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Montgomery County, Kansas severe weather history spans 796 recorded events between 1954 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 41.1% of all recorded events. It ranks #293 nationally and #27 in Kansas.
796
Recorded events
6
Direct deaths
5
Direct injuries
$95.7M
Property damage
The record
What the Montgomery County, Kansas severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Montgomery County, Kansas severe weather history averages 11.1 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 259 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 86 events fall before 1990 and 710 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Montgomery County, Kansas record is flash flood, responsible for 3 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $81.8M in reported property damage. In total, 8 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Montgomery County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 327 | 0 | $6.3M | 8 | 1960–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 315 | 0 | $3.3M | 88 | 1956–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 48 | 3 | $81.8M | 0 | 1998–2021 |
| Flood | 38 | 1 | $41K | 0 | 2007–2024 |
| Tornado | 37 | 1 | $4.0M | F3 | 1954–2026 |
| Heavy Rain | 23 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1998–2024 |
| Lightning | 6 | 1 | $161K | 0 | 2002–2019 |
| Funnel Cloud | 2 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2006–2024 |
Decade by decade
Montgomery County, Kansas severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
38 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 35 touched down inside it and 3 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982-03-15 | EF3 | 1 | 1 | 6.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2000-04-19 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 34.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2006-03-30 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 16.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1991-04-26 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1961-03-26 | EF2 | 0 | 26 | 49.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 1957-05-16 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 39.3 mi | Crossed in |
| 1954-05-01 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 mi | Touched down here |
| 1990-05-14 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1982-03-15 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1981-05-23 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Montgomery County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2018 | Flash Flood | ELK CITY LAKE | 2 | 0 | $0 |
| Mar 16, 1982 | Tornado | 1 | 1 | $2.5M | |
| Sep 28, 2019 | Lightning | ELK CITY LAKE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Apr 30, 2012 | Flood | ELK CITY LAKE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 1, 2007 | Flash Flood | COFFEYVILLE | 1 | 0 | $81.2M |
| Nov 15, 1988 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Apr 26, 2026 | Tornado | ELK CITY LAKE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2006 | Tornado | HAVANA | 0 | 1 | $1.0M |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Torrential rains within a bowl shaped landscape produced catastrophic flooding of Racket Creek. Rainfall amounts up to 8.5 inches fell in an isolated area in which the creek ran between a pair of elevated regions causing significant and rapid rises of the creek. Water was estimated to be approximately 4 feet above road level and rushing rapidly. It was reported that the gentlemen were driving a pickup and may have encountered an obstacle in the rushing waters causing them to stop. The rushing waters overcame the vehicle and swept it off of the road and into the creek channel. It was estimated that the depth of the creek base to the roadway was about 15 to 20 feet.
Very heavy rains moved across the county causing significant travel problems due to hydroplaning and flooding of low lying areas. Creeks and streams had risen to the top of their banks and some ponding of water on the roads was noted. Unfortunately, an individual hydroplaned off of the roadway and into a creek. Their vehicle was trapped under the bridge and they lost their life.
Winds estimated around 70 mph in conjunction with hail ranging from golfball to baseball size produced extensive damage across Cherryvale. The wind-driven hail produced widespread roof, siding, car and window damage across town. City and county officials indicated hundreds of structures sustained some type of damage across town, with property damage estimates between $4 million and $5 million dollars. The Montgomery County Chronicle contributed to this report.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
30,940
Population (ACS)
$102K
Median home value
15
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 28, 2019 | Severe Storm | TORNADOES AND FLOODING | EM |
| Oct 22, 2013 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Mar 9, 2010 | Severe Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORM | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Independence 239
- Coffeyville 148
- Cherryvale 121
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Montgomery County, Kansas?
796 events are on record between 1954 and 2026, causing 6 direct deaths and $95.7M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Montgomery County?
Hail, with 327 recorded events — 41.1% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Montgomery County?
38 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 35 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Montgomery County?
15 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Montgomery County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Montgomery County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Montgomery County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 73 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Montgomery 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
- Mitchell County 578
- Morris County 483
- Miami County 412
- Morton County 555
- Meade County 747
- Nemaha County 513
Cite this page
“Montgomery County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/montgomery-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.