Tornadoes · United States · Kansas
Tornadoes in Smith County, Kansas
46 tornadoes have crossed Smith County since 1950, 57th of the 105 counties in Kansas with a tornado on record, an average of one every 1.7 years. They have killed 0 people and injured 5. 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.
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
- 46
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 5
- F4 and above
- 2
- Worst on record
- F4, May 10, 1985
The strongest
- F4, Osborne, Smith and Thayer counties, Kansas and NebraskaJune 4, 1955
- F4, Phillips, Smith, Franklin and Webster counties, Kansas and NebraskaMay 10, 1985
- F3, Smith County, KansasJune 15, 1957
- EF3, Smith and Jewell counties, KansasMay 27, 2013
- F3, Smith County, KansasJune 15, 1957
- F2, Smith County, KansasSeptember 25, 1973
- F2, Smith County, KansasMarch 13, 1973
- F2, Smith County, KansasMay 30, 1971
- F2, Smith County, KansasApril 19, 1973
- F2, Smith County, KansasJune 11, 1963
Every year with a tornado
The 25 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Smith County. Each year links to every tornado in Kansas that year.
Every tornado that crossed Smith County
46 tornadoes, newest first.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 16, 2024 | 1:53 AM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 6.8 | 35 | $2,000 | ||
| April 26, 2016 | 7:47 PM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 0.3 | 100 | |||
| April 12, 2015 | 6:46 PM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 1.1 | 20 | $20,000 | ||
| May 27, 2013 | 7:04 PM CDT | EF3 | Smith | 5.7 | 1,580 | 2 | $1.8 million | |
| May 27, 2013 | 6:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 0.0 | 10 | |||
| May 27, 2013 | 6:32 PM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 0.4 | 15 | |||
| June 7, 2008 | 8:37 PM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 4, 2007 | 8:20 PM CDT | EF0 | Smith | 0.1 | 40 | $45,000 | ||
| June 23, 2003 | 1:50 AM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.2 | 20 | |||
| June 23, 2003 | 1:45 AM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.2 | 20 | |||
| May 5, 2002 | 5:20 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 2.5 | 35 | |||
| May 5, 2002 | 5:10 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 1.5 | 25 | |||
| April 10, 2001 | 12:49 AM CDT | F0 | Smith | 3.5 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| April 10, 2001 | 12:25 AM CDT | F1 | Osborne | 13.0 | 200 | $160,000 | ||
| April 10, 2001 | 12:24 AM CDT | F1 | Smith | 4.0 | 100 | $70,000 | ||
| May 14, 1999 | 11:35 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 1.0 | 20 | |||
| June 13, 1998 | 5:00 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.5 | 30 | $30,000 | ||
| June 17, 1993 | 6:30 PM CDT | F1 | Smith | 1.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 17, 1993 | 6:20 PM CDT | F1 | Smith | 2.0 | 73 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 17, 1993 | 6:09 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.5 | 50 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 8, 1993 | 4:12 PM CDT | F1 | Smith | 2.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 8, 1993 | 3:51 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.3 | 23 | $50 to $500 | ||
| May 8, 1993 | 3:46 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 2.5 | 73 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| May 7, 1993 | 6:49 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 1.5 | 73 | $50 to $500 | ||
| July 18, 1992 | 9:30 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.5 | 23 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| April 11, 1991 | 10:15 PM CDT | F1 | Smith | 10.0 | 50 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 16, 1990 | 6:38 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| April 25, 1990 | 6:08 PM CDT | F1 | Rooks | 52.0 | 100 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| March 13, 1990 | 4:48 PM CST | F1 | Smith | 13.0 | 220 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 16, 1986 | 5:10 AM CDT | F1 | Smith | 18.0 | 100 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 10, 1985 | 7:00 PM CDT | F4 | Phillips to NE | 56.0 | 1,000 | 2 | $500,000 to $5 million | |
| May 11, 1982 | 4:55 PM CDT | F1 | Smith | 4.0 | 400 | $50,000 to $500,000 | ||
| May 10, 1982 | 7:00 PM CDT | F0 | Smith | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 15, 1982 | 1:30 AM CST | F0 | Osborne | 3.0 | 17 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| September 25, 1973 | 9:10 PM CDT | F2 | Smith | 27.9 | 80 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| April 19, 1973 | 10:31 AM CST | F2 | Smith | 4.6 | 100 | $500 to $5,000 | ||
| March 13, 1973 | 6:00 PM CST | F2 | Smith | 17.2 | 220 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 30, 1971 | 6:25 PM CDT | F2 | Smith | 7.1 | 220 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 25, 1965 | 5:30 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Smith | 0.1 | 10 | 1 | $5,000 to $50,000 | |
| May 25, 1965 | 5:15 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Smith | 0.1 | 10 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| June 11, 1963 | 7:15 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Smith | 1.0 | 20 | $5,000 to $50,000 | ||
| May 20, 1959 | 9:00 PM GMT-5 | F2 | Smith | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 15, 1957 | 5:05 PM GMT-5 | F3 | Smith | 14.3 | 10 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| June 15, 1957 | 5:05 PM GMT-5 | F3 | Smith | 2.0 | 10 | $500,000 to $5 million | ||
| June 4, 1955 | 4:30 PM GMT-5 | F0 | Smith | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| June 4, 1955 | 4:20 PM GMT-5 | F4 | Osborne to NE | 61.9 | 500 |
Nearby
Warnings in force in Smith CountyThe forecast for Smith CountyThe live radar over Smith 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.