Miami County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20121 · population 34,178 · 576 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 532 records for Miami County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 358 days; the most frequent are hail reports (187 records). The deadliest single record is the May 20, 1957 tornado: 4 deaths and 20 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1967, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,and Mudslides” on June 20, 2019.
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
- 532on 358 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1031 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $71Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F5
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2020
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 Miami County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 187 since 1958. 57% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in April and May. 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 | 187 | 111 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 86 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 166 | 117 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $348K | 36 of 105 |
| Floods | 55 | 46 | 1996-2023 | 2 | 0 | $24M | 18 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 48 | 48 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $79K | 56 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 19 | 1957-2026 | 4 | 30 | $45M | 81 of 105 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 105 |
| Heat | 16 | 16 | 1999-2023 | 2 | 0 | – | 19 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 105 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 1 | $574K | 15 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1999-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 102 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 Miami County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Miami County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated F5, with 4 deaths and 30 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 23 tornadoes whose track touched Miami County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 44 people, 4 of them in Miami County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-05-20 18:15, as SPC files it | Ruskin HeightsCrossed KS, MO | F5 | 69.4 mi | 44 |
| 1968-05-15 14:45, as SPC files it | LouisburgCrossed KS, MO | F3 | 2.7 mi | 0 |
| 1960-04-15 18:00, as SPC files it | West LineCrossed KS, MO | F3 | 8.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Miami County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | Hillsdale, Miami County | EF2 3.12 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-08 | Somerset, Miami County | EF0 9.55 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-08 | Hillsdale, Miami County | EF0 9.74 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-29 | Henson, Miami County | EF0 2.06 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2015-09-18 | Paola Majeski Airport, Miami County | EF1 9.26 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2011-05-25 | Louisburg, Miami County | EF0 0.05 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2003-05-04 | New Lancaster, Miami County | F1 7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-04-24 | Antioch, Miami County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-16 | Beagle To, Miami County | F1 8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 5 | $968K |
| 1984-02-11 | Miami County | F1 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1982-05-15 | Miami County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-15 | Miami County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-05-11 | Miami County | F2 11.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-05-04 | Miami County | F2 11.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-04-04 | Miami County | F2 8.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1968-05-15 | Miami County | F3 2.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-04-22 | Miami County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1964-04-22 | Miami County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1964-04-20 | Miami County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-04-15 | Miami County | F3 2.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1958-06-14 | Miami County | F0 8 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-05-20 | Miami County | F5 29.1 mi x 440 yd | 4 | 20 | $2.5M 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 Miami County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 15, 2026 hail ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Softball sized hail (4 inch) reported on north side of Paola.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1322671)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindOsawatomie Paola Arp, Miami County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindAntioch, Miami County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindPaola Majeski Airport, Miami County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindPaola Majeski Airport, Miami County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailBucyrus, Miami County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailWagstaff, Miami County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailLouisburg, Miami County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailHillsdale, Miami County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailHillsdale, Miami County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailPaola, Miami County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindPaola, Miami County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindOsawatomie Paola Arp, Miami County | 60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-05-20 | TornadoMiami County | F5 29.1 mi x 440 yd | 4 | 20 | $2.5M step |
| 2019-02-05 | Winter WeatherMiami County · forecast zone Miami Per the St. Joseph Post: One person died in an accident just before 11 a.m. Tuesday in Miami County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven by Dennis J. Gentry, 64, Mound City, was southbound on U.S. 169 North of 355th Street. The vehicle was traveling too fast for road conditions. The driver ... | 1 | 0 | $12K | |
| 2019-01-19 | Winter WeatherMiami County · forecast zone Miami A snow plow driver for the Kansas Department of Transportation was killed Saturday morning after his vehicle crashed during snow removal operations. From KWCH12: The Kansas Highway Patrol says 25-year-old Stephen Windler, of Paola, was traveling south on U.S. 69 south of 207th Street in Johnson County when he turned ... | 1 | 0 | $58K | |
| 2018-10-10 | FloodPaola, Miami County From FOX 4 Kansas City: Miami County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to FOX4 that a missing 78-year-old woman has been found dead. Authorities found Hazel Phillips inside her vehicle near Hospital Drive south of 327th Street Friday morning. According to deputies, someone noticed the roof of a silver car showing after flood ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-08-22 | Flash FloodNew Lancaster, Miami County A vehicle hydroplaned off the road on HWY 69 near 363rd Street. The vehicle left the roadway, then sank into the flooded ditch alongside the road. An occupant in the vehicle perished. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-08-03 | HeatMiami County · forecast zone Miami While conditions were not particularly hot, they were slightly above average for the mid to late summer, with heat indices in the middle to upper 90s. A 15 year old boy was out riding his bike near Osawatomie when he complained to his friend of being too hot, so he turned around to go home. He was found near train ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1999-07-18 | HeatMiami County · forecast zone Miami Oppressive heat and humidity gripped northeast Kansas for nearly 2 weeks in late July. Temperatures exceeded 90 degrees across the area on 14 consecutive days, and flirted with the 100 degree mark on eight of those days, from July 23-30. High humidity levels pushed afternoon heat indices over 100, and even as high as ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1995-05-16 | TornadoBeagle To, Miami County An F1 tornado touched down just west of U.S. Route 169 about 1/10 mile south of the junction with state Route 7. Damage was intermittent along the path as the tornado skipped east for about 8 miles, finally lifting 2 miles north of Fontana. The most significant damage was along Route 7 where a mobile home was ... | F1 8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 5 | $968K |
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 | FloodStanton, Miami County | 0 | 0 | $24M | |
| 1995-04-16 | HailLouisburg, Miami County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 1995-05-16 | TornadoBeagle To, Miami County | F1 8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 5 | $968K |
| 2004-08-25 | LightningPaola, Miami County | 0 | 0 | $469K | |
| 2010-08-13 | Thunderstorm WindPaola Majeski Airport, Miami County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 2019-01-19 | Winter WeatherMiami County · forecast zone Miami | 1 | 0 | $58K | |
| 2019-04-29 | TornadoHenson, Miami County | EF0 2.06 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2026-04-15 | HailPaola, Miami County | 4.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
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 20, 1957 (tornado, Miami County, 4 killed); May 11, 1978 (tornado, Miami 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 Miami 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 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 41 | 60 | 38 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 41 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 16 | 24 | 12 | 3 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 21 | 18 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 |
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 1958 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 18 · Feb 31 · Mar 32 · Apr 79 · May 106 · Jun 90 · Jul 52 · Aug 56 · Sep 34 · Oct 7 · Nov 12 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Miami County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Miami County: 13 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2008-02-01 | DR-1741 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 |
| 2003-05-06 | DR-1462 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1402 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 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 Miami County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Miami County from 1996 to 2023, on 46 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Miami County ranks 1960th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 27 claims filed in Miami County; the most in one year was 12 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1998: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 12 · 2017: 11 · 2018: 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 Miami County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Miami County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $17.9 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 Moderate | $341K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 9 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 6.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $343K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.0M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.4M | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.5M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $296K | 52 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 Miami 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 Miami CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Miami County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis