Tornadoes · United States · Kansas

Tornadoes in Barton County, Kansas

107 tornadoes have crossed Barton County since 1950, 3rd of the 105 counties in Kansas with a tornado on record, an average of 1.4 a year. They have killed 4 people and injured 50. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  7. 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.

Now

Tornadoes
107
Deaths
4
Injuries
50
F4 and above
2
Worst on record
F4, April 21, 2001

The deadliest in Barton County

  1. EF2, Stafford and Barton counties, KansasMay 24, 20112 killed, 1 injured
  2. F4 Hoisington tornado, KansasApril 21, 20011 killed, 28 injured
  3. F0, Barton County, KansasSeptember 22, 19551 killed

The strongest

  1. F4, Pawnee and Barton counties, KansasMay 4, 1950F4, 34.3 mi (55 km)
  2. F4 Hoisington tornado, KansasApril 21, 2001F4, 5.0 mi (8 km)
  3. F3, Stafford, Barton, Reno and Rice counties, KansasApril 22, 1964F3, 59.7 mi (96 km)
  4. EF3, Pawnee and Barton counties, KansasMay 16, 2017EF3, 26.6 mi (43 km)
  5. F3, Barton, Rice and Ellsworth counties, KansasMay 24, 1990F3, 26.0 mi (42 km)
  6. F3, Barton, Rice and Ellsworth counties, KansasApril 2, 1956F3, 20.1 mi (32 km)
  7. F3, Barton County, KansasOctober 29, 1956F3, 0.6 mi (1 km)
  8. F3, Barton County, KansasMay 27, 1975F3, 0.5 mi (1 km)
  9. F2, Barton and Russell counties, KansasJune 12, 1964F2, 24.1 mi (39 km)
  10. EF2, Stafford and Barton counties, KansasMay 24, 2011EF2, 11.8 mi (19 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 42 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Barton County. Each year links to every tornado in Kansas that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20241Unrated
20212Unrated
20193EF1
20181EF0
201752EF3
20161EF0
20131EF0
20121EF0
2011422EF2
20103EF1
200922EF0
200810EF1
200710EF1
20054F1
20045F0
20024F0
20014128F4
20001F0
19991F1
19982F0
19973F0
19933F1
19914F1
199026F3
19841F0
198213F1
19801F0
19761F1
19751F3
19741F1
19731F1
19701F0
196611F2
19651F1
196463F3
19632F0
19622F2
19592F1
19571F0
195642F3
195521F1
195011F4

