515
Recorded events
7
Direct deaths
46
Direct injuries
$8.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Marion County, Indiana: 515 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 87. That places the county #103 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Marion County, Indiana: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Marion County is the 2010s, when 142 of the county's 515 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Marion County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 48.5% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #103 for this hazard and #1 within Indiana, putting it in the 96.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Marion County with 127 recorded events, while Dec is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 14, 2011 | SHOOTERS HILL | 61 | 7 | 43 | $975K |
| Apr 24, 2026 | LYNHURST | 55 | 0 | 1 | $75K |
| Aug 20, 2019 | VALLEY MILLS | 50 | 0 | 1 | $5K |
| Jun 29, 1987 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2026 | NEW BETHEL | 50 | $1K |
| Apr 27, 2026 | CASTLETON | 52 | $5K |
| Apr 24, 2026 | INDIANAPOLIS | 55 | $100K |
| Apr 24, 2026 | LYNHURST | 55 | $75K |
| Apr 24, 2026 | (IND)INDNPLS INTL AR | 51 | $5K |
| Mar 15, 2026 | INDIANAPOLIS | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2026 | HOMECROFT | 62 | $0 |
| Mar 15, 2026 | INDIANAPOLIS INTL AR | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | CASTLETON | 52 | $20K |
| Mar 11, 2026 | MERIDIAN HILLS | 52 | $3K |
Other hazards here
More from Marion County
- Hail 368
- Flash Flood 58
- Tornado 47
- Flood 44
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A stage collapse occurred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in between live performances by Sara Bareilles and Sugarland, as winds estimated at 60 to 70 mph hit the above-stage fly system. These damaging winds appeared to occur with the gust front that was out ahead of the area of precipitation. Seven fatalities and 43 injuries occurred as a result of this tragic stage collapse. The Indianapolis Business Journal estimates the damages at around 975 thousand dollars.
The Indianapolis Star reported that strong thunderstorm wind gusts led to widespread damage to the Kittle's Superstore in Castleton. Damage to the roof and ruptured water pipes at the furniture store caused the sprinkler system to activate, dumping numerous gallons of water on the inventory. Kittle's Chairman Jim Kittle Jr. estimated the damage at several million dollars.
A large section of windows and facing was blown out of the Regions Bank Tower in downtown Indianapolis, raining glass and debris upon the streets below up to a block away. Fortunately, no one was injured. No solid damage amounts have been released.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Marion County, Indiana?
515 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Marion County between 1955 and 2026, causing 7 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Marion County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Marion County measured 87.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Marion County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Marion County, Indiana.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/indiana/marion-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.