K | 12 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2003-2007 | 0 | 0 | $71K | 73 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 Coffey County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Coffey County from 1950 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 5 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Coffey County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26: 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 Coffey County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-06 | Sharpe, Coffey County | EF0 0.86 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-06 | Burlington, Coffey County | EF0 0.86 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-02 | Lebo, Coffey County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-08 | Gridley, Coffey County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-20 | Waverly, Coffey County | EF0 1.38 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-13 | Sharpe, Coffey County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-13 | Burlington, Coffey County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-08 | Burlington, Coffey County | F0 0.1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-10-07 | Coffey County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-05-27 | Coffey County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-05-27 | Coffey County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-05-28 | Coffey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-05-05 | Coffey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-05-05 | Coffey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-11-20 | Coffey County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-05-26 | Coffey County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-06-13 | Coffey County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1961-03-26 | Coffey County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1958-11-17 | Coffey County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1958-07-03 | Coffey County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-04-02 | Coffey County | F4 4.5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 1955-09-21 | Coffey County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-07-05 | Coffey County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1954-04-10 | Coffey County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1951-06-08 | Coffey County | F1 0.8 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1950-04-28 | Coffey County | F1 19.8 mi x 33 yd | 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 Coffey County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 3, 2025 flash flood ($150,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindSharpe, Coffey County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindAgricola, Coffey County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-31 | HailLe Roy Airport, Coffey County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-31 | HailGridley, Coffey County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-31 | HailGridley, Coffey County | 2.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindBurlington, Coffey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindBurlington, Coffey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindWaverly, Coffey County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindLebo, Coffey County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-26 | HailGridley, Coffey County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-26 | HailLe Roy, Coffey County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-26 | HailLe Roy Airport, Coffey County | 1.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-01-11 | Winter WeatherCoffey County · forecast zone Coffey An SUV carrying 6 people slid on an icy section of Interstate 35 near Lebo killing one female occupant and injuring 5 other people in the vehicle. | 1 | 5 | $12K | |
| 2012-07-07 | LightningWaverly, Coffey County A Kansas man died after being struck by a bolt of lightning. It happened just after 8:15 p.m. Saturday in Coffey County near Waverly. Coffey County officials say Ronald Nicholas, 68, was outside in his front yard when he was hit. He was hosting a family gathering to celebrate the Fourth of July when the accident ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-09-10 | LightningBurlington Airport, Coffey County The Emporia Gazette reported that Patty Gilliam, a Spanish teacher from Emporia High School died on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 from injuries sustained from a lightning strike that occurred on Saturday September 10, 2011. She was riding her bicycle across John Redmond Dam when she was struck by lightning which was ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1986-08-01 | HailCoffey County | 3.50 in hail | 0 | 18 | – |
| 1956-04-02 | TornadoCoffey County | F4 4.5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 5 | $25K step |
| 2008-12-09 | Winter WeatherCoffey County · forecast zone Coffey More than two dozen accidents were reported across Coffey County, four of which resulted in minor injuries to individuals in vehicles that had rolled due to the click road conditions. | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 1984-08-06 | Thunderstorm WindCoffey County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2006-11-29 | Winter StormCoffey County · forecast zone Coffey Ice and sleet accumulations up to a half inch brought very hazardous conditions. | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-04-21 | HailLe Roy, Coffey County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 1998-11-01 | Flash FloodBurlington, Coffey County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2005-06-11 | FloodCoffey County · forecast zone Coffey | 0 | 0 | $453K | |
| 2007-06-29 | FloodLe Roy, Coffey County | 0 | 0 | $427K | |
| 2008-12-27 | Thunderstorm WindOttumwa, Coffey County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $315K |
| 2005-06-04 | FloodCoffey County · forecast zone Coffey | 0 | 0 | $302K | |
| 2025-06-03 | Flash FloodBurlington, Coffey County | 0 | 0 | $150K | |
| 2003-07-11 | HailWaverly, Coffey County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $24K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: October 7, 1992 (tornado, Coffey 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 Coffey 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 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 44 | 88 | 60 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 22 | 46 | 62 | 30 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 40 | 14 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 20 | 14 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 11 | 0 |
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 April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 25 · Mar 39 · Apr 94 · May 132 · Jun 108 · Jul 65 · Aug 61 · Sep 41 · Oct 18 · Nov 17 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Coffey County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Coffey County: 15 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) 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 |
| 2019-05-28 | EM-3412 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes 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 |
| 2010-03-09 | DR-1885 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and 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 |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-07-02 | DR-1711 | 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 |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1402 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1998-11-05 | DR-1258 | Severe Storm | Ks-Flooding 10/31/98 |
| 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 Coffey County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Coffey County from 1996 to 2025, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Coffey County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $135,000 on 5 claims filed in Coffey County; the most in one year was 2 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2019: 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 Coffey County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Coffey County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $990K | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $265K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $413K | 27 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $97K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $514K | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $266K | once in about 441 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $329K | 7.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $380K | 14 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 Coffey 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 Coffey CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Coffey County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis