46
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
6
Direct injuries
$26.1M
Property damage
Tornado in Rice County, Kansas: 46 recorded events between 1950 and 2021. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #455 nationally and #44 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Rice County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Rice County is the 1950s, when 12 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 Rice County archive, tornado makes up 7.1% 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 Rice County with 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950-06-08 | EF4 | 17.1 mi | 700 yd | Touched down here |
| 2012-04-14 | EF4 | 50.3 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-09-25 | EF3 | 169.7 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2015-07-13 | EF3 | 5.3 mi | 350 yd | Touched down here |
| 2012-04-14 | EF3 | 39.7 mi | 2,640 yd | Crossed in |
| 1990-05-24 | EF3 | 26.0 mi | 1,320 yd | Crossed in |
| 1990-05-24 | EF3 | 60.0 mi | 400 yd | Touched down here |
| 1964-04-22 | EF3 | 59.7 mi | 880 yd | Crossed in |
| 1956-04-02 | EF3 | 20.1 mi | 350 yd | Crossed in |
| 1955-06-04 | EF3 | 5.9 mi | 200 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 1974 | F1 | 0 | 3 | $25K | |
| May 24, 1990 | F3 | 0 | 2 | $250K | |
| Jun 10, 1971 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26, 2021 | GENESEO | EF0 | $25K |
| May 6, 2019 | ALDEN | EF0 | $20K |
| May 5, 2019 | RAYMOND | EFU | $0 |
| Oct 6, 2017 | CHASE | EF0 | $0 |
| Jul 13, 2015 | SAXMAN | EF1 | $20K |
| May 12, 2014 | STERLING | EF0 | $0 |
| May 12, 2014 | STERLING | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 15, 2012 | RAYMOND | EF1 | $0 |
| Apr 14, 2012 | LYONS | EF2 | $0 |
| Jun 13, 2010 | BUSHTON | EF1 | $10K |
Other hazards here
More from Rice County
- Hail 319
- Thunderstorm Wind 222
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A rope tornado was reported as it moved unconventionally to the southwest. One home took minor damage right after touchdown. A few windows were blown out and a man was blown out of his chair. Otherwise, significant tree damage (DI27 DOD3) was noted along the 150 yard wide path. This tornado moved into Reno County.
Gutters stripped from house and shingle damage. Five power poles snapped and launched into a wheat field. Two truck axles laying in a wheat field from an unknown vehicle. Several large tree trunks snapped and twisted. EF2 tornado rating. Numerous large cottonwood tree trunks snapped. This tornado moved into Ellsworth county.
This tornado moved in from Stafford County. A large metal machine shed was destroyed with sheet metal debris wrapped around numerous trees and fence posts to the east and north of farm house. All windows blown out on farm home, roof lifted with chimney sheared off and numerous punctures in siding. Section of metal fence tossed into window of home.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Rice County, Kansas?
46 tornado events are recorded in Rice County between 1950 and 2021, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Rice County?
The strongest tornado on record in Rice County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Rice 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 Rice County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/rice-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.