Kansas City area’s 2026 tornado count climbs after 4 confirmed in latest storms
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- Kansas City area storms produced four confirmed tornadoes, according to the NWS.
- So far in 2026, 16 tornadoes have touched down in the NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill area.
- Survey crews confirmed tornado damage in Linn, Miami and Johnson counties after storms.
The severe thunderstorms that rolled through the Kansas City area, bringing 2 to 5 inches of rain to the region earlier this week, also spawned four confirmed tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornadoes were the latest in a severe-weather season that has been unusually active in the Kansas City region. The National Weather Service in Kansas City/Pleasant Hill has issued a record 252 severe weather warnings as of Monday, according to data from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
So far this year, 16 confirmed tornadoes have touched down in the National Weather Service’s Kansas City/Pleasant Hill forecast area, with the busiest months of the season typically still ahead in May and June. The total does not include tornadoes tracked by the weather service’s Topeka office.
After this week’s storms, survey crews confirmed Tuesday that storm damage in Linn, Miami and Johnson counties in eastern Kansas came from four separate tornadoes.
The first tornado developed within a line of severe thunderstorms in northwest Miami County, Kansas. It touched down at about 4:20 p.m. near the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road and West 247th Road, about 3 miles southeast of Wellsville, according to a public information statement from the National Weather Service in Kansas City/Pleasant Hill.
The EF1 tornado traveled about 2 miles before lifting 5 minutes later near Indianapolis Road. At its peak, the tornado had estimated wind speeds of 93 mph and a width of 50 yards. No injuries were reported, according to the weather service.
Shortly thereafter, circulation embedded within a line of severe thunderstorms produced the second tornado, an EF0, that touched down around 4:38 p.m. Sunday near Arthur and West 1600 roads, about 6 miles southwest of Parker in Linn County, Kansas, according to the weather service.
The tornado traveled about 6.8 miles before lifting near West 2000 and Gireau roads, about 2 miles southeast of Parker, according to the weather service. At its peak, the tornado had estimated wind speeds of 80 mph and a width of 50 yards. Damage was limited primarily to trees and some outbuildings. No injuries were reported.
The third tornado touched down briefly at 5:38 a.m. Monday near West 207th Street and South Ridgeview Road near Spring Hill in Johnson County, according to the weather service.
The EF0 tornado was only on the ground about a minute, and traveled about 740 feet before lifting. At its peak, the tornado had estimated wind speeds of 80 mph and a width of 25 yards. The damage was primarily to trees. No injuries were reported.
“My weather radio went off. It said there was a tornado warning between 199th and 215th Streets,” said Marla Burvee, who has occupied a ranch home on West 207th Street for 41 years. From bed, she switched on the television to see what was happening.
“I no sooner got the TV on, and the power went out,” Burvee said.
“People say they hear trains and such. I don’t know if I would describe it as a train, but it was loud. It was a sound I never, ever heard before.”
The same storm that spawned the short-lived tornado near Spring Hill produced a second tornado along the Johnson and Miami counties line.
The tornado, an EF1, touched down at about 5:45 a.m. Monday near West 215th Street and South Pflumm Road, about 1 mile northwest of Bucyrus in Johnson County, Kansas.
The tornado was also short-lived, lifting about a minute later after traveling about 475 feet. At its peak, the tornado had estimated wind speeds of 90 mph and a width of 25 yards. The tornado damaged a manufactured home north of West 215th Street, according to the weather service. No injuries were reported.
The Star’s Eric Adler provided some information for this story.
