Phillips County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
The chance of earthquake damage in Phillips County is lower than Colorado average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Phillips County is higher than Colorado average and is about the same as the national average.
Earthquake Index, #63
| Phillips County | 0.00 |
| Colorado | 1.32 |
| 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, #26
| Phillips County | 0.0000 |
| Colorado | 0.0009 |
| 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, #13
| Phillips County | 139.87 |
| Colorado | 117.98 |
| 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 9,601 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Phillips 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: | 33 | Cold: | 6 | Dense Fog: | 1 | Drought: | 4 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 291 | Hail: | 6,527 | Heat: | 0 | Heavy Snow: | 30 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 0 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 95 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 2,341 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 1 | Winter Storm: | 48 | Winter Weather: | 0 |
| Other: | 224 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Phillips County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Phillips County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Phillips County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 31 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Phillips County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 6.6 | 1977-07-09 | 2 | 40°37'N / 102°28'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Phillips | |||
| 7.0 | 1965-05-24 | 2 | 40°30'N / 102°18'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Phillips | |||
| 9.9 | 1950-08-05 | 2 | 40°42'N / 102°30'W | 40°41'N / 102°28'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Sedgwick | ||
| 12.3 | 1955-06-18 | 2 | 40°39'N / 102°36'W | 40°37'N / 102°33'W | 3.00 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Phillips |
| 13.2 | 1960-06-27 | 3 | 40°49'N / 102°26'W | 40°45'N / 102°20'W | 6.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 2 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Sedgwick |
| 13.3 | 1950-08-05 | 2 | 40°44'N / 102°33'W | 40°43'N / 102°31'W | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Sedgwick | ||
| 15.2 | 1955-06-18 | 2 | 40°39'N / 102°39'W | 40°39'N / 102°36'W | 1.90 Miles | 83 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Phillips |
| 17.2 | 1960-07-27 | 2 | 40°46'N / 102°35'W | 1.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Sedgwick | |
| 19.3 | 2000-07-05 | 3 | 40°41'N / 102°42'W | 40°36'N / 102°43'W | 6.00 Miles | 1320 Yards | 0 | 2 | 750K | 0 | Logan |
| Brief Description: A large and destructive tornado accompanied with hail, up to softball size, ripped through eastern Logan County. An 88-year old farmer and his wife received minor injuries when the tornado flattened their home. The elderly man spared from serious injury when the recliner he was sitting in flipped upside down; just before a wall caved in on top of him. The farmer suffered a cracked vertebra and a lacerated hand. In all, five farmsteads were either damaged or destroyed. Several structures were destroyed, including three homes and numerous outbuildings. One modular home was lifted up and dropped 50 feet away from its foundation. Numerous pieces of farm equipment including, machinery, stock trailers and vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Three square miles of corn crops and several trees were destroyed. Some livestock were also killed. The tornado snapped power poles and downed electrical lines between Holyoke and Fleming. Initial damage estimates to two properties alone were around $750,000. | |||||||||||
| 27.2 | 1985-07-31 | 2 | 40°14'N / 102°33'W | 0.50 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Yuma | |
| 30.8 | 1984-06-11 | 2 | 40°13'N / 102°02'W | 1.00 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dundy | |
| 31.5 | 1969-06-24 | 2 | 40°48'N / 101°55'W | 40°51'N / 101°44'W | 9.90 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Perkins |
