Meade County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in Meade County is about the same as Kansas average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Meade County is much lower than Kansas average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #37
Meade County | 0.02 |
Kansas | 0.05 |
U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
Meade County | 0.0000 |
Kansas | 0.0000 |
U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #78
Meade County | 165.06 |
Kansas | 252.53 |
U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 15,241 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Meade County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 12 | Cold: | 11 | Dense Fog: | 3 | Drought: | 44 |
Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 299 | Hail: | 10,004 | Heat: | 21 | Heavy Snow: | 80 |
High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 30 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 134 |
Thunderstorm Winds: | 4,087 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 15 | Winter Storm: | 63 | Winter Weather: | 28 |
Other: | 410 |
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Meade County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Meade County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Meade County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 48 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Meade County.
Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
0.6 | 1955-06-17 | 2 | 37°15'N / 100°22'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Meade | |||
8.1 | 1958-06-21 | 2 | 37°16'N / 100°35'W | 37°09'N / 100°25'W | 12.20 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Meade |
9.2 | 2005-06-09 | 2 | 37°19'N / 100°20'W | 37°24'N / 100°13'W | 9.20 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Meade |
Brief Description: This tornado damaged outbuilds, trees and center pivot sprinklers. | |||||||||||
10.3 | 1994-04-09 | 2 | 37°09'N / 100°46'W | 37°16'N / 100°19'W | 7.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 8 | 50K | 0 | Seward |
Brief Description: A tornado touched down 3.5 WSW of Kismet at 1535 CST and moved ENE across Highway 54 and east into Meade County where it ended at 1610 CST at a point one southeast of Meade. Speed of movement was 35 mph with total path length of 26 miles. In Seward County the tornado struck a car and mobile home 2 E of Kismet at 1540 CST. Two adults were in the car and one adult and five children were in the mobile home. All eight sustained minor injuries and the mobile home was demolished. The tornado had a maximum path width of 1,000 yards in Seward County, but expanded to a maximum width of a mile southeast of Plains in Meade County. | |||||||||||
16.4 | 1973-09-25 | 3 | 37°06'N / 100°05'W | 37°11'N / 100°06'W | 5.70 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Meade |
18.3 | 1974-06-21 | 3 | 37°12'N / 100°42'W | 37°10'N / 100°40'W | 2.70 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Seward |
19.9 | 1955-06-17 | 2 | 37°20'N / 100°01'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Clark | |||
23.6 | 1977-05-01 | 2 | 36°54'N / 100°30'W | 36°56'N / 100°28'W | 2.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Beaver |
23.6 | 1972-07-28 | 2 | 37°27'N / 100°01'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Clark | |
28.3 | 1996-05-26 | 2 | 37°24'N / 100°51'W | 37°28'N / 100°47'W | 6.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 | Haskell |
Brief Description: 2 irrigation sprinklers destroyed...fertilizer tanks carried over 1 mile...2 houses damaged...fence destroyed...trees uprooted...hay bales tossed...30 foot radio tower blown down...wheat plants pulled up...farm building heavily damaged...flood irrigation pipe scattered about. | |||||||||||
28.7 | 2001-04-10 | 2 | 37°30'N / 100°11'W | 37°42'N / 100°00'W | 17.30 Miles | 380 Yards | 0 | 0 | 190K | 0 | Ford |
Brief Description: A mobile home was completely demolished. Ironically, the occupants were not at home, only because the school activity bus was late. Another trailer nearby received moderate damage. Two pivot sprinklers were destroyed and there was other scattered minor damage along the path of the tornado. | |||||||||||
29.4 | 1953-05-29 | 2 | 37°29'N / 99°55'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Ford | |||
29.5 | 1996-05-26 | 2 | 37°12'N / 100°56'W | 37°24'N / 100°51'W | 14.00 Miles | 450 Yards | 0 | 0 | 200K | 140K | Seward |
