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Tornado in Pike County, Indiana
32 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 32 tornado events in Pike County, Indiana, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 18 years.
May is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 2,103 tornado events recorded in Indiana; its 9.6 per 100 square miles compares with 5.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 6 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 13 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Indiana
| Measure | Pike County | Indiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 32 | 2,103 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.6 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 26.4 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 6 | 276 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
1Apr
8May
11Jun
6Jul
2Aug
0Sep
1Oct
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 32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $70K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1999 | Tornado | F2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F4 | $25M | — | 6 | 60 | County |
| 3 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 1983 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1978 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1970 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Pike County had?
32 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 Pike County?
15 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF2). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Pike County?
The tornado of 2 Jun 1990, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M; 6 deaths recorded.
How does Pike County compare with Indiana for tornado?
9.6 events per 100 square miles against 5.9 statewide; the county holds 32 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.