Ottawa County tornado history

36 tornadoes touched Ottawa County, Kansas between 1950 and 2025 — about 0.5 a year. The strongest was rated EF4 (May 25, 2016). Tornadoes here killed 4 and injured 68 people.

36tornadoes since 1950

EF4strongest rating

4killed · 68 injured

169.7 milongest path · 1973

(E)F0(E)F1(E)F2(E)F3(E)F4(E)F5· dots = start point only

By rating

(E)F018

(E)F18

(E)F24

(E)F35

(E)F41

(E)F50

By month

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak month: May.

By decade

’50’60’70’80’90’00’10’20

Strongest tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured	Killed
May 25, 2016	EF4	25.1 mi	900 yd	8	0
Sep 25, 1973	F3	169.7 mi	100 yd	42	3
Sep 25, 1973	F3	69.9 mi	67 yd	2	0
May 1, 2018	EF3	15.8 mi	880 yd	0	0
Jun 15, 1992	F3	3 mi	800 yd	0	0
May 28, 2013	EF3	2.3 mi	1,000 yd	0	0
May 5, 2007	EF2	11 mi	100 yd	5	1
Oct 18, 1979	F2	71.4 mi	400 yd	11	0
May 8, 1970	F2	9.5 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 4, 1959	F2	3.8 mi	100 yd	0	0
Apr 14, 2012	EF1	15.8 mi	100 yd	0	0
May 5, 2007	EF1	10.1 mi	200 yd	0	0

Most recent tornadoes

Date	Rating	Path	Width	Injured
May 2, 2018	EF0	—	20 yd	0
May 1, 2018	EF3	15.8 mi	880 yd	0
Apr 15, 2017	EF0	1.7 mi	25 yd	0
Oct 4, 2016	EF0	0.1 mi	40 yd	0
May 25, 2016	EF0	0.5 mi	25 yd	0
May 25, 2016	EF4	25.1 mi	900 yd	8
May 6, 2015	EF0	—	50 yd	0
May 6, 2015	EF0	0.3 mi	50 yd	0
May 28, 2013	EF0	—	25 yd	0
May 28, 2013	EF3	2.3 mi	1,000 yd	0
Apr 14, 2012	EF1	15.8 mi	100 yd	0
May 5, 2007	EF0	0.3 mi	50 yd	0

Deadliest: Sep 25, 1973, F3, 3 killed.

Nearby counties

Saline County, KS50 Cloud County, KS52 Clay County, KS45 Lincoln County, KS34 Dickinson County, KS45 Mitchell County, KS53 Ellsworth County, KS50 Republic County, KS71

Questions

How many tornadoes has Ottawa County, Kansas had?

36 tornadoes touched Ottawa County, Kansas between 1950 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database — about 0.5 per year.

What was the strongest tornado in Ottawa County?

The strongest rating recorded was EF4 on May 25, 2016, with a 25.1-mile path.

When is tornado season in Ottawa County?

Most of its tornadoes happened in May (16 of 36). Tornadoes can occur in any month, so keep alerts on year-round.

Right now: live tornado warnings map · alerts for your location. Dates link to that day’s full storm reports where available (2004 onward).