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Tornado in Jefferson County, Indiana
23 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Jefferson County, Indiana, has 23 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 2,103 tornado events recorded in Indiana; its 6.4 per 100 square miles compares with 5.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 15 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 4 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 6 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Indiana
| Measure | Jefferson County | Indiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 23 | 2,103 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.4 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.9 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 15 | 276 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
5Apr
8May
1Jun
3Jul
0Aug
2Sep
2Oct
1Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 23 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF4 | $750K | — | 4 | — | County |
| 17 Jan 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1979 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1976 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | 10 | 175 | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Oct 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Jefferson County had?
23 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Jefferson County?
18 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Jefferson County?
The tornado of 3 Apr 1974, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Jefferson County compare with Indiana for tornado?
6.4 events per 100 square miles against 5.9 statewide; the county holds 23 of the state's 2,103 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.