Tornadoes · United States · Kansas
Tornadoes in Butler County, Kansas
92 tornadoes have crossed Butler County since 1950, 6th of the 105 counties in Kansas with a tornado on record, an average of 1.2 a year. They have killed 32 people and injured 251. 2 were rated F4 or EF4 and above, 1 at the top of the scale.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- 92
- Deaths
- 32
- Injuries
- 251
- F4 and above
- 2
- Worst on record
- F5, April 26, 1991
The deadliest in Butler County
The strongest
- F5, Sedgwick and Butler counties, KansasApril 26, 1991
- F4, Butler County, KansasJune 10, 1958
- EF3, Sedgwick and Butler counties, KansasApril 29, 2022
- F2, Sedgwick, Butler and Marion counties, KansasSeptember 20, 1965
- F2, Chase, Greenwood and Butler counties, KansasMay 30, 1974
- F2, Sumner, Sedgwick and Butler counties, KansasNovember 27, 1960
- F2, Butler and Chase counties, KansasApril 26, 1991
- F2, Butler County, KansasApril 16, 1960
- F2, Butler County, KansasOctober 29, 1960
- F2, Butler County, KansasJuly 5, 1987
Every year with a tornado
The 36 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Butler County. Each year links to every tornado in Kansas that year.
| Year | Tornadoes | Deaths | Injuries | Strongest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | Unrated | ||
| 2024 | 1 | Unrated | ||
| 2022 | 3 | 3 | EF3 | |
| 2019 | 3 | EF1 | ||
| 2018 | 4 | EF0 | ||
| 2017 | 2 | EF0 | ||
| 2016 | 1 | EF0 | ||
| 2012 | 4 | EF1 | ||
| 2010 | 1 | EF0 | ||
| 2009 | 11 | EF1 | ||
| 2006 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 2003 | 2 | F1 | ||
| 2002 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 2001 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 1999 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 1997 | 3 | F0 | ||
| 1992 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 1991 | 10 | 17 | 229 | F5 |
| 1990 | 6 | F1 | ||
| 1987 | 2 | F2 | ||
| 1984 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 1983 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 1979 | 1 | F1 | ||
| 1978 | 3 | F1 | ||
| 1974 | 4 | 1 | F2 | |
| 1967 | 1 | F1 | ||
| 1965 | 2 | F2 | ||
| 1964 | 2 | F1 | ||
| 1963 | 1 | 2 | F2 | |
| 1960 | 8 | 5 | F2 | |
| 1959 | 1 | F0 | ||
| 1958 | 2 | 15 | 9 | F4 |
| 1956 | 1 | 2 | F1 | |
| 1955 | 3 | F1 | ||
| 1951 | 1 | F1 | ||
| 1950 | 1 | F0 |
Every tornado that crossed Butler County
92 tornadoes, newest first.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 14, 2025 | 4:15 PM CDT | Unrated | Butler | 0.3 | 10 | |||
| April 30, 2024 | 6:23 PM CDT | Unrated | Butler | 0.0 | 10 | |||
| April 29, 2022 | 9:05 PM CDT | EF1 | Butler | 8.1 | 100 | |||
| April 29, 2022 | 8:47 PM CDT | Unrated | Butler | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| April 29, 2022 | 8:10 PM CDT | EF3 | Sedgwick | 12.7 | 250 | 3 | $42 million | |
| May 24, 2019 | 4:53 PM CDT | Unrated | Butler | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| May 24, 2019 | 4:19 PM CDT | EF1 | Butler | 1.4 | 75 | |||
| May 7, 2019 | 11:19 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 1.9 | 100 | |||
| June 26, 2018 | 9:02 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| June 26, 2018 | 6:42 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| June 26, 2018 | 6:39 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 1.9 | 100 | |||
| May 2, 2018 | 6:51 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.8 | 75 | |||
| May 31, 2017 | 2:44 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.3 | 50 | |||
| March 6, 2017 | 7:05 PM CST | EF0 | Butler | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 27, 2016 | 5:26 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| April 14, 2012 | 11:10 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 15.1 | 250 | |||
| April 14, 2012 | 10:55 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.4 | 50 | |||
| April 14, 2012 | 10:55 PM CDT | EF1 | Butler | 4.5 | 100 | |||
| April 14, 2012 | 10:49 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 1.5 | 250 | |||
| May 12, 2010 | 8:11 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 1.3 | 75 | |||
| July 20, 2009 | 10:02 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.8 | 150 | $5,000 | ||
| June 15, 2009 | 7:08 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.7 | 50 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 7:04 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.6 | 55 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 7:01 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.8 | 65 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 6:58 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 6:55 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.8 | 50 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 6:50 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.9 | 65 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 6:47 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.8 | 75 | |||
| June 15, 2009 | 6:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.7 | 75 | |||
| April 26, 2009 | 3:50 PM CDT | EF0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | $3,000 | ||
| April 25, 2009 | 8:29 PM CDT | EF1 | Butler | 1.2 | 75 | $30,000 | ||
| June 17, 2006 | 8:21 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.5 | 40 | |||
| May 10, 2003 | 3:00 AM CDT | F0 | Butler | 4.0 | 110 | $10,000 | ||
| May 8, 2003 | 6:13 PM CDT | F1 | Butler | 2.0 | 100 | $60,000 | ||
| June 12, 2002 | 7:00 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 4.0 | 110 | |||
| June 5, 2001 | 9:10 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 110 | |||
| May 3, 1999 | 9:15 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.0 | 0 | |||
| May 25, 1997 | 9:58 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| May 25, 1997 | 9:40 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 25, 1997 | 9:22 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| March 8, 1992 | 10:40 PM CST | F0 | Butler | 12.0 | 20 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| June 1, 1991 | 5:40 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| May 26, 1991 | 9:30 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.5 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 26, 1991 | 8:05 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 4.0 | 50 | |||
| May 26, 1991 | 7:05 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 3.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16, 1991 | 7:20 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16, 1991 | 6:45 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16, 1991 | 6:25 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 16, 1991 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| April 26, 1991 | 7:10 PM CDT | F2 | Butler | 21.0 | 100 | 4 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| April 26, 1991 | 5:57 PM CDT | F5 | Sedgwick | 46.0 | 440 | 17 | 225 | $50 million to $500 million |
| July 21, 1990 | 2:25 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| July 21, 1990 | 2:10 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 2.0 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| July 21, 1990 | 1:53 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 23 | |||
| June 7, 1990 | 9:03 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 1.0 | 50 | |||
| May 15, 1990 | 9:35 PM CDT | F1 | Harvey | 20.0 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 9, 1990 | 7:12 PM CDT | F0 | Harvey | 20.0 | 210 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| July 5, 1987 | 6:45 AM CDT | F2 | Butler | 0.2 | 50 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| July 5, 1987 | 6:35 AM CDT | F1 | Butler | 1.0 | 100 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| October 5, 1984 | 8:20 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 18, 1983 | 6:55 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 19, 1979 | 5:00 PM CDT | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 67 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| September 13, 1978 | 7:00 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| July 7, 1978 | 7:14 PM CDT | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| June 17, 1978 | 9:00 PM CDT | F1 | Butler | 0.3 | 10 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| June 8, 1974 | 4:15 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 11.4 | 200 | |||
| June 4, 1974 | 3:30 PM CDT | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| May 30, 1974 | 5:30 PM CDT | F2 | Chase | 25.1 | 167 | 1 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| May 13, 1974 | 11:00 PM CDT | F0 | Sedgwick | 40.2 | 27 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| August 29, 1967 | 5:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| September 20, 1965 | 7:22 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Sedgwick | 43.8 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| March 16, 1965 | 7:30 PM GMT-6 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 21, 1964 | 7:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $50 to $500 | ||
| June 21, 1964 | 6:40 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $50 to $500 | ||
| May 25, 1963 | 7:30 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | 2 | ||
| November 27, 1960 | 8:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Sumner | 23.2 | 77 | 2 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| October 29, 1960 | 5:40 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Butler | 2.0 | 100 | 1 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| July 29, 1960 | 5:15 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $50 to $500 | ||
| July 29, 1960 | 5:15 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $50 to $500 | ||
| July 22, 1960 | 4:57 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 16, 1960 | 5:15 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Butler | 0.3 | 10 | under $50 | ||
| April 16, 1960 | 5:00 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Butler | 9.3 | 10 | 1 | $500 to $5,000 | |
| April 16, 1960 | 4:50 PM GMT-6 | F2 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | 1 | under $50 | |
| May 17, 1959 | 5:35 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 11, 1958 | 12:44 AM GMT-5 | F2 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | 4 | ||
| June 10, 1958 | 6:45 PM GMT-5 | F4 | Butler | 9.0 | 300 | 15 | 5 | $500,000 to $5 million |
| April 2, 1956 | 9:30 PM GMT-6 | F1 | Butler | 22.9 | 500 | 2 | $50,000 to $500,000 | |
| September 10, 1955 | 4:55 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 27, 1955 | 10:15 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 27, 1955 | 10:15 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 6, 1951 | 11:00 PM GMT-5 | F1 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 19, 1950 | 2:30 AM GMT-5 | F0 | Butler | 0.1 | 10 | $500 to $5,000 |
Nearby
Warnings in force in Butler CountyThe forecast for Butler CountyThe live radar over Butler 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.