Brief Description: 2 irrigation sprinklers destroyed...fertilizer tanks carried over 1 mile...2 houses damaged...fence destroyed...trees uprooted...hay bales tossed...30 foot radio tower blown down...wheat plants pulled up...farm building heavily damaged...flood irrigation pipe scattered about. | |||||||||||
31.2 | 1989-06-06 | 3 | 37°11'N / 101°01'W | 37°14'N / 100°50'W | 12.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Seward |
31.3 | 1982-03-18 | 2 | 37°26'N / 100°57'W | 37°37'N / 100°40'W | 24.00 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Haskell |
31.6 | 2003-05-15 | 2 | 37°15'N / 100°56'W | 37°18'N / 100°56'W | 4.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 0 | Seward |
Brief Description: The tornado began 15 miles north and 1.5 miles west of the center of Liberal and ended 18 miles north and 2 miles east. One home received minor roof damage and broken windows. The second home was destroyed with debris from the home traveling 1/4 of a mile. | |||||||||||
32.2 | 1972-07-28 | 2 | 37°30'N / 100°51'W | 1.30 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 7 | 250K | 0 | Haskell | |
33.0 | 2007-03-28 | 2 | 36°43'N / 100°24'W | 36°49'N / 100°22'W | 6.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 58K | 0K | Beaver |
Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado began just south of the Bar-B Ranch and moved north damaging much of the ranch property...mainly along the western edge. A large horse trailer and several other utility trailers were destroyed as they bounced and rolled and/or became airborne for significant distances. The horse trailer was displaced more than one hundred and fifty yards from its original location. Several power poles and trees were snapped at the base within the path of the tornado. A large grain silo was toppled with parts of the roof of the silo carried over one hundred yards. No injuries were reported. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms during the early evening hours produced deadly tornadoes...damaging winds and hail across the central and eastern Oklahoma panhandle. Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the eastern Oklahoma panhandle during the late night and early morning hours. A couple was killed in Beaver County when a tornado struck their home. | |||||||||||
33.4 | 1982-03-19 | 2 | 37°37'N / 100°40'W | 37°49'N / 100°19'W | 24.00 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Gray |
34.1 | 2003-05-15 | 2 | 37°02'N / 100°56'W | 37°03'N / 100°55'W | 2.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 8.0M | 0 | Seward |
Brief Description: The second tornado stayed mainly in town. It destroyed several buildings and caused significant roof and tree damage. | |||||||||||
34.9 | 2003-05-15 | 2 | 37°02'N / 100°57'W | 37°03'N / 100°56'W | 2.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 6.0M | 0 | Seward |
Brief Description: The tornado began 1 mile west of town and first tore through the northwest part of Liberal destroying several mobile homes and throwing a pickup into the debris. Other homes in the area received heavy roof damage. | |||||||||||
35.3 | 1970-09-06 | 2 | 36°44'N / 100°24'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Beaver | |||
35.4 | 1982-03-18 | 2 | 37°07'N / 100°59'W | 0.50 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Seward | |
35.5 | 1994-04-09 | 2 | 37°27'N / 99°46'W | 0.80 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 50K | 0 | Clark | |
Brief Description: Tornado touched down briefly and passed through the Roger Giles Farmstead. House windows were broken out, farm machinery was wrecked, and the house was moved on its foundation. All but two outbuildings on the farmstead were damaged. | |||||||||||
35.9 | 1963-07-15 | 3 | 36°46'N / 100°37'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Beaver | |||
36.1 | 1996-05-26 | 3 | 37°38'N / 100°39'W | 37°52'N / 100°24'W | 22.00 Miles | 900 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.0M | 150K | Gray |
Brief Description: The thunderstorm that produced the F2 tornado in Seward and Haskell counties spun up an even bigger tornado further into Haskell and Gray counties. The tornado took a few trees in Haskell county. In Gray county...34 irrigation sprinklers systems were damaged or destroyed...power poles were snapped...2 houses were damaged...a barn was destroyed...a truck overturned...flood irrigation pipe was tossed like match sticks. In fact...one witness reported the 30 foot pieces of pipe were 4 or 5 hundred feet in the air. In addition...3 inch high corn plants were completely removed...leaving the field bare. Several people video taping the tornado were chased by the tornado...only to take shelter under a bridge. The tornado passed about 1/2 mile east of them while they watched 5 inch diameter hail pound the ground. | |||||||||||
36.9 | 1987-05-03 | 2 | 37°26'N / 100°58'W | 37°25'N / 101°01'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Haskell |
37.7 | 1963-07-15 | 2 | 36°44'N / 100°36'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Beaver | |||
38.5 | 1968-06-08 | 2 | 36°50'N / 100°50'W | 0.80 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Beaver | |
39.6 | 1955-07-13 | 2 | 37°49'N / 100°20'W | 0.30 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Gray | |
40.8 | 2008-05-23 | 3 | 37°20'N / 99°43'W | 37°24'N / 99°33'W | 11.00 Miles | 3170 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Clark |
Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This extremely large tornado (1.8 miles wide) moved east and then turned northeast towards Kiowa county. Many power poles were taken down by the tornado. It also caused EF3 damage to trees, two old houses, barns and it carried an oil tank battery 1.8 miles depositing it in trees. There was at least 20 head of cattle killed by the tornado. There was minor injuries received by a 20 year old male as he took refuge in his truck that was parked next to a baler inside a barn. The barn was completely swept away leaving the young man with cuts from broken glass. The baler that was left standing probably protected him and his truck from going airborne, if not rolling. Also, there was serious injury to a male in a semi on highway 34 in the vicinity of 37.3327 N, 99.6344 W probably by the RFD. Two other semis parked at this location rolled over but no injuries were sustained by the drivers. This extremely large tornado moved into Kiowa county. The radar signature was eerily similar to the Greensburg tornado that occurred on May 4, 2007. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An anonymously strong upper level system allowed everything to come together at the surface to produced what is perhaps the biggest tornado outbreak to ever occur in the Dodge City CWA! Fifty-five tornadoes were documented during that afternoon and evening! Some of the tornadoes were very large and damaging. The character of the supercell thunderstorms that day had similarities to the storms that produced the Greensburg tornado a little over a year after. In fact there was one tornado that was just as large and perhaps could have been just as damaging that was headed towards the small Kiowa county town but fortunately turned and dissipated. | |||||||||||
40.9 | 2001-04-10 | 2 | 37°31'N / 99°46'W | 37°38'N / 99°43'W | 10.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 425K | 0 | Ford |
Brief Description: Eight pivot sprinklers were destroyed along with a barn and silo. | |||||||||||
42.5 | 1961-06-03 | 2 | 36°54'N / 101°00'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Texas | |||
43.0 | 1982-03-19 | 4 | 36°36'N / 101°00'W | 36°49'N / 100°31'W | 29.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 7 | 250K | 0 | Beaver |
43.1 | 1987-03-22 | 2 | 36°33'N / 100°31'W | 36°42'N / 100°25'W | 10.00 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 6 | 25K | 0 | Beaver |
43.6 | 1951-06-06 | 3 | 37°35'N / 101°22'W | 37°02'N / 100°56'W | 44.80 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Grant |
45.1 | 1978-05-30 | 2 | 37°54'N / 100°13'W | 37°52'N / 100°10'W | 3.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Ford |
45.6 | 1991-05-15 | 3 | 36°39'N / 99°59'W | 36°45'N / 99°48'W | 11.50 Miles | 900 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Harper |
45.8 | 1960-04-12 | 2 | 36°42'N / 99°53'W | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Harper | |||
46.1 | 1961-06-03 | 2 | 36°38'N / 100°42'W | 1.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Beaver | |
46.4 | 2001-04-10 | 2 | 36°31'N / 100°41'W | 36°41'N / 100°31'W | 12.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 450K | 0 | Beaver |
Brief Description: An official storm damage survey was made and the tornado path length and width were estimated. Extensive damage to two homes...several barns...farm equipment...power poles...trees and a windmill. Severe thunderstorms with large hail...damaging winds...and tornadoes affected much of the Oklahoma panhandle during the evening hours. A total of one hundred and twenty-two power poles were blown down due to the wind and tornadoes in Beaver county alone. | |||||||||||
46.5 | 1973-09-25 | 3 | 37°37'N / 99°45'W | 37°43'N / 99°39'W | 8.80 Miles | 73 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ford |
46.6 | 1959-07-10 | 2 | 37°38'N / 99°40'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Ford | |||
46.8 | 2007-03-28 | 2 | 36°31'N / 100°23'W | 36°37'N / 100°23'W | 16.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 2 | 0 | 102K | 0K | Beaver |
Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado originated in northern Lipscomb County five miles east of Booker at 1816 CST. The tornado moved northward and entered Beaver County at 1828 CST. Damage occurred on a farmstead about one mile into Beaver County severely damaging several outbuildings and a grain bin. Little or no damage occurred to the home. The tornado continued north...briefly became a large multi vortex tornado...and then consolidated into one large funnel...snapping power poles and large trees. The tornado struck and destroyed a single family home at 1850 CST where two fatalities occurred. It appeared that the couple killed in the tornado did seek refuge in their small bathroom...which was destroyed. In addition to the small home...a storage barn was destroyed and two vehicles were moved as much as twenty yards. A horse trailer was destoyed as it bounced and rolled for approximately fifty yards. The tornado continued moving north for approximately another six or seven miles...damaging only power poles...fences...and trees before it lifted. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Severe thunderstorms during the early evening hours produced deadly tornadoes...damaging winds and hail across the central and eastern Oklahoma panhandle. Heavy rains caused flash flooding in the eastern Oklahoma panhandle during the late night and early morning hours. A couple was killed in Beaver County when a tornado struck their home. | |||||||||||
47.7 | 2008-05-23 | 2 | 37°24'N / 99°33'W | 37°31'N / 99°31'W | 10.00 Miles | 2815 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Kiowa |
Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This large tornado moved out of Clark county where it had done EF3 damage. In Kiowa county, EF2 damage was done to a concrete walled house. Trees also received EF2 damage. A power pole with transmission wire attached was deposited from an unknown location. The tornado turned sharply west towards the end of it's life. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An anonymously strong upper level system allowed everything to come together at the surface to produced what is perhaps the biggest tornado outbreak to ever occur in the Dodge City CWA! Fifty-five tornadoes were documented during that afternoon and evening! Some of the tornadoes were very large and damaging. The character of the supercell thunderstorms that day had similarities to the storms that produced the Greensburg tornado a little over a year after. In fact there was one tornado that was just as large and perhaps could have been just as damaging that was headed towards the small Kiowa county town but fortunately turned and dissipated. | |||||||||||
47.8 | 1970-09-06 | 2 | 36°51'N / 99°42'W | 36°54'N / 99°33'W | 8.80 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Harper |
48.5 | 1993-05-05 | 4 | 37°07'N / 101°16'W | 37°27'N / 101°13'W | 21.00 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5.0M | 50K | Stevens |
Brief Description: A 1/2 mile wide F4 tornado quickly developed near the area where the previous tornado roped out. The tornado developed six miles southeast of Hugoton. At the beginning, a multiple vortex tornado was observed. The tornado moved to the north and gradually turned and moved to the northeast. The tornado roped out two miles north of the Stevens/Grant County line. The tornado passed 4 1/2 miles to the east of Hugoton and 2 1/2 miles to the west of Moscow. A farmstead 4 1/2 miles southwest of Moscow was completely destroyed. At least 30 irrigation systems were also destroyed. A female teenager in bare feet received a cut on the foot when she stepped on broken glass at the farmstead. | |||||||||||
48.8 | 1978-05-30 | 2 | 38°00'N / 100°30'W | 37°54'N / 100°13'W | 16.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Gray |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.