Crawford County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20037 · population 38,964 · 590 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 790 records for Crawford County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 485 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (256 records). The deadliest single record is the May 4, 2003 tornado: 3 deaths, 20 injuries and $13.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1967, 22 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 1, 2026.
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
- 790on 485 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 455 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $207Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 38strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 2026
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 Crawford County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 256 since 1958. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 256 | 167 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 8 | $12M | 13 of 105 |
| Hail | 239 | 145 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $366K | 42 of 105 |
| Floods | 104 | 89 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 5 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 55 | 54 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $6.8M | 43 of 105 |
| Drought | 41 | 41 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $54M | 13 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 38 | 29 | 1955-2019 | 4 | 43 | $115M | 23 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 31 | 19 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 9 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 17 of 105 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 1997-2017 | 0 | 3 | $339K | 90 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2009-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 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 Crawford County had?
NOAA records 38 tornadoes in Crawford County from 1955 to 2019, the strongest rated F4, with 4 deaths and 43 injuries recorded in the county. That is 23rd 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 38 tornadoes whose track touched Crawford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 38, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 4 of them in Crawford County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-04 15:35, as SPC files it | Girard to ArmaCrossed KS, MO | F4 | 33 mi | 4 |
| 1982-03-15 19:35, as SPC files it | El Dorado Springs to OsceolaCrossed KS, MO | F3 | 70 mi | 2 |
| 2000-04-19 19:30, as SPC files it | Parsons | F3 | 34 mi | 0 |
| 1983-03-26 15:15, as SPC files it | Pittsburg | F3 | 7 mi | 0 |
| 1982-03-15 20:45, as SPC files it | OpolisCrossed KS, MO | F3 | 9 mi | 0 |
| 1956-07-20 18:30, as SPC files it | Pittsburg | F3 | 69.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Crawford County (38)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-20 | Kirkwood, Crawford County | EF1 1.62 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2019-05-20 | Kniveton, Crawford County | EF1 6.14 mi x 1,200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2017-02-28 | Hepler, Crawford County | EF0 0.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-02-28 | Farlington, Crawford County | EF0 0.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2006-05-03 | Farlington, Crawford County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-09-13 | Girard, Crawford County | F0 6 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-21 | Mc Cune, Crawford County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-27 | Girard, Crawford County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-08-05 | Mc Cune, Crawford County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-04 | Mc Cune, Crawford County | F4 27 mi x 880 yd | 3 | 20 | $13M |
| 2000-04-19 | Mc Cune, Crawford County | F2 8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 4 | $514K |
| 2000-04-19 | Walnut, Crawford County | F2 8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 1996-05-26 | Mulberry, Crawford County | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $188K |
| 1988-11-09 | Crawford County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-11-09 | Crawford County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1987-06-27 | Crawford County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1987-06-22 | Crawford County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1986-04-07 | Crawford County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1986-04-07 | Crawford County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-04-07 | Crawford County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-04-27 | Crawford County | F2 8.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-03-26 | Crawford County | F3 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-12-01 | Crawford County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-03-15 | Crawford County | F3 1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-03-15 | Crawford County | F3 10 mi x 600 yd | 1 | 8 | $25M step |
| 1982-03-15 | Crawford County | F2 15 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-04-06 | Crawford County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-06-08 | Crawford County | F0 4.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-09-24 | Crawford County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-03-08 | Crawford County | F2 2.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-05-08 | Crawford County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1963-05-26 | Crawford County | F2 8.7 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-05-26 | Crawford County | F2 10.9 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-06-02 | Crawford County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-11-02 | Crawford County | F1 7.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1961-03-26 | Crawford County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1958-11-17 | Crawford County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-05-11 | Crawford County | F2 | 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 Crawford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 13, 2026 flash flood ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-25 | HailMc Cune, Crawford County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-13 | Flash FloodPittsburg, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-13 | Flash FloodPittsburg, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-13 | Flash FloodFrontenac, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | $50K | |
