Great Bend, KS Tornado History — 211 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Great Bend, KS had?
Great Bend has had 211 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 14 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Great Bend?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Great Bend was an Unrated on May 19, 2024.
When is tornado season in Great Bend?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Great Bend, with 97 on record. April through June account for 164 of the 211 tornadoes on record near Great Bend.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Great Bend
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 81 total, averaging 4.0 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Great Bend since December 29, 2025
These are 2 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
[Landspout] (ICT)
[Landspout] Video of a brief landspout south of Timken. (DDC)
Within 25 miles of Great Bend. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
Tornadoes by Decade
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.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Great Bend
5 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Great Bend since 1950, across 4 events. 51 injuries have been reported across all events. 2011 was the deadliest year on record near Great Bend.
The deadliest single event was an EF2 on May 24, 2011, which caused 2 fatalities along a 11.8-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Great Bend
What the record shows near Great Bend
The 2000s were the busiest decade near Great Bend, with 67 of the 211 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 3 so far. The Great Bend record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Great Bend, 177 reached EF0 or EF1 and 27 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Great Bend is rated EF4, of which 3 are logged. A further 7 near Great Bend are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Great Bend has averaged 4.0 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 81 in total. 2007 was the busiest of them with 21, and 6 of those years passed with none at all.