Linn County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20107 · population 9,589 · 594 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 404 records for Linn County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 292 days; the most frequent are hail reports (132 records). The deadliest single record is the February 17, 2022 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Linn, which covers the county: 4 deaths. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1967, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on July 15, 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
- 404on 292 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 43 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $18Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Linn County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 132 since 1970. 51% of its hail reports since 1970 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 | 132 | 76 | 1970-2025 | 0 | 0 | $96K | 103 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 107 | 82 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $566K | 76 of 105 |
| Floods | 54 | 47 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 19 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 48 | 48 | 1997-2026 | 4 | 0 | $10K | 65 of 105 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 105 |
| Heat | 16 | 16 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 15 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 3 | $4.8M | 100 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 105 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 Linn County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Linn County from 1961 to 2026, the strongest rated EF4, with 0 deaths and 3 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Linn County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-02-28 19:30, as SPC files it | Blue Mound to Amoret | EF4 | 24.49 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Linn County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | Blue Mound, Linn County | EF1 21.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-04-27 | Prescott, Linn County | EF2 8.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-05 | Prescott, Linn County | EF0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2007-02-28 | Blue Mound, Linn County | EF4 24.49 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $569K |
| 2006-03-12 | La Cygne, Linn County | F0 2 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-26 | Prescott, Linn County | F1 5.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $109K |
| 2003-05-08 | Blue Mound, Linn County | F2 7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 1984-02-11 | Linn County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-07-31 | Linn County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1981-05-23 | Linn County | F1 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1970-05-09 | Linn County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-04-04 | Linn County | F2 3.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1964-04-26 | Linn County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1964-03-14 | Linn County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-24 | Linn County | F1 2.7 mi x 300 yd | 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 Linn County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 17, 2022 winter storm (4 deaths).
Heavy snow fell during the morning hours on February 17. Roughly 5 to 7 inches of snow fell across the county, with some isolated higher totals. The day after the snow fell, a Dodge Ram with four occupants from Texas was traveling north on HWY 69, just south of HWY 52 when it ran off the icy road and tumbled into a flooded adjacent ditch. All four occupants were killed. https://www.kmbc.com/article/four-killed-in-linn-county-crash-caused-by-ice/39148898 .
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1011171)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindPleasanton, Linn County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindMantey, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | TornadoBlue Mound, Linn County | EF1 21.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | Thunderstorm WindParker, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowLinn County · forecast zone Linn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindPleasanton, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindPleasanton, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindPleasanton, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindCadmus, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindLa Cygne, Linn County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-08 | HailMound City, Linn County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-08 | HailCenterville, Linn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-17 | Winter StormLinn County · forecast zone Linn Heavy snow fell during the morning hours on February 17. Roughly 5 to 7 inches of snow fell across the county, with some isolated higher totals. The day after the snow fell, a Dodge Ram with four occupants from Texas was traveling north on HWY 69, just south of HWY 52 when it ran off the icy road and tumbled into a ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-05-26 | TornadoPrescott, Linn County Mobile home and old one room school house destroyed. | F1 5.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $109K |
| 1969-04-04 | TornadoLinn County | F2 3.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-07-01 | FloodLa Cygne, Linn County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2007-07-01 | FloodBoicourt, Linn County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2007-02-28 | TornadoBlue Mound, Linn County | EF4 24.49 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $569K |
| 2004-05-26 | TornadoPrescott, Linn County | F1 5.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $109K |
| 1993-09-13 | Thunderstorm WindMound City, Linn County | 0 | 0 | $102K | |
| 2008-06-05 | TornadoPrescott, Linn County | EF0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2006-03-12 | HailPrescott, Linn County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $51K |
| 2003-05-08 | TornadoBlue Mound, Linn County | F2 7 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
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: April 4, 1969 (tornado, Linn County); May 23, 1981 (tornado, Linn County); February 11, 1984 (tornado, Linn 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 Linn 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 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 57 | 37 | 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 19 | 35 | 22 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 27 | 9 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 24 | 17 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 12 | 9 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its hail reports since 1970 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 21 · Feb 24 · Mar 26 · Apr 58 · May 67 · Jun 82 · Jul 43 · Aug 27 · Sep 16 · Oct 11 · Nov 13 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Linn County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Linn County: 15 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (12) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-15 | DR-4800 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2009-09-30 | DR-1860 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1402 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1998-10-14 | DR-1254 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1973-09-28 | DR-403 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Linn County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 54 flood or flash flood records for Linn County from 1996 to 2019, on 47 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Linn County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9,184 on 1 claim filed in Linn County; the most in one year was 1 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2024: 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 Linn County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Linn County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $101K | 9.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $393K | 8.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $83K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $357K | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $569K | 6.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $85K | 7.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $963K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $363K | 2.1 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 Linn 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 Linn CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Linn County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis