Wabaunsee County, Kansas
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 20197 · population 6,861 · 794 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 736 records for Wabaunsee County, Kansas from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 435 days; the most frequent are hail reports (291 records). The deadliest single record is the February 28, 2012 tornado: 1 death and 12 injuries. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1967, 25 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
- 736on 435 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 232 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $268Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 47strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Wabaunsee County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 291 since 1956. 52% of its hail reports since 1956 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 | 291 | 159 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $859K | 81 of 105 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 195 | 130 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 4 | $1.9M | 59 of 105 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 79 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 4 | – | 31 of 105 |
| Tornadoes | 47 | 34 | 1953-2026 | 1 | 24 | $264M | 46 of 105 |
| Floods | 46 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $922K | 33 of 105 |
| Heat | 22 | 22 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 105 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 14 | 13 | 2002-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 105 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 12 | 1998-2014 | 0 | 0 | $72K | 84 of 105 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 74 of 105 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 105 |
| Lightning | 4 | 3 | 1998-2004 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 34 of 105 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 84 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 Wabaunsee County had?
NOAA records 47 tornadoes in Wabaunsee County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 24 injuries recorded in the county. That is 46th 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 47 tornadoes whose track touched Wabaunsee County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 47, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-02-28 21:02, as SPC files it | Harveyville | EF2 | 5.4 mi | 1 |
| 1960-05-19 17:30, as SPC files it | St. Marys | F4 | 20.6 mi | 0 |
| 1985-08-17 17:18, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 2 mi | 0 |
| 1956-04-02 21:30, as SPC files it | Silver Lake | F3 | 127 mi | 0 |
| 1953-05-10 04:00, as SPC files it | Eskridge | F3 | 52.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kansas.
Every tornado record filed for Wabaunsee County (47)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-23 | Alma, Wabaunsee County | EF0 3.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-23 | Hessdale, Wabaunsee County | EFU 0.54 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-19 | Alta Vista, Wabaunsee County | EF0 0.38 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-03-13 | Alta Vista, Wabaunsee County | EF2 8.14 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-29 | Wabaunsee County | EF1 1.97 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-14 | Alta Vista, Wabaunsee County | EFU 0.97 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-15 | Volland, Wabaunsee County | EFU 1.6 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-15 | Alta Vista, Wabaunsee County | EFU 2.55 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-15 | Volland, Wabaunsee County | EF1 6.73 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-15 | Volland, Wabaunsee County | EFU 2.84 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-18 | Alta Vista, Wabaunsee County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Paxico, Wabaunsee County | EF0 1.85 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Volland, Wabaunsee County | EF0 0.12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Wabaunsee County | EF0 16.06 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-25 | Eskridge, Wabaunsee County | EF1 3.53 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-09-10 | Keene, Wabaunsee County | EF1 3.46 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-02-28 | Harveyville, Wabaunsee County | EF2 2.07 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 12 | – |
| 2007-05-01 | Maple Hill, Wabaunsee County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-01 | Maple Hill, Wabaunsee County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-01 | Alma, Wabaunsee County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | Harveyville, Wabaunsee County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-24 | Harveyville, Wabaunsee County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-04 | Alma, Wabaunsee County | F0 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-10-08 | Alma, Wabaunsee County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-05-25 | Keene, Wabaunsee County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-16 | Harveyville, Wabaunsee County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 1993-05-06 | Eskridge, Wabaunsee County | F1 13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1991-04-26 | Wabaunsee County | F0 9 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-04-26 | Wabaunsee County | F2 28 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1991-04-26 | Wabaunsee County | F0 6 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-03-13 | Wabaunsee County | F2 10 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-08-17 | Wabaunsee County | F3 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-05-18 | Wabaunsee County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1981-05-25 | Wabaunsee County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-04-03 | Wabaunsee County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-09-10 | Wabaunsee County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1974-03-07 | Wabaunsee County | F2 28.3 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-03-07 | Wabaunsee County | F2 5.1 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1968-04-16 | Wabaunsee County | F2 38.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-06-11 | Wabaunsee County | F1 24.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-04-13 | Wabaunsee County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1960-05-19 | Wabaunsee County | F4 20.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 12 | $25M step |
