Rice 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.
46
Tornado reports
328
Hail reports
41
Floods since 1996
827
All events
2
Deaths
$44.0M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Rice County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 45 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 F4 Tornado
Tornado F3 Tornado
Tornado F3 Tornado
Minor snow accumulations associated with a brief period of light snow during the evening of the 22nd contributed to slick roads across portions of central and south-central Kansas, resulting in a fatal head-on collision on Highway 14, three miles north of Lyons. Unfortunately, a …
Light to moderate snow, with periodic bouts of heavy snow, affected the county from the predawn hours on the 27th through the mid morning hours on the 28th. Snowfall amounts ranged from roughly 12 to 16 inches across the county. Stout north to northeast winds resulted in consider…
The oppressive heat and humidity killed an estimated 300 to 400 cattle in feedlots across Rice County. Monetary loss estimates include cattle deaths along with the 40 to 70 pounds of average weight loss most heads of cattle incurred.
One to two inches of ice accumulated across Rice County during the ice storm. This resulted in approximately 300 downed power poles and 1200 downed lines. Damage to the electrical infrastructure is estimated at $6.4 million. There was also widespread damage to trees but the cost …
Numerous, slow-moving thunderstorms produced widespread 2 to 5 inch rainfall amounts across Rice County from the late afternoon hours on May 23rd, to the early morning hours on May 24th. Excessive runoff caused area streams and creeks to overflow their banks, resulting in widespr…
US Highway 56 was closed between Chase and Lyons with about 2 feet of water flowing over it. K-14 was closed north of Lyons. Numerous other county roads were flooded throughout the entire county. Stretches of K-14 as well as numerous county roads were washed out during the flood.…
Hail Hail
Photo received via social media.
Hail Hail
Photo received via social media. Most of the hailstones appeared to be near quarter size but a few were golf ball size.
Hail Hail
Report received via mPing.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Photo received via social media. Time was estimated via radar.
Hail Hail
Photo received via social media. Time was estimated via radar.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Damage to a farm outbuilding.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The spotter estimated 50 to 60 mph wind gusts.
Drought Drought
At the start of the month, most of the county was in extreme drought (D3). There were gradual improvements in the first week between issuances where it dropped to severe drought (D2) on the 2nd. Gradually this improved further with a complete removal of D2 on the 23rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts were estimated to be up to 60 mph.
Drought Drought
The county entered the month in severe drought (D2) which was expanded in the south to extreme drought (D3) on the 5th then further to encompass most of the county on the 19th and lasting through the rest of the month. According to CoCoRaHS and cooperative observers, only around …
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
The entire county was put into severe drought (D2) with around or under 0.25 of an inch of rain the first 20 days. Some locations stayed around only 0.25 inch for the month with northern locations reaching closer to one inch based on cooperative observer and CoCoRaHS reports.
High Wind High Wind
The AWOS site at Lyons-Rice County Municipal Airport recorded sustained winds of at least 40 mph between 10 AM CDT and 7 PM CDT. The peak sustained winds were 44 mph recorded at 4:55 PM CDT. The peak wind gust across the county was 56 mph recorded by a Kansas Mesonet 2 miles west…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Based on surrounding reports as well as reports from around the county, an estimated 5 to 8 inches of snow fell across Rice County. The highest reported snow total was 7.5 inches about eight miles northeast of Lyons.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured at the Lyons Airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
These wind gusts were estimated.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured at the AWOS station at Lyons Rice County Municipal Airport. Winds gusted up to 60 mph for at least 20 minutes between 2:55 AM CDT and 3:15 AM CDT.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured from the Kansas State Mesonet site near Little River.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Lyons Airport measured a 60 mph wind gust.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained 40 mph winds started in Lyons around 8:45 AM CDT and ended around 5:00 PM CDT. A peak wind gust of 59 mph was reported at Lyons-Rice County Municipal Airport.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A snowfall total of 10.5 inches was reported in Sterling. Based on additional reports, around 4 to 10.5 inches of snow fell across Rice County with the heaviest amounts occurring across the far southern portions of the county.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A snowfall total of 5.1 inches was reported about eight miles northeast of Lyons. Based on additional reports, around 1 to 5 inches of snow occurred across Rice County with the highest amounts occurring across the northeast portions of the county.
Blizzard Blizzard
Lyons Rice County Municipal Airport had an increase in snow intensity in combination with the winds starting in the morning hours with blizzard conditions reported for about eight hours. Many roadways were closed due to the conditions and drifting snow.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A long duration winter storm event impacted the area which started as freezing drizzle which transitioned to snow with maybe some sleet mixed in. The estimated storm total snowfall was 10 inches of snow by law enforcement. There a couple some slide offs that occurred during the m…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A U-Haul trailer was blown over west of Lyons. Time of occurrence was estimated by radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust was measured by a Kansas State Mesonet site about 2 miles west of Little River.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter reported wind gusts up to 70 mph. Their car was shaking, and a significant number of tree limbs were down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 | 18 | 0 |
| 2024 | 17 | 0 |
| 2023 | 22 | 0 |
| 2022 | 23 | 0 |
| 2021 | 30 | 1 |
| 2020 | 17 | 0 |
| 2019 | 45 | 2 |
| 2018 | 23 | 0 |
| 2017 | 15 | 1 |
| 2016 | 19 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 1 |
| 2014 | 27 | 2 |
| 2013 | 30 | 0 |
| 2012 | 22 | 2 |
| 2011 | 33 | 0 |
| 2010 | 18 | 2 |
| 2009 | 30 | 0 |
| 2008 | 18 | 0 |
| 2007 | 29 | 4 |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 |
| 2005 | 40 | 2 |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 |
| 2003 | 13 | 1 |
| 2002 | 54 | 1 |
| 2001 | 48 | 0 |
| 2000 | 25 | 0 |
| 1999 | 11 | 1 |
| 1998 | 15 | 0 |
| 1997 | 6 | 0 |
| 1996 | 19 | 0 |
| 1995 | 9 | 0 |
| 1994 | 5 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 1 |
| 1992 | 7 | 0 |
| 1991 | 7 | 1 |
| 1990 | 12 | 2 |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 |
| 1988 | 2 | 1 |
| 1987 | 5 | 0 |
| 1986 | 5 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 10 | 2 |
| 1973 | 2 | 1 |
| 1971 | 3 | 1 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | 2 | 1 |
| 1964 | 3 | 2 |
| 1963 | 2 | 1 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | 3 | 1 |
| 1959 | 5 | 4 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 2 | 2 |
| 1956 | 2 | 1 |
| 1955 | 4 | 3 |
| 1950 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Rice County, measured to its path.
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