46
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$4.0M
Property damage
Tornado in Ness County, Kansas: 46 recorded events between 1955 and 2016. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #455 nationally and #44 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Ness County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Ness County is the 2000s, when 13 of the county's 46 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 Ness County archive, tornado makes up 6.5% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #455 for this hazard and #44 within Kansas, putting it in the 84.3 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Ness County with 23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-04-30 | EF4 | 26.6 mi | 77 yd | Crossed in |
| 2016-05-24 | EF3 | 7.7 mi | 700 yd | Crossed in |
| 2016-05-24 | EF3 | 11.0 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2008-05-23 | EF3 | 9.0 mi | 715 yd | Touched down here |
| 2007-03-28 | EF3 | 29.1 mi | 1,320 yd | Crossed in |
| 1990-04-25 | EF3 | 37.0 mi | 500 yd | Touched down here |
| 1972-04-30 | EF3 | 2.7 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
| 1972-04-30 | EF3 | 13.1 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 1972-04-30 | EF3 | 6.8 mi | 440 yd | Touched down here |
| 1962-06-16 | EF3 | 34.6 mi | 50 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 1962 | F3 | 0 | 3 | $250K | |
| Jun 10, 1971 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2016 | OSGOOD | EF0 | $0 |
| May 25, 2016 | LAIRD | EF2 | $0 |
| May 25, 2016 | NESS CITY | EF0 | $0 |
| May 24, 2016 | NESS CITY | EF0 | $0 |
| May 24, 2016 | LAIRD | EF1 | $0 |
| May 24, 2016 | BEELER | EF3 | $0 |
| Nov 17, 2015 | LAIRD | EF1 | $0 |
| Nov 16, 2015 | BEELER | EF2 | $0 |
| May 18, 2013 | BROWNELL | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 15, 2012 | BEELER | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Ness County
- Hail 435
- Thunderstorm Wind 176
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado originated in Hodgeman county and entered Ness county at 925 PM. This large tornado destroyed or heavily damaged 5 homes in Ness county. Hundreds of power poles were broken along with 7 pivot irrigation sprinklers and lots of damage to trees. There were also at least 20 head of cattle dead from this tornado in Ness county.
This was a large tornado that produced EF2 damage. It turned northwest towards the end of its life cycle but dissipated before reaching Arnold. Damage was done to trees, large power poles, a large tank, a barn and hay bales.
This tornado caused EF3 damage to trees and an old stone home. A farm implement was carried 1/2 mile south of it's original starting point. EF3 damage was also done to trees. Another home sustained EF1 damage. There were numerous power poles taken down and at least 5 head of cattle perished in the tornado. The tornado moved into Trego county at 19:42 CDT.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Ness County, Kansas?
46 tornado events are recorded in Ness County between 1955 and 2016, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Ness County?
The strongest tornado on record in Ness County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Ness 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 Ness County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/ness-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.