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Sumner County, Kansas severe weather history spans 1,144 recorded events between 1952 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 48.3% of all recorded events. It ranks #89 nationally and #10 in Kansas.
1,144
Recorded events
6
Direct deaths
14
Direct injuries
$45.2M
Property damage
The record
What the Sumner County, Kansas severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Sumner County, Kansas severe weather history averages 15.5 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 486 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 164 events fall before 1990 and 980 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Sumner County, Kansas record is tornado, responsible for 5 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $28.1M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Sumner County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 553 | 0 | $3.2M | 4.5 | 1956–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 421 | 0 | $11.2M | 95 | 1956–2026 |
| Tornado | 89 | 5 | $28.1M | F5 | 1952–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 40 | 0 | $2.4M | 0 | 1999–2025 |
| Flood | 30 | 1 | $236K | 0 | 2007–2020 |
| Heavy Rain | 9 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2010–2024 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $60K | 0 | 1998–2001 |
Decade by decade
Sumner County, Kansas severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
93 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 81 touched down inside it and 12 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955-05-25 | EF5 | 20 | 280 | 28.4 mi | Crossed in |
| 1991-04-26 | EF5 | 17 | 225 | 46.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1999-05-03 | EF4 | 6 | 150 | 24.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1991-04-26 | EF4 | 1 | 0 | 25.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1965-03-16 | EF4 | 0 | 7 | 82.7 mi | Crossed in |
| 2012-04-14 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 18.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-05-10 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 40.7 mi | Crossed in |
| 2004-05-29 | EF3 | 0 | 1 | 2.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2004-06-12 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 4.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2004-05-29 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Sumner County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 1955 | Tornado | 5 | 3 | $250K | |
| Sep 14, 2008 | Flood | ARGONIA | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| May 4, 1999 | Tornado | WELLINGTON | 0 | 4 | $750K |
| Jun 13, 2004 | Tornado | MULVANE | 0 | 2 | $500K |
| Mar 17, 1965 | Tornado | 0 | 2 | $250K | |
| Nov 28, 1960 | Tornado | 0 | 2 | $250K | |
| May 30, 2004 | Tornado | CONWAY SPGS | 0 | 1 | $17.8M |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Raging water along the Chikaskia River caused 5 teenagers to become trapped, as they were rafting down the river. The water rescue that followed lead to 3 emergency workers ending up in the water along with the stranded teenagers. A volunteer firefighter then attempted to make an individual rescue, but lost his balance, and was swept under by the strong current. The man later died from injuries sustained during the rescue.
The following were destroyed: 15 farm dwellings and service buildings, 25 pieces of farm machinery and equipment, many miles of transmission line, with most of wheat a total loss. (This portion of narrative courtesy of USDA Flash Situation Report.) In addition, major damage to several homes along highway 49. One modular was completely removed from over a viewout basement. A teenage boy sought refuge under the staircase in the basement only to watch a car thrown overhead. He escaped unharmed. However, one woman wasn't so fortunate; the resident of a mobile home that was completely destroyed. The only recognizable parts were the steel girders that ran along the base of the home. She had sought refuge in the bathroom and was holding on to the commode. She was thrown several feet from the homestead and received several injuries. Fortunately, none were serious.
Interstate 35 or the Kansas Turnpike was closed due the Slate Creek reaching record levels and overflowing the highway at mile marker 21. The interstate was closed for hours, as crews waited for the water to recede and repair work to occur. Traffic was diverted at the Wellington exit and had to use an alternate until it reached the Kansas Oklahoma line. The Kansas Turnpike Authority said that closing that long of a stretch of the Turnpike had not occurred in 30 years.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
22,353
Population (ACS)
$135K
Median home value
26
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Feb 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS | DR |
| Mar 29, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Jun 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, FLOODING,LANDSLIDES,AND MUDSLIDES | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Wellington 193
- Caldwell 102
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Sumner County, Kansas?
1,144 events are on record between 1952 and 2026, causing 6 direct deaths and $45.2M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Sumner County?
Hail, with 553 recorded events — 48.3% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Sumner County?
93 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 81 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Sumner County?
26 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Sumner County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Sumner County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sumner County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 49 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Sumner County, Kansas severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Stevens County 472
- Thomas County 927
- Stanton County 601
- Trego County 643
- Stafford County 703
- Wabaunsee County 574
Cite this page
“Sumner County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/sumner-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.