| 1959-05-04 | Wabaunsee County | F1 6.1 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-05-04 | Wabaunsee County | F1 5.2 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-06-12 | Wabaunsee County | F2 4.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-03-18 | Wabaunsee County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-06-22 | Wabaunsee County | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Wabaunsee County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 8, 2026 flash flood ($15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 | Flash FloodKeene, Wabaunsee County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindKeene, Wabaunsee County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindHessdale, Wabaunsee County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindEskridge, Wabaunsee County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindKeene, Wabaunsee County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | HailVolland, Wabaunsee County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailKeene, Wabaunsee County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindKeene, Wabaunsee County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailAlta Vista, Wabaunsee County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-23 | TornadoAlma, Wabaunsee County | EF0 3.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-23 | TornadoHessdale, Wabaunsee County | EFU 0.54 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormWabaunsee County · forecast zone Wabaunsee | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-02-28 | TornadoHarveyville, Wabaunsee County As the line of thunderstorms moved eastward across northeast Kansas on of the strongest storms spawned a brief, but very strong tornado, which impacted the town of Harveyville, Kansas. The tornado was short-lived, but was able to destroy a large portion of the town. Several houses were completely destroyed, as was a ... | EF2 2.07 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 12 | – |
| 1996-05-31 | Flash FloodHessdale, Wabaunsee County Torrential rainfall of 4 to 10 inches in about 4 hours caused widespread and severe flash flooding across all of Wabaunsee county, especially the south half of the county. All creeks and streams were out of banks with most rural roads watered covered, flooded and/or damaged due to the heavy rain. The death occurred ... | 1 | 0 | $327K | |
| 1960-05-19 | TornadoWabaunsee County | F4 20.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 12 | $25M step |
| 2024-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindMaple Hill, Wabaunsee County KHP reports a semi truck was blown off of I-70 due to high winds. Two occupants were treated for minor injuries. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2008-12-16 | Winter WeatherWabaunsee County · forecast zone Wabaunsee Two separate accidents resulted in the injury of two individuals in Wabaunsee County on the 16th. Three to four inches of snow was reported to have fallen across the county. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1994-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindPaxico, Wabaunsee County Winds estimated to at least 70 mph caused widespread damage across the county. A couple near Paxico was briefly trapped in their mobile home when it was detached from its cables and flipped over. The uninsured mobile home was destroyed. The couple was treated for minor injuries at a hospital. Other damage to trees, ... | 0 | 2 | $1.1M | |
| 2008-12-18 | Winter WeatherWabaunsee County · forecast zone Wabaunsee A car crossing an icy bridge just east of Kenne Road in Wabaunsee County spun out just after 7pm CST. The driver was injured in the accident. Approximately a tenth of an inch of ice accumulated on bridges and overpasses in the county. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-01-25 | Ice StormWabaunsee County · forecast zone Wabaunsee Icy conditions on Interstate 70 near the Paxico exit caused a pickup to slide into a stopped vehicle. The pickup flipped over and seriously injured the 48 year old female driver. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-05-17 | HailAlma, Wabaunsee County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $852K |
| 2002-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindAlma, Wabaunsee County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $625K |
| 1996-05-31 | Flash FloodHessdale, Wabaunsee County | 1 | 0 | $327K | |
| 1995-05-16 | TornadoHarveyville, Wabaunsee County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2010-09-02 | Thunderstorm WindChalk Mound, Wabaunsee County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2004-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindAlta Vista, Wabaunsee County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2026-06-08 | Flash FloodKeene, Wabaunsee County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2001-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindPaxico, Wabaunsee County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 19, 1960 (tornado, Wabaunsee 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 Wabaunsee 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 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 34 | 135 | 65 | 32 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 73 | 43 | 43 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 48 | 14 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 21 | 14 | 1 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 28 · Mar 50 · Apr 98 · May 144 · Jun 141 · Jul 70 · Aug 73 · Sep 33 · Oct 21 · Nov 22 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wabaunsee County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Wabaunsee County: 22 major disasters, 4 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (18) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4940 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4926 | 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 |
| 2024-08-20 | DR-4811 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2024-04-28 | DR-4774 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2016-04-05 | FM-5121 | Fire | Burr Oak Fire |
| 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 |
| 2009-06-25 | DR-1849 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2004-08-03 | DR-1535 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1998-10-14 | DR-1254 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1993-07-22 | DR-1000 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1991-04-29 | DR-903 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 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 Wabaunsee County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Wabaunsee County from 1996 to 2026, on 38 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wabaunsee County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $113,000 on 8 claims filed in Wabaunsee County; the most in one year was 2 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1992: 1 · 1993: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2026: 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 Wabaunsee County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wabaunsee County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.8 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 Moderate | $180K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 293 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $101K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $57K | 21 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $720K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $317K | 6.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $100K | 51 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 Wabaunsee 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 Wabaunsee CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wabaunsee County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis