Hamilton County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20075 · population 2,518 · 997 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 778 records for Hamilton County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 448 days; the most frequent are hail reports (395 records). The most damaging was the September 18, 1993 hail ($204,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1965, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 24, 2024.
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
- 778on 448 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 36strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 2024
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 Hamilton County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 395 since 1961. 53% 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 | 395 | 207 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $289K | 77 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 166 | 118 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $130K | 93 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 74 | 57 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 21 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 60 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 96 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 36 | 29 | 1951-2025 | 0 | 1 | $3.9M | 92 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 15 | 13 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 105 |
| Floods | 8 | 7 | 2001-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 105 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 2019-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 73 of 105 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 97 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 Hamilton County had?
NOAA records 36 tornadoes in Hamilton County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 36 tornadoes whose track touched Hamilton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 36, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Hamilton County (36)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-03 | Medway, Hamilton County | EFU 0.62 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-27 | Kendall, Hamilton County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-21 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | EF0 0.07 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-21 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | EF0 0.31 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-21 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | EF0 0.56 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-07-13 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | EF0 2.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-18 | Mayline, Hamilton County | EF0 0.47 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-18 | Mayline, Hamilton County | EF0 0.73 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-18 | Mayline, Hamilton County | EF0 0.91 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-15 | Medway, Hamilton County | EF1 7.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-16 | Medway, Hamilton County | EF0 1.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-16 | Medway, Hamilton County | EF0 0.37 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-21 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | EF0 0.49 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-07-25 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | EF0 0.41 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-26 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | EF0 0.87 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-28 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | EF0 10.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-20 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-05-20 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-08-13 | Syracuse, Hamilton County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-23 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-23 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-01 | Coolidge, Hamilton County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-19 | Hamilton County | F2 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-05-02 | Hamilton County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-06-01 | Hamilton County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1977-08-05 | Hamilton County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1971-06-10 | Hamilton County | F1 0.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-07-06 | Hamilton County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1966-07-06 | Hamilton County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1963-11-21 | Hamilton County | F2 25.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1962-06-22 | Hamilton County | F0 15.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-05-17 | Hamilton County | F2 12.6 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-06-02 | Hamilton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-05-27 | Hamilton County | F1 30.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1954-05-26 | Hamilton County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1951-06-17 | Hamilton County | 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 Hamilton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 10, 2010 thunderstorm wind ($14,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The roof of a 30 x 60 foot shed was blown about 40 feet. Six power poles were blown down and a large tree was uprooted. Also a large water tank was rolled over 200 feet.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 254005)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | High WindHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-03 | Dense FogHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-16 | High WindHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-22 | Dense FogHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-20 | Dense FogHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-14 | Dense FogHamilton County · forecast zone Hamilton | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966-07-06 | TornadoHamilton County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-09-18 | HailSyracuse, Hamilton County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $204K |
| 2010-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindCoolidge, Hamilton County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 1994-06-09 | HailSyracuse, Hamilton County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1996-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindSyracuse, Hamilton County | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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: May 26, 1954 (tornado, Hamilton County); June 19, 1990 (tornado, Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 99 | 130 | 102 | 42 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 48 | 45 | 33 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 20 | 26 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 32 | 12 | 17 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 5 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
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 1961 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 20 · Mar 45 · Apr 92 · May 113 · Jun 206 · Jul 114 · Aug 78 · Sep 32 · Oct 12 · Nov 16 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hamilton County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Hamilton County: 8 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4824 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1675 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1965-06-23 | DR-201 | Flood | 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 Hamilton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hamilton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.7 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 | $1.6M | 94 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $941K | 7.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $409K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $16K | once in about 1,408 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $26K | 9.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $73K | 45 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $170K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $9K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hamilton 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 Hamilton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hamilton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis