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Gardner, KS Tornado History — 137 Tornadoes Since 1950

Kansas · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Gardner, KS had?

Gardner has had 137 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 12 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Gardner?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Gardner was an EF1 on May 19, 2024.

When is tornado season in Gardner?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Gardner, with 48 on record. April through June account for 96 of the 137 tornadoes on record near Gardner.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
137
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
12
8.8% of total
Peak Month
May
48 on record
Per Year Avg
1.8
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Gardner

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 39 total, averaging 1.9 per year over this window.

2026 0+7 prelim
2025 0
2024 4
2023 0
2022 3
2021 2
2020 0
2019 3
2018 2
2017 1
2016 0
2015 4
2014 1
2013 0
2012 4
2011 5
2010 0
2009 1
2008 9
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Gardner since December 29, 2025

These are 7 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary April 27, 2026
1 NW Bucyrus, Johnson County, KS
The same storm that resulted in a short lived EF 0 Tornado just northeast of Spring Hill... resulted in a second tornado... this one an EF 1 Tornado just along the John (EAX)
Preliminary EF1° April 27, 2026
2 NNE Reno, Leavenworth County, KS
Early Monday April 27... 2026... a supercell thunderstorm moving across southern Leavenworth County Kansas resulted in a brief... EF 1 tornado at 3:31 AM CDT. The torna (EAX)
Preliminary EF1° April 26, 2026
6 SSW Edgerton, Miami County, KS
At 4:20 PM CDT on Sunday April 26... 2026... an EF 1 tornado developed within a severe line of thunderstorms in northwest Miami County Kansas. This tornado began near t (EAX)
Preliminary April 17, 2026
Belton, Cass County, MO
Public report of a tornado touch down. (EAX)
Preliminary April 14, 2026
1 WSW Hillsdale, Miami County, KS
*** 1 INJ *** Shortly before 820 PM CDT on Monday April 13th... 2026... a supercell thunderstorm... that had previously resulted in an EF- 2 tornado in Ottawa... KS... (EAX)
Preliminary April 14, 2026
1 N Ottawa, Franklin County, KS
observed moving east. (TOP)
Preliminary EF0° March 7, 2026
2 ESE Lake Quivira, Johnson County, KS
NWS Damage Survey found evidence of a 7.9 mile long EF-0 tornado that began in Shawnee... crossing the state line into Missouri... and ending shortly before reaching We (EAX)

Within 25 miles of Gardner. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 25
1960s 23
1970s 8
1980s 16
1990s 15
2000s 21
2010s 20
2020s 9

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 63
EF1 40
EF2 21
EF3 7
EF4 4
EF5 1
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 2
Mar 9
Apr 20
May 48
Jun 28
Jul 9
Aug 6
Sep 12
Oct 1
Nov 2
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Gardner

47 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Gardner since 1950, across 3 events. 337 injuries have been reported across all events. 1957 was the deadliest year on record near Gardner.

The deadliest single event was an F5 on May 20, 1957, which caused 44 fatalities along a 69.4-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Gardner

Deadliest Tornado
F5 on May 20, 1957 — 44 fatalities, 69.4 mi path, 440 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on June 19, 1981 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF4 on May 28, 2019 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F5 on May 20, 1957 — 69.4 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on May 19, 2024.

What the record shows near Gardner

The 1950s were the busiest decade near Gardner, with 25 of the 137 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 9 so far. The Gardner record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Gardner, 103 reached EF0 or EF1 and 33 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Gardner is rated EF5, of which 1 is logged. A further 1 near Gardner is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Gardner has averaged 1.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 39 in total. 2008 was the busiest of them with 9, and 8 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Gardner, KS had?
Since 1950, 137 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Gardner. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Gardner?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Gardner was an F5 on May 20, 1957, which caused 44 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Gardner?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Gardner, with 48 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
Has Gardner been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Gardner, there have been 1 EF5 and 4 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Gardner?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Gardner was an EF1 on May 19, 2024.
How do I get tornado warnings for Gardner?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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