Stanton County

Population 1,986 (2025) 680 sq mi

Large wildfires have burned 16,294 acres of Stanton County since 1984, 26th most of 105 counties in Kansas; the largest was the Badger Hole Fire in 2018.

Hazard fingerprint for Stanton County Tornado: 52th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 59th percentile. Flood: 40th percentile. Hail & wind: 82th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 16th percentile. Winter: 58th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths since 195027
  • Wildfire burn scars since 19842

At a glance

The record for Stanton County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Acres burned since 1984

16,294

26th of 105 in Kansas

2 large fires; the largest was Badger Hole, 2018

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

27

91st of 105 in Kansas

Fewer than the typical Kansas county, which has had 46

Details

Strongest tornado

F2

July 25, 1967, 2.0 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

12

Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026

Details

Record high

110°F

July 27, 2026

Details

Record low

−18°F

February 15, 2021

Details

Snowiest season

43.6in

Winter of 1997-98

Costliest event since 1996

$52K

Thunderstorm Wind, September 18, 1996

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 2.8 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

July 25, 1967

F2, 2.0 mile path

13 yards wide.

Most recent

Thursday, June 5, 2025

EFU, 0.9 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 1 1 1960s: 1 1 1970s: 4 4 1980s: 3 3 1990s: 9 9 2000s: 1 1 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 5 5 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 0 M: 10 J: 11 11 J: 3 A: 2 S: 0 O: 0 N: 1 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Stanton County since 1950
Jun 5, 2025EFU0.92000
Jun 23, 2023EF00.0100
Jun 23, 2023EF00.0100
May 17, 2021EF00.45000
May 21, 2020EF00.13000
Jul 10, 2013EF00.15000
May 20, 2013EF00.35000
May 20, 2013EF00.45000
Nov 10, 2008EF02.920000
Aug 18, 1997F00.55000
Jun 13, 1992F00.21000
Jun 13, 1992F00.11000
Jun 13, 1992F00.21000
Jun 13, 1992F00.51300
Jun 13, 1992F00.21000
Jun 5, 1992F00.11000
May 2, 1991F00.32700
Jun 19, 1990F21.515000
May 21, 1989F00.55000
May 14, 1986F00.510000
May 14, 1986F00.310000
Jun 26, 1978F122.96700
Aug 22, 1972F20.122000
Jul 2, 1970F10.52000
May 30, 1970F20.510000
Jul 25, 1967F22.01300
May 21, 1951F10.11000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Stanton County: 0.
  2. 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

16,294 acres burned in 2 large fires since 1984, equal to 3.7% of the land.

Largest

April 17, 2018

Badger Hole Fire, 49,177 acres

15,241 acres inside Stanton County.

Most recent

April 17, 2018

Badger Hole Fire

49,177 acres in total.

Acres burned since 1984, cumulative 2002: 1,0532018: 15,241 16,294 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned inside the county (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Badger Hole201815,24149,177
Unnamed20021,0521,053
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2021: 41 days

Heavy smoke on 16 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

17.4 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

11 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 24 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 13 2012: 16 2013: 10 2014: 1 2015: 6 2016: 2 2017: 12 2018: 17 2019: 3 2020: 37 2021: 41 41 2022: 20 2023: 16 2024: 15 2025: 11 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. 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

No federal flood insurance claims are recorded for this county.

Flood events since 1996

  • Heavy Rain19
  • Flash Flood14
  • Flood8

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 126 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 22 months.

126

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

37

Months in extreme drought

8%

Share of all months, severe or worse

3

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

October 1956

−5.41, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

22 months

June 1936 to March 1938.

Latest month

September 2026

+1.87, slightly wet

Last severe month: May 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 1 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 0 1931: 0 1932: 0 1933: 1 1934: 6 1935: 12 12 1936: 9 1937: 12 1938: 4 1939: 5 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 2 1953: 7 1954: 7 1955: 3 1956: 8 1957: 2 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 8 1964: 8 1965: 1 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 1 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 2 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 2 2007: 0 2008: 2 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 6 2012: 3 2013: 3 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 1 2021: 0 2022: 6 2023: 3 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. 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

4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1986; none reached magnitude 4.

0

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

2

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

September 13, 2021

Magnitude 3.7

9 km NW of Pritchett, Colorado; 48.6 miles away, 9.9 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

September 13, 2021

Magnitude 3.7

9 km NW of Pritchett, Colorado; 48.6 miles away.

  1. 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
  2. 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

749 events in the National Weather Service record, 663 of them since 1996.

233

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

26

Hail, 2 inches or larger

130

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

79

Winter weather events since 1996

0

Heat events since 1996

3

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

August 14, 2020

4.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

July 29, 2018

100 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning203Aug 29, 2004
Dust storms and dust devils200Mar 14, 2025
Dense fog and smoke400Mar 3, 2026

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 18, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$52,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    large sprinklers blown down and 15 power poles blown down.

  2. May 29, 2001Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
  3. Jul 23, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$40,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    trailer blown over and 55,000 bushel grain bin destroyed

  4. Apr 11, 2001High Wind, Stanton$25,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Siding and shingles blown off houses. Airport sign blew down.

  5. May 18, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$4,000
  6. Jul 5, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$1,500
    National Weather Service narrative

    Windows were blown out of a van and stop signs were blown down.

  7. Feb 24, 2007High Wind, Stanton$1,500
    National Weather Service narrative

    A 68 mph gust was recorded at the Johnson City airport.

  1. 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 Johnson, 0.4 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1995.

All-time high
110°FJul 27, 2026
All-time low
−18°FFeb 15, 2021
Warmest night
77°FAug 10, 2026
Coldest day
−1°FFeb 3, 1996
Wettest day
4.15 inAug 10, 2001
Snowiest day
20.0 inApr 30, 2017
Hottest year
2012mean 58.1°F
Coldest year
1997mean 54.2°F
Wettest year
201528.16 in
Driest year
201210.05 in
Snowiest season
43.6 in1997-98
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Johnson 32°F 48° 19° 0.5 Jan 51° 21° 0.3 Feb 61° 29° 0.9 Mar 69° 38° 1.4 Apr 79° 49° 1.9 May 89° 60° 2.3 Jun 93° 65° 3.3 Jul 91° 63° 3.1 Aug 85° 55° 1.5 Sep 72° 42° 1.6 Oct 59° 30° 0.6 Nov 49° 21° 0.6 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1996: 25 1997: 32 1998: 50 1999: 42 2000: 73 73 2001: 54 2002: 52 2003: 49 2004: 35 2005: 50 2006: 59 2007: 34 2008: 36 2009: 28 2010: 48 2011: 69 2012: 66 2013: 48 2014: 44 2015: 44 2016: 41 2017: 28 2018: 45 2019: 45 2020: 50 2021: 44 2022: 62 2023: 36 2024: 49 2025: 29 199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 45.6.
Snowfall by winter 1995: 12.5 in 1996: 17.5 in 1997: 43.6 in 43.6 1998: 38.0 in 1999: 16.0 in 2000: 29.0 in 2001: 10.0 in 2002: 18.0 in 2003: 13.4 in 2004: 26.2 in 2005: 11.5 in 2006: 39.3 in 2007: 21.7 in 2008: 20.2 in 2009: 22.2 in 2017: 2.5 in 2018: 33.5 in 2019: 12.0 in 2020: 13.0 in 2021: 10.5 in 2022: 7.0 in 2023: 17.0 in 2024: 7.5 in 2025: 13.5 in 199520052022
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 29

Earliest: October 25, 1997

Median last snow

March 19

Latest: April 29, 2005

0 of 24 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Johnson (USC00144114), 3,330 ft elevation, 0.4 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1995 to October 26, 2026; 99.0% 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

12 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, September 1, 2026.

Federal disaster declarations
Sep 1, 2026Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4943-KS
Sep 11, 2025Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4891-KS
Feb 17, 2022Severe StormSevere Storms and Straight Line WindsMajor disasterDR-4640-KS
Mar 29, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4504-KS
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3481-KS
Jun 16, 2017SnowstormSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4319-KS
Jul 29, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4010-KS
Jun 24, 2009Severe StormSevere Winter Storm and Record and Near Record SnowMajor disasterDR-1848-KS
Dec 12, 2007Severe StormSevere Winter StormsEmergencyEM-3282-KS
Jan 7, 2007Severe StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-1675-KS
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3236-KS
Jun 23, 1965FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-201-KS

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.

How this compares

Where Stanton County stands among 105 counties in Kansas and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 19502791 / 1051,140 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger0——
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 198416,29426 / 105704 / 3,143
Flood insurance claims0——
Flood insurance paid$0——
Disaster declarations1289 / 1052,631 / 3,143
Flood events since 19964164 / 1051,698 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199651550 / 105422 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19967933 / 1051,278 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$174,000104 / 1053,087 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189512696 / 1051,570 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years17.4102 / 1051,298 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Baca County CO88074,8130
Grant County2808161
Hamilton County3604,2630
Kearny County4601,1271
Morton County20036,0480
Prowers County CO90016,28125
Stevens County2501510

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 USC00144114.
  • 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.