Stevens County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20189 · population 5,227 · 727 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 667 records for Stevens County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 379 days; the most frequent are hail reports (301 records). The deadliest single record is the June 23, 1951 tornado: 1 death and 5 injuries. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1973, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on December 19, 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
- 667on 379 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 15 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Stevens County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 301 since 1959. 66% of its hail reports since 1959 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 | 301 | 182 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 35 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 113 | 81 | 1966-2025 | 0 | 0 | $236K | 95 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 109 | 63 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 71 | 52 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 13 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 20 | 1951-2015 | 1 | 5 | $26M | 95 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 11 | 2006-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 105 |
| Floods | 14 | 12 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $125K | 84 of 105 |
| Drought | 5 | 3 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 3 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2007-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 105 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2018-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 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 Stevens County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Stevens County from 1951 to 2015, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Stevens County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951-06-23 22:00, as SPC files it | Hugoton | F2 | 0.1 mi | 1 |
| 1993-05-05 19:27, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F4 | 23 mi | 0 |
| 1996-05-26 14:39, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 13 mi | 0 |
| 1993-05-05 18:54, as SPC files it | UnnamedCrossed KS, OK | F3 | 18.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Stevens County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-11 | Hugoton, Stevens County | EF0 0.52 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-19 | Hugoton, Stevens County | EF0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-03 | Moscow, Stevens County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-16 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-16 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $781 |
| 2001-04-06 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F1 7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 1999-06-04 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1996-05-31 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-26 | Woods, Stevens County | F1 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 1995-07-02 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-22 | Stevens County | F2 3.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $581K |
| 1995-05-22 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-22 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-22 | 3 S Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-22 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-09-07 | Moscow, Stevens County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-05 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F4 21 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $10M |
| 1993-05-05 | Hugoton, Stevens County | F3 7.5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1989-06-06 | Stevens County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-08-05 | Stevens County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1977-05-18 | Stevens County | F2 3.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1977-05-17 | Stevens County | F0 9.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1965-06-10 | Stevens County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1962-05-16 | Stevens County | F1 0.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1953-05-27 | Stevens County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1951-06-23 | Stevens County | F2 | 1 | 5 | $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 Stevens County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 1, 2006 thunderstorm wind ($29,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A two mile stretch of power poles were blown down along KS Hwy 25.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 5528524)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | High WindStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | WildfireStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-09 | Heavy SnowStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-14 | Dense FogStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-27 | Thunderstorm WindMoscow, Stevens County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-05 | Flash FloodHugoton Municipal Airport, Stevens County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-05 | HailMoscow, Stevens County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-05 | HailMoscow, Stevens County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-28 | HailWoods, Stevens County | 1.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951-06-23 | TornadoStevens County | F2 | 1 | 5 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-05-05 | TornadoHugoton, Stevens County | F4 21 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $10M |
| 1999-06-04 | TornadoHugoton, Stevens County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1993-05-05 | TornadoHugoton, Stevens County | F3 7.5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1993-09-18 | HailMoscow, Stevens County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1995-05-22 | TornadoStevens County | F2 3.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $581K |
| 1996-05-26 | TornadoWoods, Stevens County | F1 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 1999-06-04 | Thunderstorm WindHugoton, Stevens County | 0 | 0 | $71K | |
| 2006-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindHugoton, Stevens County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $29K |
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 18, 1977 (tornado, Stevens 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 Stevens 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 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 98 | 115 | 44 | 23 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 39 | 28 | 14 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 22 | 63 | 14 | 10 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 24 | 24 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
66% of its hail reports since 1959 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 26 · Mar 38 · Apr 50 · May 107 · Jun 199 · Jul 55 · Aug 51 · Sep 38 · Oct 18 · Nov 14 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Stevens County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Stevens County: 8 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (6) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-19 | DR-4897 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| 2015-07-20 | DR-4230 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-04-03 | FM-2878 | Fire | Haskell County Fire |
| 2009-06-24 | DR-1848 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow |
| 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 |
| 1973-05-02 | DR-378 | Flood | 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Stevens County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Stevens County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | $5.6M | 138 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $163K | once in about 442 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $357K | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $59K | 9.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $42K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $114K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $582K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $436K | 2.4 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 Stevens 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 Stevens CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Stevens County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis