266
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
5
Direct injuries
$12.0M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Cherokee County, Kansas: 266 recorded events between 1957 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 78. That places the county #601 nationally and #30 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Cherokee County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Cherokee County is the 2010s, when 110 of the county's 266 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 Cherokee County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 35.8% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #601 for this hazard and #30 within Kansas, putting it in the 80.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Cherokee County with 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25, 1989 | 0 | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Mar 6, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 52 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
| Jul 23, 2014 | TREECE | 52 | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| May 25, 2011 | GALENA | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2026 | HALLOWELL | 52 | $200K |
| Apr 26, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 52 | $30K |
| Apr 15, 2026 | CRESTLINE | 52 | $25K |
| Apr 15, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 52 | $25K |
| Apr 15, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 52 | $0 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 52 | $25K |
| Jan 8, 2026 | COLUMBUS | 50 | $0 |
| Aug 11, 2025 | LAWTON | 57 | $5K |
| Aug 11, 2025 | COLUMBUS | 54 | $0 |
| Jun 8, 2025 | GALENA | 50 | $2K |
Other hazards here
More from Cherokee County
- Hail 254
- Flash Flood 131
- Tornado 46
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that damaging winds impacted nearly all of Cherokee County. Widespread damage occurred in the form of downed power poles, uprooted trees, damaged structures, and damaged crops. More specifically, there were several structures that experienced roof damage while windows were blown out of both homes and automobiles. A 1000 foot transmission tower was also knocked down that was built on top of the Cherokee County court house. The Columbus High School football facilities experienced significant damage. The press box was destroyed while several power poles that lit the field were snapped or blown down. One home near Crestline experienced major structural damage. This damage appeared to of occurred from a microburst that produced a concentrated area of 90 mph winds. In Weir, the rodeo grounds and concession stand were completely destroyed, while the bath house in Scammon lost its entire roof. Several campers were also flipped over and damaged at an RV dealership in Columbus.
A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that residential sections of southern and eastern Baxter Springs were heavily damaged by straight line winds. Numerous large trees were blown over onto houses and parked vehicles. The Sonic resturant was heavily damaged along with the rodeo grounds.
A derecho caused major damage to areas of extreme southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri during the early morning hours of July 4th. In Cherokee County Kansas, golf ball size hail and winds in excess of 70 mph damaged many homes and farm structures countywide. One mobile home was completely destroyed as it rolled over several times while the storm passed. Occupants had moved into a storm shelter prior to the storm and no injuries occurred.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Cherokee County, Kansas?
266 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Cherokee County between 1957 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Cherokee County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Cherokee County measured 78.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/cherokee-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.