Cowley County, Kansas
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
89
Tornado reports
727
Hail reports
67
Floods since 1996
1,585
All events
82
Deaths
$69.9M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Cowley County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 89 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
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 F5 Tornado
Tornado F5 Tornado
Tornado F3 Tornado
A significant outbreak of cold weather occurred across all of central and southeast Kansas. Numerous records were broken, tied, or were very close. These included the consecutive number of days below 32 degrees, 20 degrees, or overnight lows below 0 degrees. Widespread pipe failu…
Periods of freezing drizzle produced icy roads countywide. Consequently, many accidents and slide-offs occurred across the area. Unfortunately, one accident proved fatal during the late evening on the 25th, between Udall and Winfield on Highway 15. Property damage amounts are rou…
Periodic light freezing drizzle and light freezing rain created a thin glaze of ice across the area, resulting in numerous traffic accidents countywide. Six relatively minor injuries were reported. Unfortunately, one fatality occurred when a 60-year-old man lost control of his ve…
Around one-tenth of an inch of ice and sleet accumulation, and a dusting of light snow, led to very slick road conditions and numerous automobile accidents across the county. Tragically, a 93-year-old Burden man was injured badly on the 26th when he lost control of his vehicle on…
Icy conditions due to light freezing rain and freezing drizzle aided in a fatal car accident around 9:30 am on Highway 77, 10 miles north of Winfield. A 37-year-old El Dorado man was injured when he lost control of the south-bound van and hit a tree, engulfing the van in flames. …
Snow accumulated 6.5 inches in and around Arkansas City. Precipitation began as a brief period of sleet. East-west roads were nearly impassable county-wide due to drifting snow. The slick roads resulted in numerous accidents across the county, including several injury accidents (…
A wintry mix of light to moderate sleet and freezing rain affected the county from the mid morning hours on the 27th through the early morning hours on the 28th. The wintry mix eventually changed over to all snow from west to east during the morning hours on the 28th, and persist…
Straight line winds produced widespread damage across the Arkansas City area. The strong winds downed numerous trees and power lines/poles, inflicted roof damage to several homes and businesses, and blew over a few semi trailers. Several grave stones at the local cemetary were da…
Ninety to 115 mph winds hit the Burden area. Big trees were uprooted, a horse barn collapsed and grain bins were destroyed. In Atlanta, a mobile home was blown over and demolished. A man inside at the time sustained a punctured lung and concussion and was hospitalized in fair con…
Arkansas City was hit with winds greater than 80 miles an hour. Four mobile homes were destroyed, four had major damage and another six received minor damage. A mobile home was also destroyed five miles east of town. Three people suffered minor injuries. One site-built home was a…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Estimated wind gusts ranged from 60 to 70 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured wind gust from a trained spotter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power lines were knocked down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Estimated wind gusts were around 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured from a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured wind gust from the Winfield-Arkansas City Strother Field Airport ASOS site.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts were estimated to be around 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts were estimated to be around 60 to 70 mph initially. Dime sized hail also occurred. A line of 15 to 20 power poles were leaning or snapped with the associated wind. This resulted in power outages to nearby neighborhoods along with blocked driveways and roadways. Wind sp…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
This was a measured wind gust at Winfield/Arkansas City Strother Field Airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple reports of tree limbs down and power outages in Winfield.
Hail Hail
Nickel to quarter sized hail was falling with a measured wind gust of 52 mph.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree limbs with a diameter of 3 inches were across the roadway. Time was estimated based on radar.
Drought Drought
The southeast third of the county entered into severe drought conditions (D2) at the very start of the month with the middle third being in moderate drought conditions (D1) and the northwest corner in abnormally dry conditions (D0). Showers and thunderstorms helped to improve the…
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 30 | 0 |
| 2025 | 24 | 0 |
| 2024 | 44 | 2 |
| 2023 | 38 | 0 |
| 2022 | 49 | 3 |
| 2021 | 16 | 0 |
| 2020 | 20 | 0 |
| 2019 | 30 | 0 |
| 2018 | 53 | 9 |
| 2017 | 41 | 0 |
| 2016 | 57 | 4 |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 38 | 1 |
| 2013 | 46 | 3 |
| 2012 | 25 | 0 |
| 2011 | 86 | 3 |
| 2010 | 54 | 5 |
| 2009 | 66 | 6 |
| 2008 | 90 | 1 |
| 2007 | 27 | 0 |
| 2006 | 33 | 0 |
| 2005 | 47 | 4 |
| 2004 | 61 | 4 |
| 2003 | 54 | 1 |
| 2002 | 52 | 2 |
| 2001 | 70 | 0 |
| 2000 | 38 | 0 |
| 1999 | 27 | 0 |
| 1998 | 36 | 5 |
| 1997 | 39 | 0 |
| 1996 | 29 | 0 |
| 1995 | 14 | 1 |
| 1994 | 14 | 0 |
| 1993 | 21 | 0 |
| 1992 | 14 | 2 |
| 1991 | 17 | 3 |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 |
| 1989 | 7 | 1 |
| 1988 | 11 | 0 |
| 1987 | 8 | 0 |
| 1986 | 7 | 1 |
| 1985 | 17 | 0 |
| 1984 | 16 | 6 |
| 1983 | 13 | 0 |
| 1982 | 7 | 0 |
| 1981 | 8 | 3 |
| 1980 | 3 | 1 |
| 1979 | 5 | 0 |
| 1978 | 3 | 1 |
| 1976 | 3 | 1 |
| 1975 | 6 | 1 |
| 1974 | 9 | 0 |
| 1973 | 4 | 1 |
| 1972 | 2 | 0 |
| 1971 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | 2 | 0 |
| 1968 | 8 | 1 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | 4 | 1 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 2 | 1 |
| 1960 | 3 | 0 |
| 1959 | 3 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | 5 | 2 |
| 1955 | 7 | 5 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Cowley County, measured to its path.
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