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Jefferson County, Indiana severe weather history spans 249 recorded events between 1961 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 52.2% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,112 nationally and #64 in Indiana.
249
Recorded events
16
Direct deaths
177
Direct injuries
$28.5M
Property damage
The record
What the Jefferson County, Indiana severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Jefferson County, Indiana severe weather history averages 3.8 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 98 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 19 events fall before 1990 and 230 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Jefferson County, Indiana record is tornado, responsible for 15 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $27.3M 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 Jefferson County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 130 | 0 | $788K | 88 | 1961–2026 |
| Hail | 35 | 0 | $10K | 2.75 | 1974–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 32 | 1 | $360K | 0 | 1996–2026 |
| Flood | 29 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1996–2018 |
| Tornado | 22 | 15 | $27.3M | F4 | 1965–2024 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $50K | 0 | 2002–2002 |
Decade by decade
Jefferson County, Indiana severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
24 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 15 touched down inside it and 9 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-02 | EF4 | 11 | 0 | 46.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 1974-04-03 | EF4 | 11 | 190 | 35.6 mi | Crossed in |
| 1974-04-03 | EF4 | 0 | 104 | 27.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1976-09-26 | EF3 | 1 | 1 | 14.6 mi | Touched down here |
| 1999-04-09 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1999-04-09 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 15.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1990-06-02 | EF3 | 0 | 5 | 17.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1990-06-02 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 41.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2024-03-14 | EF2 | 0 | 2 | 18.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1985-04-05 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Jefferson County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | Tornado | 10 | 175 | $0 | |
| Mar 2, 2012 | Tornado | CHELSEA | 4 | 0 | $750K |
| Sep 26, 1976 | Tornado | 1 | 1 | $250K | |
| Sep 3, 2022 | Flash Flood | MANVILLE | 1 | 0 | $200K |
| Apr 21, 1967 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $25K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A 64 year old woman was killed when water left the banks of Brushy Fork and swept away her house on Brushy Fork Road. A barn and all the family's belongings were also swept away in the flood waters. The body of the woman was found 5 miles downstream by family members after first responders suspended their efforts overnight. The value of the damaged property is unknown.
The public reported that a brick home near Rogers Road and Chicken Run Road was completely missing its roof due to severe thunderstorm winds. The residence next to it had half of its roof missing. Many trees in the area were snapped or uprooted. An NWS damage survey team determined the winds to be near 100 mph. This was part of a larger swath of 70+ mph winds that extended in a 1-2 mile wide path from northern Scott into western Jefferson County.
The tornado path was mainly through a rural section of Jefferson County. F1 damage was noted in and around the town of Deputy, with estimated wind speeds of 100 mph. Several roofs were lifted off structures, and eye witnesses reported debris swirling in the air around the tornado. Debris consisted primarily of boards and limbs. Numerous trees were torn down and laid in varying directions along the tornado path.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
32,998
Population (ACS)
$195K
Median home value
24
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 |
| Mar 9, 2012 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Deputy 111
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Jefferson County, Indiana?
249 events are on record between 1961 and 2026, causing 16 direct deaths and $28.5M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Jefferson County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 130 recorded events — 52.2% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Jefferson County?
24 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 15 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Jefferson County?
24 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Jefferson County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Jefferson County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 48 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Jefferson 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
- Jay County 176
- Jennings County 176
- Jasper County 263
- Johnson County 423
- Jackson County 330
- Knox County 554
Cite this page
“Jefferson County, Indiana.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/indiana/jefferson-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.