42
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$12.4M
Property damage
Tornado in Smith County, Kansas: 42 recorded events between 1955 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F4. That places the county #567 nationally and #61 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Smith County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Smith County is the 1990s, when 11 of the county's 42 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 Smith County archive, tornado makes up 8.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #567 for this hazard and #61 within Kansas, putting it in the 80.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Smith County with 19 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 | 56.0 mi | 1,000 yd | Crossed in |
| 2013-05-27 | EF3 | 5.7 mi | 1,580 yd | Touched down here |
| 1957-06-15 | EF3 | 14.3 mi | 10 yd | Crossed in |
| 1957-06-15 | EF3 | 2.0 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-09-25 | EF2 | 27.9 mi | 80 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-03-13 | EF2 | 17.2 mi | 220 yd | Touched down here |
| 1973-04-19 | EF2 | 4.6 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1971-05-30 | EF2 | 7.1 mi | 220 yd | Touched down here |
| 1965-05-25 | EF2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | Touched down here |
| 1963-06-11 | EF2 | 1.0 mi | 20 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2013 | LEBANON | EF3 | 0 | 1 | $1.4M |
| May 25, 1965 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2024 | ATHOL | EF0 | $2K |
| Apr 27, 2016 | KENSINGTON | EF0 | $0 |
| Apr 12, 2015 | SMITH CENTER | EF0 | $20K |
| May 28, 2013 | LEBANON | EF3 | $1.4M |
| May 27, 2013 | CORA | EF0 | $0 |
| May 27, 2013 | SMITH CENTER | EF0 | $0 |
| Jun 8, 2008 | HARLAN | EF0 | $0 |
| May 5, 2007 | GAYLORD | EF0 | $45K |
| Jun 23, 2003 | REAMSVILLE | F0 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 2003 | SMITH CENTER | F0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Smith County
- Hail 271
- Thunderstorm Wind 159
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado affected two counties in north central Kansas, touching down north of Lebanon in Smith County and lifting north of Esbon in Jewell County. The maximum wind speed was estimated to be near 140 MPH, with a maximum path width of 1580 yards. Along its path, this tornado caused minor to major tree damage, overturned irrigation pivots, snapped power poles and damaged or destroyed grain bins and outbuildings. Four homesteads suffered damage, with the hardest hit locations approximately 3 miles northeast of Lebanon in Smith County. Two homes in this area were heavily damaged or destroyed, with one losing its entire second level. This location also completely lost grain bins, a large outbuilding and newly constructed garage. One person suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from an area hospital.
A brief tornado touched down in a field southeast of Gaylord. An off-duty NWS Employee reported a funnel cloud in the area. According to the Smith County Pioneer newspaper, the tornado damaged a center pivot system. The Pioneer also reported a man witnessed the pivot go up in the air along with other loose debris flying around. No other damage was reported from this tornado.
An EF-0 rated tornado occurred north-northeast of Smith Center, KS. Damage was mainly limited to minor roof damage on an outbuilding, and the path was most likely intermittent. Maximum wind speed was estimated at 75 mph. A combination of radar data, storm survey, photos, and personal accounts were used to determine the approximate location and time of the tornado.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Smith County, Kansas?
42 tornado events are recorded in Smith County between 1955 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Smith County?
The strongest tornado on record in Smith County measured F4.
Where does the tornado data for Smith 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 Smith County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/smith-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.