Jackson County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20085 · population 13,228 · 656 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 606 records for Jackson County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 379 days; the most frequent are hail reports (248 records). The deadliest single record is the May 31, 1978 tornado: 3 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1967, 18 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
- 606on 379 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 620 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $38Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 36strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Jackson County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 248 since 1962. 46% of its hail reports since 1962 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 | 248 | 127 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 85 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 143 | 99 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $553K | 65 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 79 | 78 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | – | 11 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 36 | 30 | 1950-2026 | 5 | 18 | $33M | 37 of 105 |
| Floods | 34 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $3.0M | 44 of 105 |
| Heat | 20 | 20 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 13 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $342K | 65 of 105 |
| Drought | 10 | 10 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 71 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $142K | 40 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 2003-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 105 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1998-2006 | 0 | 0 | $134K | 20 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA records 36 tornadoes in Jackson County from 1950 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 5 deaths and 18 injuries recorded in the county. That is 37th 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 37 tornadoes whose track touched Jackson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 36: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-05-31 15:30, as SPC files it | Holton | F3 | 37 mi | 3 |
| 2008-06-11 22:46, as SPC files it | Soldier | EF2 | 17.28 mi | 2 |
| 1962-08-06 17:40, as SPC files it | Holton | F4 | 11 mi | 0 |
| 1967-06-11 18:00, as SPC files it | Leona | F3 | 43.9 mi | 0 |
| 1950-05-05 03:30, as SPC files it | Hiawatha | F3 | 17.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Jackson County (36)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Circleville, Jackson County | EF1 8.45 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-12 | Whiting, Jackson County | EFU 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-12 | Netawaka, Jackson County | EFU 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-12 | Holton, Jackson County | EF1 3.62 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-29 | Delia, Jackson County | EF1 3.28 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-21 | Mayetta, Jackson County | EF2 17.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-21 | Delia, Jackson County | EF0 6.66 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-15 | Netawaka, Jackson County | EF0 0.05 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-04 | Mayetta, Jackson County | EF0 2.07 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2008-06-11 | Soldier, Jackson County | EF2 9.03 mi x 300 yd | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-15 | Circleville, Jackson County | F0 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $110K |
| 1999-05-04 | Soldier, Jackson County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-29 | Mayetta, Jackson County | F1 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $127K |
| 1998-06-20 | Holton, Jackson County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-08 | Whiting, Jackson County | F1 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $92K |
| 1993-09-21 | Hoyt, Jackson County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-09-21 | Highway 63. A Rotati, Jackson County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1993-09-21 | Emmett, Jackson County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-06 | Soldier, Jackson County | F1 5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1992-09-05 | Jackson County | F0 3 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1991-04-26 | Jackson County | F2 7 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-09-08 | Jackson County | F0 1 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1984-04-26 | Jackson County | F2 10 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-06-08 | Jackson County | F2 10 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1979-10-18 | Jackson County | F2 24.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-05-31 | Jackson County | F3 18.1 mi x 1,300 yd | 3 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-05-06 | Jackson County | F0 0.2 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1962-08-06 | Jackson County | F4 11 mi x 667 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1962-08-06 | Jackson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1961-10-12 | Jackson County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1959-05-04 | Jackson County | F2 24.9 mi x 1,760 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1958-04-04 | Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1954-04-05 | Jackson County | F1 3.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-19 | Jackson County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1951-05-30 | Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1950-05-05 | Jackson County | F3 3.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K 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 Jackson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 4, 2026 flash flood ($8,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindWhiting, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindHolton, Jackson County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-04 | Flash FloodWhiting, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $8K | |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindBirmingham, Jackson County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindHolton, Jackson County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | TornadoCircleville, Jackson County | EF1 8.45 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindMayetta, Jackson County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-23 | HailHoyt, Jackson County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-23 | HailBirmingham, Jackson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-27 | HailHoyt, Jackson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-27 | HailMayetta, Jackson County | 1.25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-05-31 | TornadoJackson County | F3 18.1 mi x 1,300 yd | 3 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 2008-06-11 | TornadoSoldier, Jackson County This is the second segment of a tornado that initially touched down in Pottawatomie County and then continued northeast into Jackson County before continuing northeast and dissipating in Nemaha County. This is segment 2 of 3. Upon entering Jackson County the tornado did EF1 and EF0 damage primarily to outbuildings, ... | EF2 9.03 mi x 300 yd | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2001-02-24 | Flash FloodMayetta, Jackson County Flood waters swept a vehicle off a road into a nearby creek killing the male driver. Two passengers escaped uninjured. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1950-05-05 | TornadoJackson County | F3 3.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
| 1962-08-06 | TornadoJackson County | F4 11 mi x 667 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2008-12-09 | Winter WeatherJackson County · forecast zone Jackson Numerous accidents were reported across the county, and several minor injuries came as a result of those accidents, but no official number was made available by local police. The most significant accident in the county occurred when a vehicle rolled after hitting a patch of ice on Hwy 75. A woman was taken to a local ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2005-10-02 | Flash FloodCountywide, Jackson County Highway 16 closed near Denison as well as between Birmingham and Holton due to deep fast flowing water over the road. Many other county roads also closed due to fast flowing deep water. | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | |
| 1989-09-08 | TornadoJackson County | F0 1 mi x 350 yd | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-09-21 | HailEmmett, Jackson County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2005-10-02 | Flash FloodCountywide, Jackson County | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | |
| 2005-10-02 | FloodJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 0 | 0 | $438K | |
| 2008-05-22 | Flash FloodCircleville, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $343K | |
| 2002-03-08 | High WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $331K |
| 2005-10-01 | Flash FloodHoyt, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $287K | |
| 1999-06-28 | Flash FloodCircleville, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $257K | |
| 1998-06-29 | TornadoMayetta, Jackson County | F1 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $127K |
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: May 31, 1978 (tornado, Jackson County, 3 killed); April 26, 1984 (tornado, Jackson 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 Jackson 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 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 20 | 96 | 84 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 33 | 39 | 27 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 45 | 14 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 16 | 10 | 4 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its hail reports since 1962 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 27 · Mar 33 · Apr 68 · May 102 · Jun 127 · Jul 61 · Aug 53 · Sep 36 · Oct 25 · Nov 17 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jackson County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Jackson County: 17 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) 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 |
| 2015-07-20 | DR-4230 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2010-08-10 | DR-1932 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2007-05-06 | DR-1699 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-11-15 | DR-1615 | 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 |
| 1998-10-14 | DR-1254 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1984-06-22 | DR-714 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1977-09-20 | DR-539 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 34 flood or flash flood records for Jackson County from 1996 to 2026, on 27 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jackson County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-10-01 | 3 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $104,000 on 4 claims filed in Jackson County; the most in one year was 3 in 2005. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2005: 3 · 2006: 1; 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 Jackson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jackson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | once in about 308 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $231K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $130K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $517K | 13 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $432K | 6.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $182K | 9.5 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $67K | 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 Jackson 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 Jackson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jackson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis