Indiana has a long and well-documented history of severe storms, with 1,966 confirmed tornadoes, 7,357 hailstorm events and 15,631 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 26.2 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Indiana combines a continental severe-weather season with lake-effect winter storms, giving it one of the most varied weather climates in the country. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Indiana from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
Indiana Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
- 1,966 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
- 622 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
- 8 confirmed F5/EF5 tornadoes on record — the maximum rating on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita scales
- 273 direct tornado deaths and 4,343 direct injuries
- 7,357 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
- 15,631 damaging-wind events on record
- 26.2 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
- June is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 20.5% of Indiana tornadoes
- 463 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When Indiana Severe Weather Happens
Indiana tornado activity is heavily concentrated in spring. March, April, May and June account for 66% of all Indiana tornadoes, with June alone responsible for roughly 20.5%.
- June: 403 tornadoes (20.5%) — peak month
- April: 383 tornadoes (19.5%)
- May: 320 tornadoes (16.3%)
- March: 192 tornadoes (9.8%)
- July: 190 tornadoes (9.7%)
- August: 115 tornadoes (5.8%)
Top 10 Indiana Counties by Tornado Frequency
Tornado activity in Indiana is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|
| Tippecanoe | 53 |
| Marion | 47 |
| Lake | 41 |
| Elkhart | 35 |
| Shelby | 35 |
| Boone | 34 |
| Kosciusko | 34 |
| St. Joseph | 33 |
| Washington | 33 |
| Vanderburgh | 32 |
The Deadliest Tornadoes in Indiana History
Indiana has lost 273 lives to tornadoes since the National Weather Service began systematic tornado record-keeping in 1950. The single deadliest event killed 31 people in Elkhart County in 1965, rated F4 on the Fujita scale.
| Date | Location | Rating | Direct deaths | Direct injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 11, 1965 | Elkhart County | F4 | 31 | 252 |
| April 11, 1965 | Elkhart County | F4 | 31 | 252 |
| April 11, 1965 | Boone County | F4 | 20 | 80 |
| November 6, 2005 | Vanderburgh County (near Evansville) | F3 | 20 | 200 |
| April 11, 1965 | Howard County | F4 | 17 | 560 |
| April 3, 1974 | Jefferson County | F4 | 10 | 175 |
| April 3, 1974 | White County | F4 | 10 | 73 |
| April 11, 1965 | Grant County | F4 | 8 | 275 |
| April 11, 1965 | Hamilton County | F4 | 6 | 30 |
| April 3, 1974 | Fulton County | F4 | 6 | 138 |
Indiana Tornado Strength Distribution
Most Indiana tornadoes are weak: roughly 68% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 32.4% of rated tornadoes in the state. Indiana is one of the few states with a confirmed F5 or EF5 tornado on record.
- F0/EF0 (weak): 583 tornadoes — 30.4% of rated events
- F1/EF1: 712 tornadoes — 37.1% of rated events
- F2/EF2 (strong): 381 tornadoes — 19.9% of rated events
- F3/EF3: 149 tornadoes — 7.8% of rated events
- F4/EF4 (violent): 84 tornadoes — 4.4% of rated events
- F5/EF5 (incredible): 8 tornadoes — 0.4% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in Indiana
Largest hailstone: 9.99 inches in diameter, observed in Whitley County on May 6, 1961. The three largest hailstones on record in Indiana measured 9.99″, 4.50″, 4.50″.
Highest measured wind gust: 87 knots (100 mph) recorded in La Porte County near Michigan City on August 23, 2006. Most damaging-wind events in Indiana are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How Indiana Compares Nationally
Indiana ranks 16th nationally for tornado frequency, in the middle of the pack of US states by severe-weather activity.
- Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
- Indiana tornado total: 1,966 — ranked 16th nationally.
- Indiana hail total: 7,357 hail events on record since 1950.
- Indiana wind total: 15,631 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does Indiana have on average per year?
Indiana averages 26.2 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
What was the deadliest tornado in Indiana history?
The April 11, 1965 tornado, rated F4 on the Fujita scale, killed 31 people and injured 252 in Elkhart County. It remains the single deadliest tornado in the Indiana modern record.
Where in Indiana are tornadoes most common?
The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Tippecanoe County with 53 events. The three most active counties overall are Tippecanoe, Marion, Lake.
How does Indiana compare to its neighbors?
Indiana shares a severe-weather climate with Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Indiana’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare Indiana to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Indiana tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Indiana’s storm history to its land neighbors:
- Michigan severe storm history — ranked 25th nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters
- Ohio severe storm history — ranked 22nd nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters
- Kentucky severe storm history — ranked 23rd nationally, Dixie Alley state with frequent overnight tornadoes
- Illinois severe storm history — ranked 6th nationally, Great Lakes severe-weather and lake-effect winters
Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map
