Harper 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.
64
Tornado reports
365
Hail reports
39
Floods since 1996
857
All events
0
Deaths
$13.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Harper County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 64 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.
Large destructive tornado completely demolished a two story farm house and 5 other barns associated with the homestead. Five cars were also dismantled as the engines were spread across the shaven wheat fields. Very few automobile body parts could be located.
Tornado EF3 Tornado
This strong tornado moved right through the middle of a wind farm. There were a total of 6 turbines that had all of the blades torn off and shredded to pieces. At the beginning of the track, a crane was toppled over. However, the wind speeds at the top of the crane were measured …
Tornado EF3 Tornado
Significant damage to two farmsteads. All outbuildings were completely destroyed and debris strewn in all directions. Home completely lost it's roof and was just off to the side of the main track. Most trees in the path had all stems except for the main trunk removed. Some debark…
Heavy rainfall from numerous thunderstorms during the afternoon, evening and overnight hours on the 26th produced widespread flooding across much of Harper county. Rainfall amounts across the county ranged from 3 to 6 inches. Numerous roads were closed countywide. It is estimated…
The following were damaged or destroyed: 15 farm dwellings and service buildings, and 30 pieces of farm machinery and equipment. (This portion of narrative courtesy of USDA Flash Flood Situation report.) One home unroofed resulting in damage to most of property inside. Widespread…
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several 1 to 2-inch tree limbs were broken, and estimated wind gusts were up to 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured wind gust at Anthony Municipal Airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several large trees were uprooted, and one large tree trunk was snapped. One tree fell onto a barn and collapsed the roof and the west side wall of the barn. Seventeen double-stacked stationary train rail cars were blown off of a train track, and the track was damaged. There was …
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Quarter to golf ball size hail fell in Harper.
Drought Drought
Much of the county entered the month in severe drought (D2) which improved by the 2nd with over three inches that fell in the week between outlooks from multiple rounds of showers and storms. The entire county was in moderate drought (D1) with further improvements to none for all…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Storm chaser estimated 60 mph winds.
Drought Drought
Severe drought (D2) encompassed the county starting on the 5th with a slight improvement on the 19th in far north central parts of the county after storms on the 18th. The rest of the county remained in D2 status with only 1.57 inches of rain through the 26th according to CoCoRaH…
Hail Hail
High Wind High Wind
The AWOS site at Anthony Municipal Airport measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph at 6:32 PM CDT. Additionally, sustained winds in excess of 40 mph were measured between 10 AM CDT and 7 PM CDT with the peak sustained wind of 44 mph at 10:15 AM CDT.
Hail Hail
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Based on surrounding reports across the county along with reports within the county, an estimated 5 to 7 inches of snow fell across Harper County. The highest reported snow total was 6.4 inches in Anthony.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The wind gust was measured with a personal weather station.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The spotter estimated 60 mph wind gusts.
Hail Hail
Hailstones range from quarter size to tennis ball size.
Hail Hail
Nickel to quarter sized hail was reported.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A trained spotter estimated wind gusts between 50 and 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree limbs were reported down with the sizes unknown.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A brief tornado was reported by the emergency manager which pulled two stop signs out of the ground, and an ad bulletin sign was snapped off at the post.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several limbs were reported down and blocking roadways.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several tree limbs down blocking roadways in Anthony.
Hail Hail
High Wind High Wind
While no reports explicitly came from the county, nearby observations suggest sustained 40 mph winds and wind gusts around 60 mph occurred. Timing of high winds was estimated by nearby observations.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A snowfall total of 1.4 inches was report in Anthony. Based on surrounding observations, around 1 to 3 inches of snow fell across Harper County with the highest amounts occurring across the far northern portions of the county.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Up to 7 inches of snow was reported five miles northwest of Harper. Based other reports in the county and surrounding reports around the county, around 4 to 7 inches of snow occurred in Harper County through the duration of this event.
Drought Drought
There was a return to severe drought conditions (D2) in the far southeast corner of the county with the rest of the county in abnormally dry (D0) or moderate drought (D1).
Drought Drought
All areas improved during September with areas of the county in moderate drought (D1).
Drought Drought
Drought conditions worsened to severe drought (D2) in the western half of the county.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter reported an estimated 60 mph winds.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter reported an estimated 65mph winds.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Estimated wind gust reported by a trained spotter.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts estimated to be around 60 to 65 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Strong winds north of a decaying storms in Oklahoma resulted in a large limb blown down in Harper.
Drought Drought
All area of the county improved to either normal conditions or abnormally dry (D0).
Hail Hail
Hail ranging from half dollar sized to two inches in diameter fell between Waldron and Attica.
Hail Hail
Hail was the size of a quarter.
Tornado EF2 Tornado
The tornado tracked northwest and damaged a farmstead west of Anthony. What made this tornado unique was that it did not form from the main mesocyclone associated with the supercell, but rather from the supercell's interaction with one of the storms lifting due north out of Oklah…
Drought Drought
Drought conditions improved across the county into moderate drought (D1). Only the extreme northwest section of the county remained in severe drought (D2).
Hail Hail
Quarter to golf ball sized hail fell for a few minutes near Harper. A video was sent in via social media.
Hail Hail
Lots of ping pong ball to golf ball sized hail fell in Anthony over the course of at least 15 minutes. Video sent in corroborated several phone calls with some of the hail stones up to baseball size.
Drought Drought
Drought conditions worsened across the county from moderate drought (D1) to severe drought (D2).
Winter Weather Winter Weather
At 7AM on 9 January, a COOP observer reported 1.7 inches of snow in Anthony. Snowfall amounts of 1.7 to 0.2 inches of snow were reported across the county.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A COOP observer reported 4 inches of snow in Anthony. Snowfall amounts averaged 4 inches across the county.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 14 | 1 |
| 2024 | 18 | 1 |
| 2023 | 17 | 0 |
| 2022 | 15 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 |
| 2020 | 7 | 0 |
| 2019 | 19 | 2 |
| 2018 | 20 | 0 |
| 2017 | 14 | 0 |
| 2016 | 16 | 0 |
| 2015 | 19 | 1 |
| 2014 | 12 | 1 |
| 2013 | 13 | 0 |
| 2012 | 23 | 3 |
| 2011 | 21 | 0 |
| 2010 | 21 | 0 |
| 2009 | 24 | 2 |
| 2008 | 39 | 0 |
| 2007 | 23 | 1 |
| 2006 | 13 | 0 |
| 2005 | 50 | 1 |
| 2004 | 46 | 15 |
| 2003 | 17 | 1 |
| 2002 | 51 | 2 |
| 2001 | 58 | 2 |
| 2000 | 25 | 0 |
| 1999 | 28 | 1 |
| 1998 | 22 | 1 |
| 1997 | 26 | 3 |
| 1996 | 21 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 9 | 0 |
| 1993 | 5 | 0 |
| 1992 | 13 | 1 |
| 1991 | 5 | 2 |
| 1990 | 10 | 2 |
| 1989 | 4 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 7 | 0 |
| 1986 | 8 | 1 |
| 1985 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 2 |
| 1981 | 6 | 3 |
| 1980 | 3 | 0 |
| 1979 | 4 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 3 | 0 |
| 1975 | 9 | 1 |
| 1974 | 13 | 1 |
| 1973 | 2 | 2 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | 4 | 1 |
| 1969 | 3 | 1 |
| 1968 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 2 | 1 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 6 | 2 |
| 1957 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956 | 4 | 1 |
| 1955 | 3 | 2 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Harper County, measured to its path.
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