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Tornado in Lawrence County, Indiana
27 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.
NCEI records 27 tornado events in Lawrence County, Indiana, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 17 years.
April is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 8 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 6.0 per 100 square miles compares with 5.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 5 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 5 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Indiana
| Measure | Lawrence County | Indiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 27 | 2,103 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.0 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 276 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
7Apr
10May
2Jun
3Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
1Nov
3Dec
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 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Nov 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $22K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF3 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Tornado | EF3 | $420K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $120K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 1 | 51 | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1963 | Tornado | F3 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 1959 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 1957 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1955 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Lawrence County had?
27 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 Lawrence County?
2 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Lawrence County?
The tornado of 3 Apr 1974, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Lawrence County compare with Indiana for tornado?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 5.9 statewide; the county holds 27 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.