| 2026-06-08 | Flash FloodPittsburg, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2026-04-28 | HailCherokee, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-28 | HailPittsburg, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailHepler, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailWalnut, Crawford County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-04 | TornadoMc Cune, Crawford County This storm is known to have initiated the unforgettable series of events of 4 May, 2003. This classic supercell rapidly developed over Montgomery County, Kansas, eventually moving into southwestern Crawford County, Kansas where it spawned a very large and destructive tornado. This tornado laid out a path of ... | F4 27 mi x 880 yd | 3 | 20 | $13M |
| 1982-03-15 | TornadoCrawford County | F3 10 mi x 600 yd | 1 | 8 | $25M step |
| 2000-04-19 | TornadoMc Cune, Crawford County An F2 tornado entered the southwest corner of Crawford County west of McCune and traveled northeast over the southwest section of the county. The intermittent damage path was 300 yards wide. Although the tornado stayed over rural areas, it still managed to severely damage or destroy 5 homes and several outbuildings. ... | F2 8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 4 | $514K |
| 1983-03-26 | TornadoCrawford County | F3 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 2008-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindFrontenac, Crawford County Severe thunderstorm wind speeds in excess of 70 mph caused major tree damage in the community of Frotenac. Three injuries occurred as a large tree was blown down on a vehicle. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $14K |
| 2001-04-11 | High WindCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford A three-story discount store partly collapsed in Pittsburg, Kansas due to non-thunderstorm winds. Three employees and two customers were inside the building when the roof began to collapse. Some minor injuries were reported as the third floor collapsed onto the second floor. The building was believed to be 100 years ... | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| 1982-03-15 | TornadoCrawford County | F2 15 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 3 | $2.5M step |
| 2005-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cune, Crawford County An intense bow echo storm entered Crawford County northwest of Mc Cune and swept across southern sections of the county. 80 mph winds damaged several structures including homes and barns. Two Crawford County residents were inside a mobile home when the storm approached. The home was destroyed and the two individuals ... | 70 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $2.0M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2012-08-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | $19M | |
| 2007-04-07 | Frost/FreezeCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2003-05-04 | TornadoMc Cune, Crawford County | F4 27 mi x 880 yd | 3 | 20 | $13M |
| 2022-12-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2009-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cune, Crawford County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 2002-01-30 | Ice StormCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2024-11-01 | DroughtCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | $2.4M |
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: March 15, 1982 (tornado, Crawford County, 1 killed).
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 Crawford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 34 | 51 | 97 | 39 |
| Hail | 0 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 82 | 71 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 46 | 31 | 15 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 19 | 10 | 22 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 14 | 21 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Crawford County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 26 · Feb 61 · Mar 71 · Apr 98 · May 145 · Jun 135 · Jul 80 · Aug 55 · Sep 54 · Oct 12 · Nov 28 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Crawford County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Crawford County: 20 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (14) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4940 | 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 |
| 2017-06-16 | DR-4319 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, 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 |
| 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 |
| 2007-07-02 | DR-1711 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-08-23 | DR-1600 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-02-08 | DR-1579 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding |
| 2003-05-06 | DR-1462 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1402 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 2000-05-03 | DR-1327 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-07-13 | DR-514 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1973-05-02 | DR-378 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-07-15 | DR-267 | Tornado | Tornadoes, 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 Crawford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 104 flood or flash flood records for Crawford County from 1996 to 2026, on 89 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Crawford County ranks 1088th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 149 claims filed in Crawford County; the most in one year was 30 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 4 · 1986: 5 · 1989: 2 · 1993: 24 · 1994: 30 · 1995: 9 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 13 · 1999: 6 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 2 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 2 · 2007: 12 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 10 · 2013: 12 · 2019: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2026: 4; 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 Crawford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Crawford County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $27.3 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 | $2.4M | 19 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.9M | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $336K | 10 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.9M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $648K | 6.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $331K | 54 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Crawford 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in KansasThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Crawford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Crawford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis