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Tornado in Knox County, Indiana
28 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.
Knox County, Indiana, has 28 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 21 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 2,103 tornado events recorded in Indiana; its 5.4 per 100 square miles compares with 5.9 statewide.
By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 6 at (E)F1, 9 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Indiana
| Measure | Knox County | Indiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 2,103 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.4 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.8 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 276 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
3Mar
1Apr
7May
4Jun
5Jul
1Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
2Dec
1
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 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF2 | $75K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $206K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | $20K | — | 2 | County |
| 29 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1989 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 7 Jan 1989 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1971 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 12 | County |
| 30 Apr 1962 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 1959 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Knox County had?
28 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 Knox County?
21 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Knox County?
The tornado of 19 Apr 1963, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Knox County compare with Indiana for tornado?
5.4 events per 100 square miles against 5.9 statewide; the county holds 28 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.