| 33.1 | 2007-03-28 | 2 | 40°45'N / 101°46'W | 40°58'N / 101°52'W | 16.00 Miles | 900 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.2M | 0K | Perkins |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A large supercell thunderstorm originally spawned two tornadoes with the eastern tornado eventually taking over. The tornado touched down approximately 6 miles south-southwest of Grant and moved northeast for a few miles and then turned northwest to pass 3 miles west of Grant and continue northwest to near the Perkins and Keith County line approximately 12 miles north-northwest of Grant. The tornado encountered the first farm where it destroyed outbuildings and grain bins and damaged the roof of a metal storage building. Damage to the second farm included ripping off half the roof on the home. At the third farmstead, the tornado destroyed grain bins and a barn and ripped a hole in the roof of the home. The tornado also uprooted and snapped off numerous trees, broke off power poles, and overturned center pivot irrigation systems. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An intense upper level low pressure system approached Western Nebraska on March 28th. Supercells developed quickly along a dryline extending from western Cherry County southward through western Chase County. The supercells produced tornadoes, hail, and strong winds during the late afternoon and evening hours. | |||||||||||
| 33.6 | 1958-07-01 | 2 | 41°09'N / 102°38'W | 40°56'N / 102°34'W | 15.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cheyenne |
| 34.1 | 1991-05-02 | 3 | 40°45'N / 101°50'W | 40°52'N / 101°41'W | 13.00 Miles | 173 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Perkins |
| 34.8 | 1967-06-14 | 2 | 40°33'N / 101°41'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Chase | |||
| 35.1 | 1960-06-20 | 2 | 40°31'N / 101°41'W | 1.00 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Chase | |
| 35.8 | 1971-10-17 | 2 | 40°05'N / 102°14'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 9 | 2.5M | 0 | Yuma | |
| 36.1 | 1988-06-13 | 2 | 40°52'N / 102°56'W | 1.50 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan | |
| 36.5 | 1960-06-20 | 2 | 41°03'N / 102°42'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cheyenne | |
| 36.9 | 1958-06-15 | 2 | 40°08'N / 102°42'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Yuma | |||
| 38.6 | 1960-06-27 | 3 | 41°09'N / 102°45'W | 41°05'N / 102°28'W | 15.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Cheyenne |
| 40.9 | 1984-06-11 | 2 | 40°23'N / 101°37'W | 2.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Chase | |
| 43.4 | 1988-05-19 | 2 | 39°58'N / 102°23'W | 1.50 Miles | 73 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Yuma | |
| 43.5 | 1974-08-15 | 3 | 40°41'N / 103°10'W | 2.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan | |
| 43.7 | 1990-06-01 | 2 | 40°38'N / 101°38'W | 40°42'N / 101°24'W | 15.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Chase |
| 46.0 | 1958-07-20 | 2 | 40°13'N / 103°04'W | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Washington | |||
| 46.4 | 1996-07-13 | 2 | 40°58'N / 103°05'W | 40°58'N / 103°05'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Logan |
| Brief Description: Large hail, heavy rain, strong thunderstorm winds and a tornado heavily damaged crops and some property near Peetz in northern Logan County. The tornado touched down 1 mile east of Peetz. Nineteen empty coal cars, still attached to the front and rear of a Burlington Northern train, were picked up and blown off the tracks. A large cottonwood tree was also uprooted near Peetz. The time of the tornado touchdown was approximated. In addition, hail several inches deep covered the ground in and around Peetz. Wheat crops were wiped out. Waist high corn was reduced to 2 inch stalks. Crop damage was estimated to be at least $100,000. Strong thunderstorm winds gusting to 77 mph were measured in Peetz. | |||||||||||
| 48.2 | 1957-07-07 | 2 | 40°08'N / 101°59'W | 40°08'N / 101°20'W | 34.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0K | 0 | Dundy |
| 48.2 | 1995-05-21 | 2 | 40°52'N / 101°31'W | 40°49'N / 101°27'W | 5.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 0 | 350K | 0 | Perkins |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down just to the northeast of Madrid and moved to the southeast at 15 miles an hour. The tornado was on the ground for approximately 15 minutes and caused damage to six pivot irrigation systems. A dozen light poles were taken out leaving Elsie without power for 12 hours. A barn, granaries, and other buildings were also severely damaged. | |||||||||||
| 49.2 | 1960-06-20 | 2 | 40°59'N / 103°08'W | 2.50 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Logan | |
* 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.