Norton County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20137 · population 5,450 · 878 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 817 records for Norton County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 441 days; the most frequent are hail reports (358 records). The deadliest single record is the September 3, 2016 flash flood: 1 death. FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 2005, 11 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Wildfires” on May 21, 2025.
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
- 817on 441 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $58Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 31strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 2025
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 Norton County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 358 since 1958. 55% of its hail reports since 1958 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 | 358 | 172 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.7M | 84 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 229 | 133 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 3 | $4.4M | 64 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 60 | 57 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $32M | 87 of 105 |
| Drought | 56 | 56 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 50 | 45 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 26 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 19 | 1952-2023 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 105 of 105 |
| Floods | 15 | 13 | 2000-2024 | 1 | 0 | $724K | 89 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 11 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 105 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2003-2007 | 0 | 0 | $21K | 53 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 1 | – | 64 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 85 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 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 Norton County had?
NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Norton County from 1952 to 2023, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 0 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 32 tornadoes whose track touched Norton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-20 12:54, as SPC files it | Edmond | EF3 | 11.87 mi | 0 |
| 2011-06-20 13:25, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 3.94 mi | 0 |
| 2011-06-20 13:41, as SPC files it | Almena | EF3 | 8.4 mi | 0 |
| 1999-06-03 18:00, as SPC files it | Almena | F3 | 10 mi | 0 |
| 1969-06-24 19:15, as SPC files it | Bogue | F3 | 47 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Norton County (31)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10-03 | Norton Municipal Airport, Norton County | EF1 0.08 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2023-09-21 | Reager, Norton County | EFU 4.58 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-16 | Almena, Norton County | EF0 5.74 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-16 | Norton County | EF1 3.85 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2015-11-16 | Lenora, Norton County | EF1 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-20 | Almena, Norton County | EF0 1.55 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-20 | Calvert, Norton County | EF2 4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $394K |
| 2011-06-20 | Calvert, Norton County | EF1 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2011-06-20 | Reager, Norton County | EF0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-20 | Almena, Norton County | EF3 4.77 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $13M |
| 2011-06-20 | Densmore, Norton County | EF3 3.94 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $459K |
| 2011-06-20 | Densmore, Norton County | EF0 1.8 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-20 | Edmond, Norton County | EF2 5.43 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2007-05-14 | Lenora, Norton County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-28 | Norton County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-06-29 | Densmore, Norton County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 1999-06-03 | Norton County | F3 10 mi x 1,320 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 1997-06-25 | Norton County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-22 | Norton County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-03-28 | To 11.25, Norton County | F1 1.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1993-03-28 | To 9 Nw, Norton County | F1 5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1989-07-14 | Norton County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-04-23 | Norton County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-04-23 | Norton County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-04-23 | Norton County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-09-06 | Norton County | F2 0.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-06-23 | Norton County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-05-25 | Norton County | F1 19.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-07-10 | Norton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-06-25 | Norton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1952-06-27 | Norton County | F2 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 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 Norton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 28, 2025 winter weather (1 injury).
Snow, and north winds gusting up to 40 mph in wake of a strong cold front led to icy roads across the county. Snow amounts were generally light with COCORAHS amounts showing around 0.5 inches with the snow ending across Norton county around 6am CT. A single vehicle crash occurred on K-383, about 2.7 miles north of US 36. The vehicle with 5 occupants hit a patch of ice, which lost control and flipped into a a north ditch. An 11 year old occupant sustained minor injuries. Key Impacts: icy roadway.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1295942)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-09 | HailNorton County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | HailNorton Municipal Airport, Norton County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtNorton County · forecast zone Norton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindNorton Municipal Airport, Norton County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindReager, Norton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | HailNorton County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindLenora Municipal Airport, Norton County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | HailLenora, Norton County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindLenora, Norton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | HailDellvale, Norton County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindNorton County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtNorton County · forecast zone Norton | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-09-03 | Flash FloodNew Almelo, Norton County The North Fork of the Solomon River was out of its banks causing all of Lenora to be flooded, along with a stretch of Highway 9 coming into town as well as elsewhere in the southern part of the county. Swift water rescues occurred in the southern part of Norton county during the late evening of the third. One of these ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindNorton County Blowing dirt reduced visibility causing a three-car accident on highway 36 resulting in three injuries. | 43 kt wind | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2025-11-28 | Winter WeatherNorton County · forecast zone Norton Snow, and north winds gusting up to 40 mph in wake of a strong cold front led to icy roads across the county. Snow amounts were generally light with COCORAHS amounts showing around 0.5 inches with the snow ending across Norton county around 6am CT. A single vehicle crash occurred on K-383, about 2.7 miles north of US ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-11-19 | Dense FogNorton County · forecast zone Norton A two vehicle crashed occurred on Highway 383 north of Norton during the morning in dense fog. A semi was stopped on the highway, waiting to turn into a road. A driver coming up from behind struck the semi. One driver sustained minor injuries. The crash closed the highway between Highway 36 and the Nebraska border for ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2023-08-05 | HailAlmena, Norton County The hail caused damage to a camper, siding, and broke several windows in vehicles and the house. One person was hit in the head by the hail and had a laceration. | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 1 | $15K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-12-29 | Winter StormNorton County · forecast zone Norton | 0 | 0 | $32M | |
| 2011-06-20 | TornadoAlmena, Norton County | EF3 4.77 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $13M |
| 2014-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindAlmena, Norton County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 1999-06-03 | TornadoNorton County | F3 10 mi x 1,320 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2009-07-31 | HailNorton Municipal Airport, Norton County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2011-06-20 | TornadoEdmond, Norton County | EF2 5.43 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2014-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindOronoque, Norton County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2000-06-29 | HailEdmond, Norton County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $686K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 25, 1965 (tornado, Norton 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 Norton 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 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 64 | 109 | 91 | 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 76 | 46 | 79 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 25 | 14 | 16 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 24 z | 26 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 13 | 23 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 2 |
Drought in the 2010s: 24 records against 6 in the decade before, 24 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Norton County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 25 · Mar 45 · Apr 59 · May 158 · Jun 174 · Jul 153 · Aug 59 · Sep 36 · Oct 32 · Nov 21 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Norton County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Norton County: 10 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4869 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Wildfires |
| 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 |
| 2016-10-20 | DR-4287 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms 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 |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1675 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2006-01-26 | DR-1626 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3236 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
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 Norton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Norton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | 7.7 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 74 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $728K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $86K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $92K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $309K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $13K | once in about 2,950 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Norton 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 Norton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Norton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis