Tornadoes · United States · Kansas
1991 tornadoes in Kansas
114 tornadoes touched down in Kansas in 1991, 89 percent above the average of the record for the state. They killed 19 people and injured 259. 3 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
Every tornado in Kansas in 1991
March 1 2 tornadoes
March 26 13 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 26 | 4:43 PM CST | F0 | Pratt | 9.0 | 30 | |||
| March 26 | 4:55 PM CST | F0 | Stafford | 3.0 | 20 | |||
| March 26 | 5:45 PM CST | F1 | Pratt | 3.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| March 26 | 5:55 PM CST | F3 | Pratt | 26.0 | 220 | 1 | ||
| March 26 | 6:45 PM CST | F4 | Reno | 13.0 | 300 | 5 | $5 million to $50 million | |
| March 26 | 7:20 PM CST | F1 | McPherson | 2.0 | 100 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| March 26 | 7:28 PM CST | F0 | Kingman | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| March 26 | 7:50 PM CST | F0 | McPherson | 1.0 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| March 26 | 7:50 PM CST | F0 | Sedgwick | 2.0 | 73 | |||
| March 26 | 9:45 PM CST | F3 | Cowley | 15.0 | 200 | 6 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| March 26 | 11:45 PM CST | F2 | Allen | 8.0 | 100 | 1 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| March 26 | 11:45 PM CST | F0 | Marion | 8.0 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| March 26 | 11:50 PM CST | F0 | Reno | 1.0 | 50 | $50 to $500 |
March 27 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 27 | 12:30 AM CST | F1 | Chase | 11.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 |
April 2 4 tornadoes
April 11 4 tornadoes
April 12 4 tornadoes
April 17 2 tornadoes
April 26 21 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 26 | 10:45 AM CDT | F2 | Montgomery | 6.0 | 100 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| April 26 | 3:25 PM CDT | F2 | Washington | 3.5 | 100 | 6 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| April 26 | 3:45 PM CDT | F0 | Chase | 1.0 | 17 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 26 | 3:50 PM CDT | F3 | Washington to NE | 24.0 | 200 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| April 26 | 4:10 PM CDT | F0 | Morris | 13.0 | 50 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| April 26 | 4:35 PM CDT | F2 | Wabaunsee | 44.0 | 200 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| April 26 | 5:20 PM CDT | F0 | Harper | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 26 | 5:30 PM CDT | F0 | Harper | 16.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 26 | 5:47 PM CDT | F1 | Sedgwick | 2.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 26 | 5:57 PM CDT | F5 | Andover tornado | 46.0 | 440 | 17 | 225 | $50 million to $500 million |
| April 26 | 6:10 PM CDT | F1 | Sedgwick | 16.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 26 | 6:30 PM CDT | F4 | Cowley | 25.0 | 500 | 1 | $5 million to $50 million | |
| April 26 | 6:35 PM CDT | F0 | Wabaunsee | 9.0 | 20 | |||
| April 26 | 7:10 PM CDT | F2 | Butler | 21.0 | 100 | 4 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| April 26 | 7:26 PM CDT | F3 | Elk | 14.0 | 200 | 1 | 2 | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| April 26 | 7:40 PM CDT | F0 | Chase | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 26 | 8:33 PM CDT | F0 | Sedgwick | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 26 | 8:35 PM CDT | F3 | Greenwood | 15.0 | 50 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| April 26 | 8:54 PM CDT | F1 | Shawnee | 11.0 | 20 | 4 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| April 26 | 9:25 PM CDT | F2 | Jefferson | 25.0 | 27 | 2 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| April 26 | 10:20 PM CDT | F0 | Montgomery | 1.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 |
April 28 3 tornadoes
May 2 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2 | 5:10 PM CDT | F0 | Stanton | 0.3 | 27 |
May 13 3 tornadoes
May 15 24 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15 | 4:58 PM MDT | F0 | Wallace | 1.0 | 20 | |||
| May 15 | 6:00 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 2.0 | 30 | |||
| May 15 | 6:00 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 7.0 | 150 | |||
| May 15 | 6:05 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.5 | 73 | |||
| May 15 | 6:05 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.5 | 73 | |||
| May 15 | 6:05 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.5 | 73 | |||
| May 15 | 6:05 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.5 | 73 | |||
| May 15 | 6:05 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.5 | 73 | |||
| May 15 | 6:10 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.5 | 73 | |||
| May 15 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 2.5 | 67 | |||
| May 15 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 2.5 | 50 | |||
| May 15 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 2.5 | 57 | |||
| May 15 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 2.5 | 67 | |||
| May 15 | 6:27 PM CDT | F0 | Wichita | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 15 | 6:27 PM CDT | F0 | Wichita | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 15 | 6:27 PM CDT | F0 | Wichita | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 15 | 6:27 PM CDT | F0 | Wichita | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 15 | 6:30 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.8 | 40 | |||
| May 15 | 6:30 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 1.8 | 40 | |||
| May 15 | 6:30 PM CDT | F0 | Scott | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 15 | 6:45 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 3.5 | 57 | |||
| May 15 | 6:45 PM CDT | F0 | Finney | 3.5 | 57 | |||
| May 15 | 6:00 PM MDT | F0 | Sherman | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 15 | 8:09 PM CDT | F1 | Lane | 1.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 |
May 16 19 tornadoes
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16 | 2:45 PM CDT | F0 | Russell | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 16 | 2:47 PM CDT | F3 | Hodgeman | 22.0 | 880 | 2 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| May 16 | 2:56 PM CDT | F0 | Ellis | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 16 | 3:18 PM CDT | F0 | Cheyenne | 7.0 | 20 | |||
| May 16 | 4:55 PM CDT | F0 | Sumner | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| May 16 | 4:07 PM MDT | F0 | Sherman | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 16 | 5:09 PM CDT | F1 | Sumner | 9.0 | 100 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 16 | 4:12 PM MDT | F0 | Sherman | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 16 | 5:25 PM CDT | F3 | Sedgwick | 20.0 | 200 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| May 16 | 4:32 PM MDT | F0 | Sherman | 1.0 | 10 | |||
| May 16 | 5:38 PM CDT | F1 | Barton | 2.0 | 100 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 16 | 5:38 PM CDT | F1 | Barton | 2.0 | 100 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 16 | 6:12 PM CDT | F0 | Barton | 1.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 16 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16 | 6:25 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16 | 6:28 PM CDT | F0 | Barton | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16 | 6:45 PM CDT | F0 | Rice | 1.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 16 | 6:45 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16 | 7:20 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 |
May 26 6 tornadoes
May 28 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28 | 6:25 PM MDT | F0 | Wallace | 1.0 | 50 |
June 1 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1 | 5:40 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 |
June 7 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 7 | 6:10 PM CDT | F0 | Rawlins | 0.5 | 23 | $500 to $5,000 |
June 15 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 15 | 3:30 PM CDT | F0 | Douglas | 3.0 | 20 | $500 to $5,000 |
June 18 2 tornadoes
August 16 1 tornado
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 16 | 4:49 PM CDT | F0 | McPherson | 0.5 | 27 |
Crossed into Kansas
Tornadoes that touched down in a neighboring state and ran into Kansas. They are counted under the state they began in.
Nearby
Every tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in KansasThe live radar over Kansas
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.