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Tornado in Vanderburgh 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.
Vanderburgh County, Indiana, has 32 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 9 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 13.7 per 100 square miles compares with 5.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 20 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 8 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Indiana
| Measure | Vanderburgh County | Indiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 32 | 2,103 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.7 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.8 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 20 | 276 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
4Apr
7May
8Jun
4Jul
2Aug
2Sep
0Oct
0Nov
3Dec
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $275K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $225K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF1 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF2 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F3 | $15M | — | 20 | 200 | County |
| 6 Nov 2005 | Tornado | F3 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $1.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 1997 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1986 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1986 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1981 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1980 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1977 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Jan 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 1962 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 1955 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 9 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Vanderburgh 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 Vanderburgh County?
30 Jul 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Vanderburgh County?
The tornado of 6 Nov 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $15M; 20 deaths recorded.
How does Vanderburgh County compare with Indiana for tornado?
13.7 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.