Pottawatomie County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20149 · population 25,328 · 841 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 900 records for Pottawatomie County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 471 days; the most frequent are hail reports (408 records). The deadliest day on its record was April 10, 1997: winter weather and heavy snow records filed for Pottawatomie County that day count 4 deaths across 2 records. 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
- 900on 471 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 78 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 37strongest F3
- 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 Pottawatomie County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 408 since 1957. 51% of its hail reports since 1957 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 | 408 | 180 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 0 | $141K | 71 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 260 | 142 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 3 | $12M | 55 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 88 | 83 | 1996-2026 | 7 | 0 | $221K | 32 of 105 |
| Floods | 38 | 32 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 48 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 37 | 32 | 1951-2025 | 0 | 5 | $7.2M | 65 of 105 |
| Heat | 20 | 20 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 105 |
| Drought | 10 | 10 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 10 | 1998-2014 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 89 of 105 |
| Lightning | 9 | 7 | 1998-2008 | 0 | 0 | $478K | 17 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 9 | 2003-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 50 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2005-2007 | 0 | 0 | $149K | 71 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 Pottawatomie County had?
NOAA records 37 tornadoes in Pottawatomie County from 1951 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 5 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 41 tornadoes whose track touched Pottawatomie County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 37: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 0 of them in Pottawatomie County.
| 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 |
| 2024-04-30 15:40, as SPC files it | Westmoreland | EF3 | 2.24 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Pottawatomie County (37)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-28 | Belvue, Pottawatomie County | EF0 3.57 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-08-14 | Blaine, Pottawatomie County | EFU 0.01 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-08-14 | Fostoria, Pottawatomie County | EFU 0.48 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-11 | Fostoria, Pottawatomie County | EF1 11.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-29 | Wamego Municipal Airport, Pottawatomie County | EF1 6.13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-29 | St George, Pottawatomie County | EF0 2.95 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-06 | Olsburg, Pottawatomie County | EF1 1.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Louisville, Pottawatomie County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-26 | Wamego, Pottawatomie County | EF1 5.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-11 | Onaga, Pottawatomie County | EF2 5.27 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-11 | Flush, Pottawatomie County | EF0 4.58 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-15 | Onaga, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-04 | Swamp Angel, Pottawatomie County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $378K |
| 2003-05-08 | Wamego, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-04 | Emmett, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-29 | St Marys, Pottawatomie County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-08 | Emmett, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-03-24 | Westmoreland, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-04-08 | Fostoria, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-09-21 | Westmoreland, Pottawatomie County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-06 | Wheaton, Pottawatomie County | F1 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1993-03-29 | To 4 N, Pottawatomie County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1990-03-13 | Pottawatomie County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-05-31 | Pottawatomie County | F1 5.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1979-10-18 | Pottawatomie County | F2 18.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1979-10-18 | Pottawatomie County | F0 19.6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-05-31 | Pottawatomie County | F3 18.9 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-04-17 | Pottawatomie County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-05-11 | Pottawatomie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1965-06-27 | Pottawatomie County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-06-21 | Pottawatomie County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-06-21 | Pottawatomie County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-05-29 | Pottawatomie County | F0 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1958-06-12 | Pottawatomie County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-05-27 | Pottawatomie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1951-05-30 | Pottawatomie County | F1 7.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1951-05-30 | Pottawatomie County | 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 Pottawatomie County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 10, 2026 flood ($60,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindOlsburg, Pottawatomie County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindOlsburg, Pottawatomie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | FloodWamego, Pottawatomie County | 0 | 0 | $60K | |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindOlsburg, Pottawatomie County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-04 | Flash FloodOlsburg, Pottawatomie County | 0 | 0 | $13K | |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindLouisville, Pottawatomie County | 68 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindFlush, Pottawatomie County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindBelvue, Pottawatomie County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-19 | HailDuluth, Pottawatomie County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-19 | HailOlsburg, Pottawatomie County | 1.50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-04-10 | Heavy SnowPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie A late season moisture laden snow storm dumped 4 to 8 inches of accumulation across North Central and Northeast kansas generally north and west of Manhattan or along and north of a line from Abilene in Dickenson County to Baileyville in Nemaha County. Locally heavier amounts fell in some areas, especially near the ... | 3 | 0 | $221K | |
| 2001-03-01 | Ice StormPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie Slick roads caused by freezing rain resulted in two fatal accidents just minutes apart. The first accident occurred 3 miles north of Wamego in Pottawatomie county when slick roads caused a 2 vehicle collision that resulted in the death of a 17 year old female driver of one of the cars. The second accident occurred ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-01-20 | Winter WeatherPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie Five to six inches of snow was reported by cooperative observers to have fallen countywide. Some isolated amounts near 7 inches were reported in the southern part of the county. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-04-10 | Winter WeatherPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie A combination of snow and ice resulted in a fatal head-on collision on an ice covered bridge on Flush Road near the town of Flush 1 1/2 miles north of Rock Creek High School. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1979-10-18 | TornadoPottawatomie County | F2 18.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1985-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPottawatomie County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1996-03-24 | Thunderstorm WindManhattan, Pottawatomie County High winds damaged 3 metal sheds. A person fell while running to shelter and was slightly injuried. | 0 | 1 | $94K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Pottawatomie County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 1993-03-29 | TornadoTo 4 N, Pottawatomie County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1998-07-15 | LightningSt George, Pottawatomie County | 0 | 0 | $395K | |
| 2005-06-04 | TornadoSwamp Angel, Pottawatomie County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $378K |
| 2002-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindWamego, Pottawatomie County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $372K |
| 1997-04-10 | Heavy SnowPottawatomie County · forecast zone Pottawatomie | 3 | 0 | $221K | |
| 1993-09-21 | HailBlaine, Pottawatomie County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $112K |
| 1996-03-24 | Thunderstorm WindManhattan, Pottawatomie County | 0 | 1 | $94K |
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 18, 1979 (tornado, Pottawatomie County); April 17, 1976 (tornado, Pottawatomie County); May 31, 1978 (tornado, Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie 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 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 54 | 136 | 129 | 49 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 38 | 66 | 79 | 45 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 46 | 16 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 18 | 12 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
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 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 26 · Feb 24 · Mar 55 · Apr 113 · May 126 · Jun 249 · Jul 112 · Aug 84 · Sep 44 · Oct 22 · Nov 15 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pottawatomie County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Pottawatomie County: 16 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (14) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4940 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2015-07-20 | DR-4230 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-07-29 | DR-4010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2007-05-06 | DR-1699 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1984-06-22 | DR-714 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Pottawatomie County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Pottawatomie County from 1997 to 2026, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pottawatomie County ranks 1470th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $367,000 on 72 claims filed in Pottawatomie County; the most in one year was 51 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 2 · 1993: 51 · 1999: 3 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2019: 6; 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 Pottawatomie County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pottawatomie County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | once in about 291 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $275K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $19K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $566K | 8.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $2.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $774K | 13 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $748K | 5.9 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 Pottawatomie 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 Pottawatomie CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pottawatomie County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis