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Republic County, Kansas severe weather history spans 646 recorded events between 1950 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 53.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #480 nationally and #54 in Kansas.
646
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
13
Direct injuries
$16.2M
Property damage
The record
What the Republic County, Kansas severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Republic County, Kansas severe weather history averages 8.5 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 278 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 111 events fall before 1990 and 535 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The costliest is tornado, with $10.9M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Republic County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 348 | 0 | $121K | 3.5 | 1959–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 193 | 0 | $1.4M | 73 | 1956–2025 |
| Tornado | 70 | 0 | $10.9M | F3 | 1950–2022 |
| Flash Flood | 24 | 0 | $3.7M | 0 | 1996–2020 |
| Funnel Cloud | 6 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1998–2011 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $26K | 0 | 1998–2000 |
| Heavy Rain | 2 | 0 | $50K | 0 | 2005–2006 |
Decade by decade
Republic County, Kansas severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
77 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 65 touched down inside it and 12 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-05-20 | EF4 | 0 | 0 | 44.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 1955-06-04 | EF4 | 0 | 0 | 61.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 2015-05-06 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 1.9 mi | Touched down here |
| 2008-05-29 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 55.2 mi | Crossed in |
| 1953-05-09 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 13.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2015-05-06 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 36.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 2015-05-06 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 20.1 mi | Crossed in |
| 2004-05-22 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2003-06-22 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1990-03-13 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 15.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Republic County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | COURTLAND | 0 | 10 | $0 |
| Apr 24, 2016 | Tornado | BELLEVILLE | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Apr 14, 1976 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $250K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Thunderstorms persisted over north and west parts of Republic county the night of the 22nd. Rainfall amounts in excess of 12 inches were reported in some areas. The resulting runoff caused flash flooding. Water was 3 to 4 feet deep on some roadways and vehicles were washed off roadways and rescue efforts made of the vehicles occupants. Several roads were completely washed out. Two homes were destroyed by the floodwaters. Deer and cattle were reported swimming. Some people were stranded in homes and in need of rescue. Fields were flooded and there was severe crop damage. The runoff caused the Republican River to rise quickly and overflow. It was reported to be 1 mile wide in places. The river crested at 15 feet at Scandia early in the morning of the 23rd. Flood stage is 10 feet.
A tornado touched down southwest of Norway and moved over 3 miles northeast before dissipating. Along the path of the tornado extensive damage was done, including significant crop damage. A number of power poles were downed. Many farm houses were severely damaged. Many farm implements and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. Near Norway irrigation equipment was wrapped around a utility pole. In Norway a grain bin was blown over. Many homes in Norway sustained considerable damage. Many trees were downed along the tornado path.
A tornado touched down at the Pawnee Indian Museum and damaged a roof to the museum building before moving 2 miles and lifting at the edge of Republic. Along the tornado's path a windmill was destroyed, power lines were downed, and 3 center pivoting irrigation systems were damaged. A one ton granite memorial at the Pawnee Indian Museum was moved 8 feet off the foundation.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
4,646
Population (ACS)
$76K
Median home value
17
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS | DR |
| Mar 29, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Jul 20, 2015 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Oct 22, 2013 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Jul 29, 2011 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Republic County, Kansas?
646 events are on record between 1950 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths and $16.2M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Republic County?
Hail, with 348 recorded events — 53.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Republic County?
77 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 65 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Republic County?
17 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Republic County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Republic County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Republic County as very low risk, placing it in the 19 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Republic 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
- Reno County 1,397
- Rice County 645
- Rawlins County 844
- Riley County 675
- Pratt County 1,000
- Rooks County 552
Cite this page
“Republic County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/republic-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.