Chase County, Kansas
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1950 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
47
Tornado reports
180
Hail reports
25
Floods since 1996
497
All events
7
Deaths
$10.5M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Chase County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 47 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Tornado F3 Tornado
Law enforcement estimated that 3 to 5 inches of snow fell across Chase County. The snow caused a fatal accident 150 when a female driver lost control of her car, turned sideways and collided with a tractor-trailer. The Daily Union of Junction City contributed to this report.
Torrential rains of 6-8 inches, occurring in about 3 hours, caused flash flooding of Jacob Creek along I-35, the Kansas Turnpike, near milepost 116, 12 miles southwest of Emporia. The exceptionally heavy rains turned what had been a nearly dry creek into a raging river that surge…
Severe thunderstorm winds derailed 38 cars of a 118-car Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train. One of the derailed freight cars, a unibody tank car filled with sulphur dioxide, forced the evacuation of an estimated 250 residents. Six firemen and law enforcement officers, exa…
One to one and a half inches of ice accumulated across Chase County during the ice storm. This resulted in approximately 100 downed power poles and 400 downed lines. Damage to the electrical infrastructure is estimated at $1.9 million. There was also widespread damage to trees bu…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Estimated wind gusts near 65 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A semi was flipped over.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed report of a wind gust measured from a Kansas State Mesonet site.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Delayed report of dime to quarter size hail in Cottonwood Falls. The time was estimated via radar.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
This report was relayed via social media.
Hail Hail
Report was received courtesy of KSN, and it was supported by law enforcement.
Hail Hail
High Wind High Wind
A personal weather station in rural northwest Chase County (approximately 6 miles west-northwest of Elmdale) recorded a wind gust of 58 mph at 4:36 PM CDT. This was around the same time as the peak wind gust of 59 mph was measured at Emporia Municipal Airport.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Based on surrounding reports and reports within the county, an estimated 6 to 8 inches of snow fell across Chase County throughout the event. The highest report within the county was 7.8 inches in Wonsevu.
High Wind High Wind
A 63 mph wind gust was reported near Elmdale. Winds gusted between 50-60 mph from midday through midafternoon.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Sporadic damage reported across the county with trees, tree limbs, and privacy fences knocked down. A metal roof was partially blown off in Cottonwood Falls.
High Wind High Wind
A 59 mph wind gust was reported by law enforcement about 6 miles west of Elmdale at 3:11 PM CDT. Duration of high winds estimated based on surrounding reports and observations.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A snowfall total of 7 inches was reported in Cottonwood Falls. Based on additional reports, around 4 to 7 inches of snow fell across Chase County.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A snowfall total of 3 inches was reported in Cottonwood Falls. Based on additional observations, around 2 to 3 inches of snow fell across Chase County.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A snowfall total of 4.8 inches was reported in Wonsevu. Reports across the county were sparse, but surrounding reports suggest around 2 to 5 inches of snow occurred across Chase County with the heaviest amounts occurring across the far southwest portion of the county.
Blizzard Blizzard
The combination of increasing snow intensity with the winds resulted in blizzard conditions beginning in the morning hours and continuing for nearly six hours based on surrounding reports. There was hazardous travel on many roadways in part due to drifting snow. Emergency managem…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
This was a long duration winter event which started as freezing drizzle during the morning of the 4th then changed to freezing rain and sleet before fully transitioning over to snow in the morning on the 5th. Emergency management measured 0.47 of an inch of ice on shrubs and esti…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured by an anemometer along the Kansas Turnpike.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured wind gust of 63 mph from the Kansas State Mesonet near Elmdale.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Recorded from the Kansas State Mesonet.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Recorded from the Kansas State Mesonet in Elmdale.
Hail Hail
Report received via mPing.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A report via mPing of broken one inch tree limbs.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Storm chaser reported an estimated wind gust of 70 mph along Kansas Highway 177.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A cedar tree was blown over.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
At 8AM on 9 January a COOP observer reported 6 inches of snow in Cottonwood Falls. This is the only amount reported for this county and is considered the snow total.
Drought Drought
Drought conditions improved from severe drought (D2) to moderate drought (D1) in all parts of the county.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
There were two snowfall total reports of 8.5 inches in both Cottonwood Falls and Strong City. Several car accidents occurred along the Kansas Turnpike, but there were no apparent injuries.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Multiple vehicular accidents occurred in the county, but no injuries were reported. Visibilities dropped to a quarter to half of a mile according to the closest airport observation Emporia (KEMP) around the times of the noted crashes.
Drought Drought
There was no improvement to drought conditions in the county. All areas remained in severe drought (D2) with the exception of the northwest portions of the county which remained in moderate drought (D1).
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A mesonet station 2 north of Matfield Green measured 5.11 inches of rain in the past 24 hours. Rainfall amounts around the county ranged from 2.5 to 5.11 inches.
Drought Drought
Chase county improved from exceptional drought (D4) and extreme drought (D3) to severe drought (D2) across the county. Only the far northwestern areas of the county improved to moderate drought (D1).
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
A CoCoRaHS observer measured 2.22 inches from the morning rainfall.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Emergency manager reported water flowing over ZZ Road north of Highway 50.
Hail Hail
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 |
| 2023 | 43 | 9 |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 |
| 2020 | 6 | 0 |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 0 |
| 2017 | 7 | 2 |
| 2016 | 6 | 1 |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 9 | 0 |
| 2013 | 13 | 0 |
| 2012 | 8 | 0 |
| 2011 | 28 | 0 |
| 2010 | 17 | 0 |
| 2009 | 19 | 1 |
| 2008 | 20 | 4 |
| 2007 | 18 | 0 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 |
| 2005 | 15 | 0 |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 |
| 2003 | 23 | 0 |
| 2002 | 14 | 1 |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 |
| 2000 | 10 | 2 |
| 1999 | 12 | 0 |
| 1998 | 19 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 7 | 1 |
| 1991 | 10 | 4 |
| 1990 | 8 | 3 |
| 1987 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 | 6 | 1 |
| 1985 | 11 | 1 |
| 1984 | 2 | 1 |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 | 4 | 0 |
| 1974 | 2 | 1 |
| 1971 | 2 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | 6 | 4 |
| 1962 | 2 | 1 |
| 1961 | 1 | 1 |
| 1959 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 3 | 2 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
| 1950 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Chase County, measured to its path.
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