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Vanderburgh County, Indiana severe weather history spans 551 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 42.1% of all recorded events. It ranks #724 nationally and #11 in Indiana.
551
Recorded events
22
Direct deaths
215
Direct injuries
$66.6M
Property damage
The record
What the Vanderburgh County, Indiana severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Vanderburgh County, Indiana severe weather history averages 7.9 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 160 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 97 events fall before 1990 and 454 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Vanderburgh County, Indiana record is tornado, responsible for 20 direct deaths. The costliest is thunderstorm wind, with $40.8M in reported property damage. In total, 9 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Vanderburgh County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 232 | 0 | $40.8M | 104 | 1957–2025 |
| Hail | 94 | 0 | $120K | 2.75 | 1962–2025 |
| Flood | 69 | 1 | $1.9M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 66 | 0 | $3.7M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Heavy Rain | 38 | 0 | $17K | 0 | 2004–2015 |
| Tornado | 32 | 20 | $20.0M | F3 | 1955–2024 |
| Funnel Cloud | 13 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1996–2018 |
| Lightning | 6 | 1 | $110K | 0 | 1997–2023 |
| Dust Devil | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2010–2010 |
Decade by decade
Vanderburgh County, Indiana severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
33 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 28 touched down inside it and 5 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-11-06 | EF3 | 24 | 238 | 41.3 mi | Crossed in |
| 1955-11-15 | EF3 | 0 | 9 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2025-04-02 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 10.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 2024-04-02 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 14.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 2024-04-02 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 14.9 mi | Touched down here |
| 2011-05-25 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 12.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 1986-05-15 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 2025-04-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 17.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2025-04-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2024-04-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 5.3 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Vanderburgh County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2005 | Tornado | EVANSVILLE | 20 | 200 | $15.0M |
| Mar 10, 2015 | Flood | SMYTHE | 1 | 1 | $50K |
| Jul 8, 2020 | Lightning | EVANSVILLE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 16, 1955 | Tornado | 0 | 9 | $250K | |
| Jun 15, 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | MC CUTCHANVILLE | 0 | 2 | $50K |
| May 8, 2023 | Lightning | EVANSVILLE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 5, 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | EVANSVILLE | 0 | 1 | $300K |
| Jun 30, 1977 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $250K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A construction worker on the roof of a building was struck by lightning. The individual was a 34-year-old male who was on top of a tall building in downtown Evansville. The lightning hit the roof, causing damage about the size of a softball. The individual was near the damage site when he was struck. He received a burn mark on his chest but no other obvious injuries. The man was admitted to a hospital and then passed away two days later.
The tornado first touched down on Bromm Road, then tracked east directly across Darmstadt, finally lifting at Browning Road. Hundreds of trees were blown down, including many that landed on houses and power lines. A total of 42 single family homes, 6 commercial structures, and 1 agricultural structure were affected. One single family home and one business was destroyed. Five single family homes and four commercial buildings received major damage. The remainder of the 42 structures received only minor damage. Peak winds were estimated near 100 MPH. Strong gusty winds occurred throughout Vanderburgh County. A gust to 57 MPH was measured in Evansville.
Minor flooding continued on the Ohio River from April. At the Evansville river gage, the river crested at 46.78 feet on May 5. This was the 8th highest crest on record, and less than a foot below the 1997 flood. Ohio River floodwaters backed up into Pigeon Creek in the Evansville area. Widespread flooding of fields and some farm buildings occurred along Pigeon Creek, especially near Interstate 164. About 40 to 50 homes near Pigeon Creek were sandbagged or evacuated. At least 35 to 40 roads were underwater and closed. A truss bridge spanning Pigeon Creek at the mouth of the Ohio River was partially underwater. Another bridge over Pigeon Creek on the northeast side of Evansville was under about eight inches of water.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk rating
180,117
Population (ACS)
$184K
Median home value
20
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Jul 22, 2025 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| May 4, 2018 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Apr 22, 2014 | Severe Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Evansville 380
- Smythe 107
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Vanderburgh County, Indiana?
551 events are on record between 1955 and 2025, causing 22 direct deaths and $66.6M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Vanderburgh County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 232 recorded events — 42.1% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Vanderburgh County?
33 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 28 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Vanderburgh County?
20 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Vanderburgh County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Vanderburgh County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Vanderburgh County as relatively moderate risk, placing it in the 91 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Vanderburgh County, Indiana severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Union County 146
- Vermillion County 256
- Tipton County 151
- Vigo County 468
- Tippecanoe County 555
- Wabash County 255
Cite this page
“Vanderburgh County, Indiana.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/indiana/vanderburgh-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.