Graham County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20065 · population 2,412 · 899 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 892 records for Graham County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 536 days; the most frequent are hail reports (360 records). The most damaging was the December 29, 2006 winter storm ($30.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1993, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Wildfires” on May 21, 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
- 892on 536 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $53Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 41strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Graham County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 360 since 1957. 60% 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 | 360 | 196 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 69 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 270 | 186 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 1 | $977K | 33 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 66 | 61 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $45K | 14 of 105 |
| Drought | 59 | 59 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 52 | 50 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $31M | 99 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 41 | 28 | 1950-2022 | 0 | 0 | $21M | 87 of 105 |
| Floods | 27 | 19 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $854K | 75 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 11 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 2020-2021 | 0 | 0 | $54K | 8 of 105 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | $504 | 75 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 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 Graham County had?
NOAA records 41 tornadoes in Graham County from 1950 to 2022, the strongest rated EF3, 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 43 tornadoes whose track touched Graham County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 41: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-20 12:54, as SPC files it | Edmond | EF3 | 11.87 mi | 0 |
| 1969-06-24 19:15, as SPC files it | Bogue | F3 | 47 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Graham County (41)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-06-09 | Hill City, Graham County | EFU 1.36 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-28 | Hill City, Graham County | EF0 4.48 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-01 | Morland, Graham County | EF0 3.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-01 | Hill City Municipal, Graham County | EF0 0.59 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-09 | St Peter, Graham County | EF0 2.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-20 | Hill City Municipal, Graham County | EF1 0.94 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2011-06-20 | Hill City Municipal, Graham County | EF1 0.63 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2011-06-20 | Hill City Municipal, Graham County | EF3 6.44 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $6.6M |
| 2011-06-20 | St Peter, Graham County | EF0 4.76 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-23 | Studley, Graham County | EF1 14 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2007-05-22 | Hill City, Graham County | EF0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-22 | Hill City, Graham County | EF0 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-09 | Hill City, Graham County | F0 0.6 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-09 | Hill City, Graham County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-09 | Hill City, Graham County | F2 9.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-10 | St Peter, Graham County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-10 | St Peter, Graham County | F1 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2003-06-09 | Hill City, Graham County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-09 | Hill City, Graham County | F0 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-28 | Morland, Graham County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-28 | St Peter, Graham County | F0 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-11 | Hill City, Graham County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-15 | Morland, Graham County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-12 | Studley, Graham County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-06-16 | Graham County | F1 4.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1979-04-19 | Graham County | F2 5.2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-06-22 | Graham County | F1 0.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-06-15 | Graham County | F2 1.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-06-14 | Graham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1961-08-12 | Graham County | F2 21.6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-05-18 | Graham County | F1 6.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-06-05 | Graham County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-29 | Graham County | F2 5.6 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-05-13 | Graham County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1956-07-05 | Graham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1955-06-04 | Graham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1955-06-04 | Graham County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1953-06-07 | Graham County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-07 | Graham County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-07 | Graham County | F0 10.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1950-06-25 | Graham County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Graham County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 1, 2024 thunderstorm wind ($47,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Metal garage had overhead doors blown out and folded with portions of the side wall torn away.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1176538)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindBogue, Graham County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindPenokee, Graham County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-30 | HailSt Peter, Graham County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | HailHill City, Graham County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindHill City Municipal, Graham County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindGraham County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-12-29 | Winter StormGraham County · forecast zone Graham | 0 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2011-06-20 | TornadoHill City Municipal, Graham County | EF3 6.44 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $6.6M |
| 2011-06-20 | TornadoHill City Municipal, Graham County | EF1 0.63 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2018-06-30 | Flash FloodHill City, Graham County | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 2019-08-29 | Thunderstorm WindMorland, Graham County | 91 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $173K |
| 2012-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindMorland, Graham County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $162K |
| 2013-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindStudley, Graham County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $114K |
| 2024-05-01 | Thunderstorm WindBogue, Graham County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $94K |
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: June 16, 1979 (tornado, Graham 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 Graham 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 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 61 | 150 | 68 | 38 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 25 | 22 | 7 | 22 | 58 | 62 | 71 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 17 | 35 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 24 z | 29 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 26 | 11 | 10 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 1 |
Drought in the 2010s: 24 records against 6 in the decade before, 24 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 Graham 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?
60% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 22 · Mar 30 · Apr 75 · May 180 · Jun 208 · Jul 136 · Aug 77 · Sep 63 · Oct 32 · Nov 11 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Graham County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Graham County: 13 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and snowstorm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4869 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Wildfires |
| 2022-05-25 | DR-4654 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2007-01-07 | 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 |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1535 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Graham County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Graham County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.8 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 Moderate | $742K | 73 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $553K | 8.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $38K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $251K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $17K | once in about 1,972 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $340K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $22K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $35K | 4.9 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 Graham 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 Graham CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Graham County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis