Warrensburg
Population 20,283 (2025)
90 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Warrensburg since 1950, 7 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on July 11, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195090
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Johnson County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Johnson County.
Strongest tornado
F4
April 19, 1973, 10.0 mile path
Snowiest season
42.0in
Winter of 1959-60
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 7 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 19, 1973
F4, 10.0 mile path
880 yards wide.
Deadliest
March 12, 2006
1 killed, F2
13 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Friday, July 11, 2025
EF0, 0.9 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Jul 11, 2025 | EF0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2024 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2024 | EF1 | 9.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2019 | EF0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF0 | 3.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 6, 2017 | EF3 | 17.7 | 12 | 0 |
| May 26, 2016 | EF0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 2014 | EF0 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 2013 | EF1 | 14.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2011 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 2011 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 2010 | EF0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 2010 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 5, 2008 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 17, 2007 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 28, 2007 | EF1 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 24, 2007 | EF1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2006 | F1 | 13.6 | 0 | 1 |
| Mar 30, 2006 | F0 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F2 | 12.8 | 4 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F2 | 20.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F2 | 26.0 | 13 | 1 |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F0 | 8.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F1 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 2006 | F0 | 28.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 2005 | F1 | 8.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Oct 29, 2004 | F1 | 10.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 29, 2004 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 2003 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 2003 | F2 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 2003 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 2003 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 2003 | F0 | 22.0 | 2 | 0 |
| May 4, 2003 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2003 | F1 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 4, 2003 | F2 | 22.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2001 | F1 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 2001 | F1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2000 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2000 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1996 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1996 | F1 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1995 | F0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 27, 1995 | F0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20, 1992 | F1 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1990 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 24, 1988 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 1983 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1982 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 20, 1981 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 1981 | F1 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 12, 1980 | F1 | 9.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 12, 1980 | F3 | 15.8 | 23 | 0 |
| May 4, 1977 | F3 | 11.2 | 24 | 0 |
| May 4, 1977 | F3 | 26.2 | 5 | 1 |
| May 1, 1973 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 1973 | F3 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1973 | F4 | 10.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 1973 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 1972 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1971 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2, 1970 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 4, 1969 | F2 | 0.3 | 1 | 0 |
| May 15, 1968 | F2 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1968 | F1 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1968 | F2 | 5.2 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1967 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1967 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20, 1965 | F2 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 1965 | F1 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 1965 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 12, 1964 | F2 | 10.7 | 3 | 1 |
| Apr 12, 1964 | F3 | 19.5 | 10 | 1 |
| Jun 8, 1962 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1961 | F2 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1961 | F1 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1961 | F2 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1961 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1961 | F1 | 7.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 29, 1960 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1960 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1958 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 1958 | F2 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 1953 | F1 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 66 days
Heavy smoke on 17 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
22.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
18 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 36 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
44 federal flood insurance claims since 1982, with $307,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Johnson County, the county that contains Warrensburg.
Most claims in one year
2008: 8 claims
$150,000 paid.
2nd most
2014: 7 claims
$25,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 64093 | 16 | $14,000 |
| 65336 | 16 | $205,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood94
- Flash Flood47
1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Johnson County, the county that contains Warrensburg.
Most severe crest
August 1, 2020
Blackwater River near Valley City, 34.31 ft
12.31 feet above the 22.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
May 20, 2026
Blackwater River near Valley City, 27.49 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Blackwater River near Valley City | 22.0 | 34.31 ft | 15 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 145 of 1,581 months since 1895 (9%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
The drought index is for Johnson County, the county that contains Warrensburg.
145
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
51
Months in extreme drought
9%
Share of all months, severe or worse
28
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 1934
−6.07, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
August 1953 to December 1954.
Latest month
September 2026
−0.69, incipient dry spell
Last severe month: January 2013.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 2005; none reached magnitude 4.
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
May 18, 2005
Magnitude 3.3
Missouri; 24.6 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
May 18, 2005
Magnitude 3.3
Missouri; 24.6 miles away.
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
823 events in the National Weather Service record for Johnson County, 718 of them since 1996.
203
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
16
Hail, 2 inches or larger
212
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
49
Winter weather events since 1996
16
Heat events since 1996
11
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
August 17, 2004
3.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
May 8, 2003
104 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 3 | 2 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 10, 2001Tornado$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A tornado moved across the north side of Warrensburg, damaging approximately 100 homes andbusinesses. No injuries or deaths were reported. The tornado was on the ground for 10 minutes, movingto the east. The path width ranged between 50 and 75 yards, and rear flank downdraft winds to the southof the tornado, caused minor damage to structures in downtown Warrensburg.
- Mar 12, 2006Tornado$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Tornado touched down at 2040 CST 2 miles northeast of Leeton...producing F0 damage along PP Highway. As it moved northeast...additional F0 to F1 damage was noted to a farmstead along SE 650th Road. The most intense F2 damage was noted along Y Highway just east of Highway 23...where several homes suffered F2 damage. The tornado crossed into Pettis county at 2057 CST...1.5 miles southeast of Whiteman Air Force Base.
- Jun 4, 2005Tornado$1.1 million
National Weather Service narrative
F1 tornado touched down 5 miles southwest of Holden and then moved northeast across Route 131 before skipping to and then lifting 3 miles west southwest of Centerview. The biggest impact was at the Miller Training Stables on Route 131. Two women received minor injuries when their house was lifted off the foundation. Six horses were killed and 42 were injured. Three barns, the residence, and 3 cars were heavily damaged or destroyed. There were also several other homes and barns damaged by the tornado before it lifted.
- Jan 30, 2002Ice Storm, Johnson$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
A long-lived major ice and snow storm blasted much of northwest, northern and central Missouri from late Tuesday, January 29th, until Thursday, January 31st. Ice accumulations of over an inch were observed from the Kansas City metropolitan area, east and north through Moberly Missouri. At one point 409,504 total customers were without electrical power in the CWA, with some residents without power up to two weeks. For the Kansas City area, the ice storm was ranked as the worst ever. Further north across northern Missouri, heavy snow fell generally along and north of a line, from St. Joseph to Trenton to Kirksville. Snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 14 inches.
- Feb 24, 2007Tornado$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
EF1 tornado touched down 5 miles south of Holden at 5:18 PM CST and moved north-northeast 2 miles, before lifting 3 miles south of Holden at 5:21 PM CST. The tornado damaged two homes, one business, and several farm buildings. Power lines and trees were also downed.
- Nov 9, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$60,000
National Weather Service narrative
Thunderstorm winds destroyed two mobile homes, and substantially damaged a single family residence. Two people in one of the mobile homes suffered minor injuries due to flying debris. Two automobiles were also overturned.
- Jun 27, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
A trailer was destroyed, and another home sustained roof damage.
- Mar 30, 2006Hail$50,000
- Apr 24, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several barns destroyed and numerous trees down. Also minor damage to homes.
- Apr 6, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Sedalia Water Plant, 27.8 miles from the city centre, with records from 1893.
- All-time high
- 116°FJul 14, 1954
- All-time low
- −30°FFeb 12, 1899
- Warmest night
- 82°F3 times, most recently Jul 19, 1954
- Coldest day
- −8°FDec 25, 1983
- Wettest day
- 6.50 inJul 21, 1996
- Snowiest day
- 21.3 inFeb 2, 2011
- Hottest year
- 1939mean 59.4°F
- Coldest year
- 1979mean 51.0°F
- Wettest year
- 199864.73 in
- Driest year
- 195622.14 in
- Snowiest season
- 42.0 in1959-60
Median first snow
December 9
Earliest: October 31, 2019
Median last snow
March 6
Latest: April 21, 2021
2 of 73 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Sedalia Water Plant (USC00237632), 780 ft elevation, 27.8 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1893 to October 28, 2026; 98.1% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
21 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, March 26, 2020.
Declarations for Johnson County.
| Mar 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490-MO |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482-MO |
| Aug 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4238-MO |
| Mar 23, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1961-MO |
| Feb 3, 2011 | Severe Storm | EM-3317-MO |
| Jan 30, 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3303-MO |
| Jun 25, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1773-MO |
| Dec 12, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3281-MO |
| Mar 16, 2006 | Severe Storm | DR-1631-MO |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3232-MO |
| Jun 11, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1524-MO |
| May 6, 2003 | Severe Storm | DR-1463-MO |
| May 6, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1412-MO |
| Feb 6, 2002 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1403-MO |
| Jun 2, 1995 | Severe Storm | DR-1054-MO |
| Jul 9, 1993 | Flood | DR-995-MO |
| May 24, 1990 | Flood | DR-867-MO |
| Oct 14, 1986 | Flood | DR-779-MO |
| Sep 24, 1976 | Drought | EM-3017-MO |
| Apr 19, 1973 | Severe Storm | DR-372-MO |
| Jul 27, 1965 | Flood | DR-203-MO |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00237632.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.