Kiowa County, Colorado
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 08061 · population 1,446 · 1,768 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 630 records for Kiowa County, Colorado from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 336 days; the most frequent are hail reports (323 records). The most damaging was the June 6, 1994 hail ($995,000 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, Flooding, and Tornadoes” on August 25, 2023.
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
- 630on 336 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 05 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.8Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 92strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 2023
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 Kiowa County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 323 since 1960. 57% of its hail reports since 1960 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Colorado'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 | 323 | 201 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 18 of 63 |
| Tornadoes | 92 | 57 | 1958-2023 | 0 | 2 | $3.6M | 14 of 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | 81 | 43 | 2003-2026 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 54 of 63 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 60 | 43 | 1963-2023 | 0 | 3 | $40K | 27 of 63 |
| Winter storms | 48 | 26 | 2005-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 63 |
| Floods | 10 | 9 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 50 of 63 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 7 | 6 | 1996-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 63 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 2021-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 63 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 63 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 51 of 63 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 63 |
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 Kiowa County had?
NOAA records 92 tornadoes in Kiowa County from 1958 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries recorded in the county. That is 14th of 63 Colorado 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 95 tornadoes whose track touched Kiowa County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 92: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Kiowa County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-28 19:54, as SPC files it | Holly | EF3 | 28 mi | 2 |
| 1971-10-17 18:30, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 5.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Colorado.
Every tornado record filed for Kiowa County (92)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-06 | Haswell, Kiowa County | EFU 0.88 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-27 | Eads, Kiowa County | EFU 0.94 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-17 | Haswell, Kiowa County | EFU 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-17 | Chivington, Kiowa County | EFU 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-26 | Eads, Kiowa County | EFU 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-09 | Brandon, Kiowa County | EFU 1.18 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-15 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | EF0 3.79 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-27 | Towner, Kiowa County | EFU 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-27 | Towner, Kiowa County | EFU 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-27 | Towner, Kiowa County | EFU 0.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-15 | Eads, Kiowa County | EFU 1.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-15 | Eads, Kiowa County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-04-15 | Eads, Kiowa County | EFU 3.85 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-09 | Chivington, Kiowa County | EF0 4.18 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2015-05-09 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 1.07 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-27 | Haswell, Kiowa County | EF0 2.14 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-08-23 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | EF0 0.91 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-06-02 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 1.06 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-06-02 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 1.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-27 | Chivington, Kiowa County | EF2 0.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2012-04-27 | Chivington, Kiowa County | EF1 2.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $51K |
| 2011-05-18 | Haswell, Kiowa County | EF0 0.47 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-15 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 0.74 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | EF0 0.17 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | EF0 0.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.36 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.19 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | EF0 1.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.26 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.32 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.14 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-25 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF0 0.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-18 | Chivington, Kiowa County | EF0 2.34 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 1.18 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 1.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 1.36 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 0.73 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 0.36 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 2.56 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF0 3.35 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | EF1 7.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2008-08-15 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | EF0 0.88 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-28 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF1 4.62 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2007-03-28 | Towner, Kiowa County | EF2 11 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2004-08-07 | Arlington, Kiowa County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2004-08-07 | Arlington, Kiowa County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-06 | Haswell, Kiowa County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-15 | Eads, Kiowa County | F0 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-08-28 | Eads, Kiowa County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-29 | Eads, Kiowa County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-09-21 | Sheridan Lake, Kiowa County | F1 12 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2000-07-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-22 | Eads, Kiowa County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-24 | Haswell, Kiowa County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-11 | Eads, Kiowa County | F0 20 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-11 | Towner, Kiowa County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Kiowa County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 15, 2016 thunderstorm wind ($12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A hog farm sustained damage to the roofs on four buildings.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 639096)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-16 | High WindKiowa County · forecast zone Eastern Kiowa County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-08 | Heavy SnowKiowa County · forecast zone Western Kiowa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-02 | HailEads, Kiowa County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-23 | HailBrandon, Kiowa County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-23 | HailBrandon, Kiowa County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | HailChivington, Kiowa County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-24 | HailEads, Kiowa County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-14 | High WindKiowa County · forecast zone Western Kiowa County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-20 | Heavy SnowKiowa County · forecast zone Western Kiowa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-11 | Heavy SnowKiowa County · forecast zone Western Kiowa County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-06 | HailHaswell, Kiowa County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-06 | HailHaswell, Kiowa County | 2.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindEads, Kiowa County Three semi-trailers were blown over on US Highway between 1 and 3 miles north of Eads. | 65 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $12K |
| 2012-04-27 | TornadoChivington, Kiowa County Power poles just south of Chivington were downed...and a mobile home was destroyed and a church was damaged. | EF1 2.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $51K |
| 1978-05-17 | TornadoKiowa County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-06-06 | HailTowner, Kiowa County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2000-09-21 | TornadoSheridan Lake, Kiowa County | F1 12 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2012-04-27 | TornadoChivington, Kiowa County | EF1 2.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $51K |
| 2012-04-27 | TornadoChivington, Kiowa County | EF2 0.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2016-07-15 | HailSheridan Lake, Kiowa County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2007-03-28 | TornadoTowner, Kiowa County | EF2 11 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2010-05-18 | TornadoChivington, Kiowa County | EF0 2.34 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2016-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindEads, Kiowa County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $12K |
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: October 17, 1971 (tornado, Kiowa County); May 12, 1975 (tornado, Kiowa 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 Kiowa 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 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 81 | 94 | 97 | 27 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 43 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 20 | 56 | 5 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 26 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 16 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its hail reports since 1960 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 13 · Feb 17 · Mar 24 · Apr 78 · May 145 · Jun 138 · Jul 99 · Aug 55 · Sep 11 · Oct 12 · Nov 15 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kiowa County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Kiowa County: 7 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (2) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-25 | DR-4731 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4498 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3436 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007-01-07 | EM-3271 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3224 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-06-19 | DR-1421 | Fire | Wildfires |
| 2001-05-17 | DR-1374 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1999-05-17 | DR-1276 | Severe Storm | Co-Flooding 4/30/99 |
| 1997-08-01 | DR-1186 | Flood | Severe Storms, Heavy Rain, Flash Floods, Flooding, Mudslides |
| 1977-01-29 | EM-3025 | Drought | Drought |
| 1965-06-19 | DR-200 | 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Kiowa County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kiowa County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.3 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 Moderate | $1.3M | 118 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $401K | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $210K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $62K | once in about 933 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $19K | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $205K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $182K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $17K | once in about 1,976 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Kiowa 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 ColoradoEvery Colorado tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in ColoradoThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Colorado recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Kiowa CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kiowa County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis