Comanche County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20033 · population 1,686 · 788 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 713 records for Comanche County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 357 days; the most frequent are hail reports (425 records). The most damaging was the July 23, 1996 hail ($4.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1973, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on December 19, 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
- 713on 357 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $44Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 46strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Comanche County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 425 since 1957. 53% of its hail reports since 1957 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 | 425 | 197 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | 36 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 111 | 76 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 1 | $275K | 105 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 58 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 46 | 31 | 1950-2025 | 0 | 2 | $2.0M | 60 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 24 | 20 | 1998-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 105 |
| Floods | 20 | 12 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 12 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $198K | 83 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2016-2026 | 0 | 0 | $37M | 5 of 105 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 103 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 95 of 105 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 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 Comanche County had?
NOAA records 46 tornadoes in Comanche County from 1950 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, 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 46 tornadoes whose track touched Comanche County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 46, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-18 20:21, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 8.18 mi | 0 |
| 2008-05-23 19:59, as SPC files it | UnnamedCrossed KS, OK | EF3 | 11 mi | 0 |
| 1973-09-25 18:35, as SPC files it | Protection to Haviland | F3 | 58 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Comanche County (46)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-18 | Coldwater, Comanche County | EF3 8.18 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-05-02 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | EF0 0.52 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-05-02 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 1.69 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-12-25 | Wilmore, Comanche County | EF0 1.88 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2015-11-16 | Wilmore, Comanche County | EF1 5.31 mi x 460 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-16 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | EF1 16.08 mi x 810 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-08 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | EF0 1.91 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-30 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | EF2 2.57 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-14 | Wilmore, Comanche County | EF1 8.5 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-09-25 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | EF0 0.49 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-14 | Wilmore, Comanche County | EF1 3.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | EF3 7 mi x 980 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Coldwater, Comanche County | EF1 7.8 mi x 1,600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 4.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Protection, Comanche County | EF1 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 2.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-05 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 1.89 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-04 | Coldwater, Comanche County | EF1 0.15 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-04 | Coldwater, Comanche County | EF1 3.01 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-04 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 2.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-23 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 1.63 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-23 | Protection, Comanche County | EF0 1.7 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-10-26 | Protection, Comanche County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-10-26 | Protection, Comanche County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-03-21 | Protection, Comanche County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-03-21 | Protection, Comanche County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-11 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | F0 2.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-27 | Protection, Comanche County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-03-07 | Buttermilk, Comanche County | F1 3.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1999-05-31 | Protection, Comanche County | F1 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-02 | Comanche County | F0 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-02 | Comanche County | F0 2.2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-02 | Comanche County | F1 1.7 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-17 | Comanche County | F1 2.9 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-05-16 | Comanche County | F1 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-07-30 | Comanche County | F1 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-05-24 | Comanche County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1973-09-25 | Comanche County | F3 58 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-03-13 | Comanche County | F2 2.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-07-17 | Comanche County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1968-07-17 | Comanche County | F1 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1958-04-19 | Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1957-04-18 | Comanche County | F0 1.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1957-04-18 | Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1951-06-19 | Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1950-05-24 | Comanche County | F2 3.6 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K 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 Comanche County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 25, 2016 tornado ($105,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This QLCS tornado overturned an irrigation sprinkler.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 672712)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-17 | WildfireComanche County · forecast zone Comanche | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-17 | HailButtermilk, Comanche County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-08 | HailWilmore, Comanche County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-28 | FloodButtermilk, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-25 | Flash FloodWilmore, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-25 | Flash FloodProtection, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-25 | Flash FloodProtection, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindColdwater, Comanche County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindColdwater Stark Airport, Comanche County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindColdwater, Comanche County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindProtection, Comanche County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindButtermilk, Comanche County | 75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-03-07 | TornadoButtermilk, Comanche County Barn completely destroyed and several dog houses were destroyed but no injuries to the animals resulted. Debris was carried 2 miles. | F1 3.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2000-03-07 | Thunderstorm WindButtermilk, Comanche County Downburst destroyed a shed and toppled a 75 foot radio tower. An empty fuel tank was carried 400 yards. A camper trailer parked at an oil rig was heavily damaged and the male occupant received a minor injury. | 0 | 1 | $86K | |
| 1950-05-24 | TornadoComanche County | F2 3.6 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-07-23 | HailProtection, Comanche County | 4.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.7M |
| 1998-05-06 | HailProtection, Comanche County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $279K |
| 2016-12-25 | TornadoWilmore, Comanche County | EF0 1.88 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 1993-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindWilmore, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $102K | |
| 1994-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindColdwater, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $60K | |
| 1993-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindColdwater, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2013-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindButtermilk, Comanche County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1993-04-30 | Thunderstorm WindColdwater, Comanche County | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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: September 25, 1973 (tornado, Comanche 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 Comanche 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 | 5 | 9 | 110 | 171 | 110 | 15 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 34 | 33 | 16 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 35 | 15 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 7 | 3 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 9 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 16 · Feb 23 · Mar 34 · Apr 106 · May 191 · Jun 131 · Jul 78 · Aug 58 · Sep 26 · Oct 15 · Nov 14 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Comanche County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Comanche County: 17 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (14) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-19 | DR-4897 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4824 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2023-10-26 | DR-4747 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2022-05-25 | DR-4654 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter 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 |
| 2017-03-06 | FM-5176 | Fire | Comanche County Fire |
| 2017-02-24 | DR-4304 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2016-03-23 | FM-5120 | Fire | Anderson Creek Fire |
| 2013-10-22 | DR-4150 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-08-10 | DR-1932 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, 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 |
| 2007-05-06 | DR-1699 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1675 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
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 Comanche County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Comanche 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | once in about 53 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 73 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $305K | 9.8 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $911K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $28K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $414K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $187K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $32K | 5.6 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 Comanche 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 Comanche CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Comanche County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis