Scott County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20171 · population 5,151 · 718 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 953 records for Scott County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 502 days; the most frequent are hail reports (426 records). The deadliest single record is the April 2, 2015 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 2005, 8 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
- 953on 502 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 22 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $42Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 60strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 Scott County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 426 since 1957. 58% 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 | 426 | 217 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 13 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 169 | 116 | 1955-2025 | 1 | 1 | $3.6M | 60 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 127 | 95 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 6 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 111 | 62 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $43K | 7 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 60 | 41 | 1950-2025 | 1 | 1 | $34M | 11 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 22 | 11 | 2007-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 105 |
| Drought | 15 | 15 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 9 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 105 |
| Floods | 8 | 7 | 2004-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 102 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2025-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $272K | 34 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 Scott County had?
NOAA records 60 tornadoes in Scott County from 1950 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 11th of 105 Kansas 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 61 tornadoes whose track touched Scott County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 60: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-07-12 19:20, as SPC files it | Marienthal | F2 | 20 mi | 1 |
| 1968-05-13 13:40, as SPC files it | Natoma | F3 | 140.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Scott County (60)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-18 | Scott State Park, Scott County | EFU 0.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-18 | Modoc, Scott County | EF2 10.77 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-18 | Scott State Park, Scott County | EF2 3.14 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-02 | Scott State Park, Scott County | EF2 8.82 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-02 | Modoc, Scott County | EF1 2.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 2017-10-02 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 4.47 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-24 | Manning, Scott County | EF0 0.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-24 | Manning, Scott County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-24 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 4.17 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-24 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-22 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF1 6.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-22 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF0 1.93 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-28 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF0 1.85 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-24 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF0 0.88 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-24 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 0.79 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-24 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-24 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 0.67 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-10-07 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 2.41 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-10-07 | Manning, Scott County | EF0 3.47 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-20 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 0.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-20 | Modoc, Scott County | EF0 0.87 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-10 | Grigston, Scott County | EF0 0.07 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Manning, Scott County | EF0 1.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-04-22 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF1 7.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $284K |
| 2010-04-22 | Shallow Water, Scott County | EF0 3.32 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-25 | Scott City, Scott County | EF0 0.49 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-10 | Scott State Park, Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-04-10 | Scott City, Scott County | F0 0.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-16 | Scott City, Scott County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-04 | Scott City, Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-30 | Modoc, Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-08-01 | Scott City, Scott County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-08-01 | Shallow Water, Scott County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-05-25 | Scott City, Scott County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-21 | Scott City, Scott County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-05 | Scott City, Scott County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1992-06-27 | Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-27 | Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-15 | Scott County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-05-11 | Scott County | F0 2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-05-11 | Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-10 | Scott County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-05-02 | Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-17 | Scott County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-07 | Scott County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-05-13 | Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-04-29 | Scott County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-08-05 | Scott County | F0 0.2 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-08-28 | Scott County | F0 6.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-23 | Scott County | F1 2.3 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-04-15 | Scott County | F1 33.4 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1971-08-19 | Scott County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-07-08 | Scott County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1968-05-13 | Scott County | F3 106.8 mi x 320 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-25 | Scott County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1964-05-21 | Scott County | F1 4.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-05-08 | Scott County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1964-05-05 | Scott County | F2 7.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-07-12 | Scott County | F2 15.5 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1950-07-02 | Scott County | F2 1 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Scott County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 2, 2017 tornado ($181,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Damage was done to irrigation sprinklers, power poles and trees. It was also well documented by video.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 726257)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | High WindScott County · forecast zone Scott | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindScott County · forecast zone Scott | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-03 | Dense FogScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindScott County · forecast zone Scott | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-16 | High WindScott County · forecast zone Scott | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-16 | High WindScott County · forecast zone Scott | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-20 | Dense FogScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-19 | Dense FogScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-14 | Dense FogScott County · forecast zone Scott | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindShallow Water, Scott County A severe thunderstorm passing to the north brought high wind on the south side. A 61 year old male was killed when his modular home was overturned and destroyed by the high wind. | 96 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 1956-07-12 | TornadoScott County | F2 15.5 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-15 | TornadoScott County | F1 33.4 mi x 440 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindScott City, Scott County | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 1996-05-09 | HailScott City, Scott County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2006-12-29 | Winter StormScott County and Wichita County · forecast zone Wichita | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 1995-05-07 | Thunderstorm WindScott City, Scott County | 0 | 0 | $678K | |
| 2010-04-22 | TornadoShallow Water, Scott County | EF1 7.2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $284K |
| 1998-04-11 | WildfireScott State Park, Scott County | 0 | 0 | $272K | |
| 1999-03-12 | Winter StormScott County · forecast zone Scott | 0 | 0 | $266K | |
| 2017-10-02 | TornadoModoc, Scott County | EF1 2.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
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: July 2, 1950 (tornado, Scott 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 Scott 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 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 96 | 154 | 106 | 35 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 52 | 54 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 54 | 28 | 27 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 15 | 31 | 57 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 22 | 3 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 11 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
58% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 53 · Feb 35 · Mar 38 · Apr 82 · May 209 · Jun 181 · Jul 121 · Aug 95 · Sep 38 · Oct 31 · Nov 24 · Dec 46 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Scott County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Scott County: 7 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4943 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4883 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4824 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3282 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1675 | 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 Scott County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Scott County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.5 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 High | $4.1M | 9.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.2M | 77 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $744K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $91K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $569K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $20K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $6K | once in about 4,660 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Scott 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 Scott CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Scott County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis