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Blackford County, Indiana severe weather history spans 124 recorded events between 1965 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 54.0% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,800 nationally and #91 in Indiana.
124
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
26
Direct injuries
$25.7M
Property damage
The record
What the Blackford County, Indiana severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Blackford County, Indiana severe weather history averages 2.0 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 39 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 19 events fall before 1990 and 105 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The costliest is tornado, with $25.3M in reported property damage. In total, 6 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Blackford County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 67 | 0 | $211K | 80 | 1967–2026 |
| Hail | 44 | 0 | $3K | 4.5 | 1967–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 6 | 0 | $125K | 0 | 1998–2014 |
| Tornado | 5 | 0 | $25.3M | F4 | 1965–2017 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $50K | 0 | 2010–2010 |
| Flood | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2011–2011 |
Decade by decade
Blackford County, Indiana severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
6 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 4 touched down inside it and 2 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-04-11 | EF4 | 4 | 125 | 52.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2002-09-20 | EF3 | 0 | 127 | 112.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1967-12-21 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2017-11-05 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 38.7 mi | Crossed in |
| 2002-11-10 | EF1 | 0 | 3 | 5.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1958-04-05 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Blackford County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1965 | Tornado | 0 | 22 | $25.0M | |
| Nov 10, 2002 | Tornado | HARTFORD CITY | 0 | 3 | $250K |
| Nov 5, 2017 | Tornado | MILLGROVE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This tornado touched down 5 miles southwest of Hartford City and then moved into Hartford City before lifting. An NWS ground survey found F0 to F1 damage along its path with F1 damage to a supermarket and a motel. One home and 2 mobile homes were destroyed in Hartford City. 3 persons were injured, none seriously.
The local newspaper reported lightning was the cause of a barn fire in the 4200 block of East 400 North. The barn was fully engulfed in flames when fire fighters arrived. The building suffered extensive damage, estimated at around $50,000. No details on contents or their extent of damage was provided.
The tornado crossed out of Delaware county, into Blackford county, at the intersection of E County Road 1300 N and S County Road 600 E, impacting several structures and trees on the northeast and southeast side of the intersection. Two homes suffered roof damage, with a garage being destroyed, likely due to winds into the garage door side. A middle aged female resident suffered minor injuries when debris from a south facing window and front door impacted her. The tornado did appear to weaken or possibly cycle as it approached the Jay county line with only minor damage noted to some trees. The circulation appeared to cross the county line (State Route 167), north of W County Road 300 S near Big Lick Creek. Maximum winds were estimated in this portion of the tornado at between 110 and 120 mph and was therefore rates a EF2 in Blackford county.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
11,950
Population (ACS)
$108K
Median home value
17
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Apr 22, 2014 | Severe Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR |
| Mar 12, 2007 | Snowstorm | SNOW | EM |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Blackford County, Indiana?
124 events are on record between 1965 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths and $25.7M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Blackford County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 67 recorded events — 54.0% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Blackford County?
6 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 4 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Blackford County?
17 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Blackford County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Blackford County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Blackford County as very low risk, placing it in the 9 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Blackford 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
- Benton County 217
- Boone County 406
- Bartholomew County 316
- Brown County 189
- Allen County 770
- Carroll County 244
Cite this page
“Blackford County, Indiana.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/indiana/blackford-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.