40
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$6.1M
Property damage
Tornado in Phillips County, Kansas: 40 recorded events between 1950 and 2013. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #620 nationally and #66 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Phillips County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Phillips County is the 1980s, when 14 of the county's 40 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 Phillips County archive, tornado makes up 6.8% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #620 for this hazard and #66 within Kansas, putting it in the 78.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for tornado in Phillips County with 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-10 | EF4 | 33.0 mi | 1,000 yd | Crossed in |
| 1985-05-10 | EF4 | 56.0 mi | 1,000 yd | Touched down here |
| 2011-06-20 | EF3 | 8.4 mi | 100 yd | Crossed in |
| 1969-06-24 | EF3 | 47.0 mi | 700 yd | Crossed in |
| 1957-06-15 | EF3 | 14.3 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1952-06-26 | EF2 | 12.0 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 2013-05-29 | EF1 | 0.8 mi | 40 yd | Touched down here |
| 2007-05-04 | EF1 | 0.5 mi | 75 yd | Touched down here |
| 1991-04-11 | EF1 | 8.0 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1989-04-23 | EF1 | 0.3 mi | 70 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 1985 | F4 | 0 | 1 | $2.5M |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2013 | PRAIRIE VIEW | EF1 | $80K |
| Apr 27, 2012 | WOODRUFF | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 20, 2011 | LONG IS | EF1 | $100K |
| Jun 2, 2011 | WOODRUFF | EF0 | $0 |
| May 31, 2007 | PRAIRIE VIEW | EF0 | $0 |
| May 5, 2007 | PHILLIPSBURG | EF1 | $75K |
| May 16, 2004 | LOGAN | F0 | $50K |
| Jun 23, 2003 | AGRA | F0 | $0 |
| May 20, 2001 | LOGAN | F0 | $0 |
| Apr 21, 2001 | PHILLIPSBURG | F0 | $125K |
Other hazards here
More from Phillips County
- Hail 328
- Thunderstorm Wind 183
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado moved into northwest Phillips County approximately 5 miles west of Long Island, after affecting the Almena area in Norton County, shifting to the northeast before lifting approximately 4 miles northwest of Long Island. A few farm outbuildings sustained damage.
This tornado touched down approximately 1 mile south of Prairie View and was on the ground for a couple minutes before lifting just outside the southeast edge of town. This EF1 rated tornado had a maximum wind speed estimated to be 90 mph and a maximum width of 40 yards. Damage from this tornado was primarily confined to one farmstead, with 3 outbuildings being damaged or destroyed, tree damage with limbs up of 6 to 8 inches in diameter being broken and the home sustained window damage.
The storm initially caused damage at the Phillipsburg airport to the windsock and supporting bracket. It then moved NNW resulting in damage to the western parts of the town. It is believed that the initial damage was due to straight-line winds from the airport to just east of the swimming pool (West H Street and West Park Street). At that point, evidence of a tornado was ascertained with damage continuing for approximately one-quarter mile. The width of the tornado damage was narrow, ranging from 30 to 75 yards. The tornado was rated EF-0 at the initial point of touchdown, and then increased to EF-1 near the intersection of Oak and West E Streets. The tornado damaged a few rooftops, a children���s outdoor play set, fencing, and broke a few windows. A few trees were uprooted near the Robinson Greenhouse.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Phillips County, Kansas?
40 tornado events are recorded in Phillips County between 1950 and 2013, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Phillips County?
The strongest tornado on record in Phillips County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Phillips 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 Phillips County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/phillips-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.