64
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$3.3M
Property damage
Tornado in Harper County, Kansas: 64 recorded events between 1953 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #203 nationally and #16 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Harper County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Harper County is the 2000s, when 24 of the county's 64 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 Harper County archive, tornado makes up 9.0% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #203 for this hazard and #16 within Kansas, putting it in the 93.0 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Harper County with 32 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.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-12 | EF4 | 1.2 mi | 500 yd | Touched down here |
| 2012-05-19 | EF3 | 9.7 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2012-05-19 | EF3 | 9.7 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1964-05-05 | EF3 | 33.0 mi | 660 yd | Crossed in |
| 2024-05-25 | EF2 | 6.7 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2004-05-12 | EF2 | 2.0 mi | 300 yd | Touched down here |
| 2004-05-12 | EF2 | 1.0 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2004-05-12 | EF2 | 1.8 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 2004-05-29 | EF2 | 8.0 mi | 500 yd | Touched down here |
| 1967-06-11 | EF2 | 32.2 mi | 10 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2004 | HARPER | F4 | 0 | 1 | $275K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2025 | HARPER | EF0 | $0 |
| May 26, 2024 | WALDRON | EF2 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2019 | HARPER | EFU | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2019 | ATTICA | EFU | $0 |
| May 7, 2015 | ANTHONY | EF0 | $0 |
| Dec 14, 2014 | HARPER | EF0 | $0 |
| May 19, 2012 | ATTICA | EF3 | $0 |
| May 19, 2012 | DUQUOIN | EF3 | $0 |
| Apr 15, 2012 | WALDRON | EF1 | $0 |
| Mar 8, 2009 | ATTICA | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Harper County
- Hail 362
- Thunderstorm Wind 241
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The following were damaged or destroyed: 15 farm dwellings and service buildings, and 30 pieces of farm machinery and equipment. (This portion of narrative courtesy of USDA Flash Flood Situation report.) One home unroofed resulting in damage to most of property inside. Widespread damage to wheat fields that had been ready for harvest.
Large destructive tornado completely demolished a two story farm house and 5 other barns associated with the homestead. Five cars were also dismantled as the engines were spread across the shaven wheat fields. Very few automobile body parts could be located.
Large dusty tornado moved north just on the outskirts of the city. The tornado had a direct hit on an ECO block home. The home lost it's roof, but all exterior walls remained in tact. Two metal barns were also lost in the tornado.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Harper County, Kansas?
64 tornado events are recorded in Harper County between 1953 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Harper County?
The strongest tornado on record in Harper County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Harper 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
“Tornado in Harper County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/harper-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.