Lightning TrackerTopeka storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Topeka, KS, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Topeka, KS
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Topeka by the numbers
Topeka gets regular severe thunderstorms: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 860 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 262 hail reports, 579 damaging-wind reports and 19 tornado reports. On average that is 12.2 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in May, June, July, when 63% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 10 hail reports, 62 wind reports and 0 tornado reports around Topeka; the largest hail was 1.75″ (golf ball) on Apr 26, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Topeka
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Damaging wind | 3 mi NE · Shawnee Co. |
| Oct 13, 2026 | Hail 1.75″ | 7 mi W · Shawnee Co. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Damaging wind | 10 mi NW · Shawnee Co. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Damaging wind | 7 mi S · Shawnee Co. |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Damaging wind | 17 mi NE · Jefferson Co. |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 23 mi N · Jackson Co. |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Damaging wind | 7 mi N · Shawnee Co. |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Hail 1.25″ | 10 mi NE · Jefferson Co. |
| Jul 8, 2026 | Damaging wind | 3 mi SW · Shawnee Co. |
| Jun 13, 2026 | Damaging wind | 8 mi N · Shawnee Co. |
One line per day and type — the closest report that day. Distance and direction from the city centre. The latest SPC reports are preliminary until NOAA finalises them.
Storm reports by year
Storm season in Topeka
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Topeka
Topeka averages 6.8 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 4.50 inches — about the size of a grapefruit — reported 19 miles from the city centre on Jul 11, 2020. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Topeka
There have been 19 tornado reports within 25 miles of Topeka since 2016; the strongest was rated EF4 (May 28, 2019, 22 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Topeka on your iPhone
Lightning Tracker shows storm risk around you, live severe-weather alerts and how close the storm is — free on the App Store.
Storm trackers near Topeka
Questions about storms in Topeka
Does Topeka get a lot of severe storms?
Topeka averages 12.2 days a year with at least one hail, damaging-wind or tornado report within 25 miles, based on NOAA Storm Prediction Center reports 2016–2025.
When is storm season in Topeka?
Most severe-weather reports around Topeka come in May, June, July.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Topeka?
4.50 inches (grapefruit size) on Jul 11, 2020, 19 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Topeka?
Yes — 19 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF4 on May 28, 2019.
How do I get storm alerts for Topeka?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Topeka, KS. For alerts on your phone, Lightning Tracker for iPhone shows storm risk and warnings for your location.
How this page works: storm reports are NOAA Storm Prediction Center local storm reports (final database 2016–2025, preliminary daily reports after that) within 25 miles of Topeka, KS. They are reports of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes — not lightning strike counts, which no free public dataset provides at city level. Live alerts come from the National Weather Service API, the outlook from Open-Meteo forecast models. Updated Oct 27, 2026.