Every tornado that crossed Barton County

107 tornadoes, newest first.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 19, 20246:47 PM CDTUnratedBarton1.140
May 26, 20215:10 PM CDTUnratedBarton0.250
May 26, 20214:54 PM CDTUnratedBarton0.350
August 24, 20199:24 PM CDTUnratedBarton0.725
May 17, 201911:30 PM CDTUnratedBarton0.250
May 5, 20196:25 PM CDTEF1Barton0.675$40,000
August 16, 20187:30 PM CDTEF0Barton0.450
May 18, 20175:49 PM CDTEF0Barton0.650
May 18, 20175:23 PM CDTEF0Barton0.250
May 18, 20174:30 PM CDTEF0Barton0.150
May 16, 20178:48 PM CDTEF0Barton0.375
May 16, 20177:59 PM CDTEF3Pawnee26.63002$658,000
July 2, 20166:26 PM CDTEF0Barton0.850
May 28, 20136:37 PM CDTEF0Barton4.250
April 14, 20124:50 PM CDTEF0Barton0.550
May 24, 20117:22 PM CDTEF0Barton3.450
May 24, 20117:11 PM CDTEF0Barton0.450
May 24, 20115:09 PM CDTEF1Barton5.1751$250,000
May 24, 20114:52 PM CDTEF2Stafford11.850021
June 12, 20106:32 PM CDTEF0Barton0.550
June 12, 20106:06 PM CDTEF0Barton0.550
June 12, 20105:53 PM CDTEF1Barton0.775$2,000
July 20, 20097:45 PM CDTEF0Barton0.250
June 20, 20097:44 PM CDTEF0Barton1.2502$75,000
July 8, 20086:29 PM CDTEF0Barton0.340
July 8, 20086:27 PM CDTEF0Barton0.440
June 11, 20087:57 PM CDTEF0Barton0.750
June 11, 20087:35 PM CDTEF0Barton0.750
June 11, 20086:45 PM CDTEF1Barton10.0100$65,000
June 11, 20086:13 PM CDTEF0Barton0.750
May 25, 20085:56 PM CDTEF0Barton6.275
May 25, 20085:22 PM CDTEF0Barton0.975
May 23, 200810:38 PM CDTEF0Barton0.875$10,000
May 23, 200810:30 PM CDTEF1Barton0.475$125,000
May 5, 20079:08 PM CDTEF1Barton3.675$1.0 million
May 5, 20078:30 PM CDTEF1Stafford16.9200$25,000
May 5, 20077:32 PM CDTEF1Barton4.0100$60,000
May 5, 20076:54 PM CDTEF0Barton0.240
May 5, 20076:45 PM CDTEF0Barton0.150
May 5, 20071:46 AM CDTEF1Barton5.2100$40,000
May 5, 20071:28 AM CDTEF1Barton6.2125$57,000
May 5, 20071:21 AM CDTEF1Barton5.5100$2.0 million
May 4, 200712:55 AM CDTEF0Barton0.150$5,000
May 4, 200712:48 AM CDTEF0Barton0.540
August 19, 20054:46 PM CDTF0Barton0.555
August 19, 20054:44 PM CDTF1Barton4.0110$250,000
August 19, 20054:04 PM CDTF0Barton3.0110$500,000
April 10, 20056:12 PM CDTF0Barton0.555
July 7, 20049:27 PM CDTF0Barton0.575
July 7, 20049:13 PM CDTF0Barton0.575
July 7, 20049:03 PM CDTF0Barton0.575
July 7, 20048:44 PM CDTF0Barton0.575
March 27, 20043:14 PM CSTF0Barton1.055
May 26, 20027:55 PM CDTF0Barton0.5110
May 26, 20027:53 PM CDTF0Barton1.0110
May 11, 20024:20 PM CDTF0Barton2.0220
May 11, 20024:14 PM CDTF0Barton1.0110
May 20, 20016:49 PM CDTF0Barton3.0110
May 20, 20016:47 PM CDTF0Russell1.555
April 21, 20019:37 PM CDTF0Barton0.555
April 21, 20019:15 PM CDTF4Hoisington tornado5.0660128$43 million
March 23, 20006:15 PM CSTF0Barton0.550
May 10, 19997:20 PM CDTF1Barton5.0110$100,000
September 29, 19987:33 PM CDTF0Barton1.0110
September 29, 19987:31 PM CDTF0Barton1.0110
May 25, 19975:16 PM CDTF0Barton1.0100
May 25, 19975:10 PM CDTF0Barton1.0100
May 25, 19974:20 PM CDTF0Barton3.0100
July 4, 19937:35 PM CDTF0Barton2.030under $50
May 7, 19936:20 PM CDTF1Barton0.323$5,000 to $50,000
May 7, 19935:50 PM CDTF0Barton0.550$500 to $5,000
May 16, 19916:28 PM CDTF0Barton1.050
May 16, 19916:12 PM CDTF0Barton1.050$5,000 to $50,000
May 16, 19915:38 PM CDTF1Barton2.0100$500 to $5,000
May 16, 19915:38 PM CDTF1Barton2.0100$5,000 to $50,000
May 24, 19905:10 PM CDTF3Barton26.01,3206$50,000 to $500,000
May 24, 19905:03 PM CDTF0Barton5.010
October 16, 19841:36 PM CDTF0Barton6.0100
July 8, 19824:55 PM CDTF1Barton0.1133$5,000 to $50,000
May 29, 19808:17 PM CDTF0Barton0.110
June 28, 19764:40 PM CDTF1Barton1.020$5,000 to $50,000
May 27, 197510:30 PM CDTF3Barton0.520$50,000 to $500,000
August 30, 19746:30 PM CDTF1Barton0.150$5,000 to $50,000
November 19, 19736:35 PM CSTF1Barton12.350$50,000 to $500,000
June 11, 19707:45 PM CDTF0Barton3.010
August 6, 19668:25 PM GMT-5F2Barton0.22001$5,000 to $50,000
May 25, 19653:30 PM GMT-5F1Pawnee23.910$500 to $5,000
June 12, 196410:25 PM GMT-5F2Barton24.1101$5,000 to $50,000
June 10, 19648:40 PM GMT-5F2Barton0.5150$50,000 to $500,000
June 10, 19648:00 PM GMT-5F1Barton0.110
June 10, 19648:00 PM GMT-5F1Barton0.110
May 5, 19643:50 PM GMT-5F2Barton10.61,320$5,000 to $50,000
April 22, 19643:15 PM GMT-6F3Stafford59.78802
July 17, 19631:01 AM GMT-5F0Barton0.110$5,000 to $50,000
July 12, 19636:30 PM GMT-5F0Barton0.110
June 26, 19625:30 PM GMT-5F1Barton3.0100$50 to $500
May 28, 19625:30 PM GMT-5F2Barton1.510$500 to $5,000
May 4, 19594:17 PM GMT-5F1Stafford19.210
May 4, 19594:17 PM GMT-5F1Stafford19.210
April 22, 19576:35 PM GMT-6F0Barton0.510under $50
October 29, 19569:33 PM GMT-6F3Barton0.61471$50,000 to $500,000
May 28, 19568:18 PM GMT-5F0Barton0.110
April 2, 19568:30 PM GMT-6F3Barton20.13501$5,000 to $50,000
April 2, 19566:00 PM GMT-6F0Barton0.110
September 22, 19556:45 PM GMT-5F0Barton0.1101
May 6, 19556:00 PM GMT-5F1Barton0.110$500 to $5,000
May 4, 195012:10 AM GMT-5F4Pawnee34.31501$50,000 to $500,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Barton CountyThe forecast for Barton CountyThe live radar over Barton CountyEvery county in 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.