VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Salina, KS Tornado History — 110 Tornadoes Since 1950

Kansas · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Salina, KS had?

Salina has had 110 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 12 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Salina?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Salina was an Unrated on April 1, 2025.

When is tornado season in Salina?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Salina, with 34 on record. April through June account for 77 of the 110 tornadoes on record near Salina.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
110
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
12
10.9% of total
Peak Month
May
34 on record
Per Year Avg
1.4
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Salina

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 37 total, averaging 1.9 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 2
2024 0
2023 0
2022 3
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 2
2017 3
2016 6
2015 2
2014 0
2013 2
2012 4
2011 3
2010 0
2009 3
2008 4
2007 3

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Salina since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 June 11, 2026
2 ENE Abilene, Dickinson County, KS
(TOP)

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

What storm spotters reported near Salina

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Salina and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 1, 2025 and the most recent on April 1, 2025. They are already counted in the Salina totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

April 2, 2025
1 N Smolan, Saline County, KS
Trained spotter reported a tornado on the ground. (ICT)
April 2, 2025
8 SW Brookville, Ellsworth County, KS
(ICT)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 11
1960s 8
1970s 13
1980s 10
1990s 21
2000s 20
2010s 22
2020s 5

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 59
EF1 25
EF2 10
EF3 10
EF4 2
Unrated 4

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 2
Apr 17
May 34
Jun 26
Jul 11
Aug 4
Sep 9
Oct 5
Nov 0
Dec 2

Casualties on Record Near Salina

4 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Salina since 1950, across 2 events. 137 injuries have been reported across all events. 1973 was the deadliest year on record near Salina.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on September 25, 1973, which caused 3 fatalities along a 169.7-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Salina

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on September 25, 1973 — 3 fatalities, 169.7 mi path, 100 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on September 25, 1973 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF3 on May 28, 2013 — 1,000 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on September 25, 1973 — 169.7 mile track.
Most Recent
Unrated on April 1, 2025.

What the record shows near Salina

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Salina, with 22 of the 110 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 5 so far. The Salina record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Salina, 84 reached EF0 or EF1 and 22 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Salina is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged. A further 4 near Salina are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Salina has averaged 1.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 37 in total. 2016 was the busiest of them with 6, and 8 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Salina, KS had?
Since 1950, 110 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Salina. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Salina?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Salina was an F3 on September 25, 1973, which caused 3 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Salina?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Salina, with 34 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 Salina been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Salina, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 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 Salina?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Salina was an Unrated on April 1, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Salina?
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

More Cities in Kansas