259
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$6.8M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Riley County, Kansas: 259 recorded events between 1958 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 100. That places the county #638 nationally and #31 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Riley County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Riley County is the 2010s, when 66 of the county's 259 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Riley County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 38.4% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #638 for this hazard and #31 within Kansas, putting it in the 79.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Riley County with 68 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1998 | ZEANDALE | 0 | 0 | 2 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2024 | KEATS | 65 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2024 | EUREKA LAKE | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2024 | ROCKY FORD | 61 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2024 | MANHATTAN | 61 | $0 |
| Jun 15, 2024 | ROCKY FORD | 54 | $0 |
| May 7, 2024 | (MHK)MANHATTAN MUNI | 52 | $0 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | MANHATTAN | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | ROCKY FORD | 54 | $0 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | RILEY | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 14, 2023 | EUREKA LAKE | 52 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Riley County
- Hail 316
- Flash Flood 43
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A bow echo moved east across Riley county producing strong winds and large hail. Winds reached a speed of 82 mph at the Manhattan airport. The strong winds knocked out power and did widespread damage in Manhattan to many homes and businesses. The Walmart store had severe roof damage that resulted in store closure for several days until repairs could be made. Total damage estimates from Riley county officials were 5 million dollars.
A wind measuring instrument mounted to the roof of the Air Traffic Control tower at Manhattan Regional Airport measured a 93 mph wind gust. The ASOS station at Manhattan Regional Airport also reported a strong wind gust of 68 mph. In the town of Ogden the windows of a residence were cracked by the force of the wind. No estimation of the wind speed was given by this resident. Kansas State University also sustained some significant damage, as wind damage to Anderson Hall's roof resulted in over a quarter million dollars in repairs. In and around Manhattan, numerous outbuildings were damaged and destroyed. Widespread power line and tree damage was also noted across the city, resulting in many damaged roofs and widespread power outages.
Damage was observed on the extreme northwestern edge of town. The damage path went right through the center of town and created the worst damage to the center part of town just south and southeast of town. A roof was blown off of a motel and caused damage to cars in the parking lot. Numerous trees, up to 48 inches in diameter were snapped at the base, and some fell on cars and houses. The visible damage path ended on the southeast part of town.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Riley County, Kansas?
259 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Riley County between 1958 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Riley County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Riley County measured 100.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Riley County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Riley County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/riley-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.