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Indiana · County tornado history

Washington County, Indiana tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 34 tornadoes in Washington County, Indiana from 1950 through 2024, about one every 2.2 years. That ranks it 8 of 92 counties in Indiana with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on August 6, 2023.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
34
Since 2000
20
Strongest
F5, April 3, 1974
Most recent
EF1, August 6, 2023
Peak month
March (8)
Per 1,000 sq mi
66
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Moderate

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Washington County

March has brought the most, 8 of 34. About 59% touched down between 5 pm and 11 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 9
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 15
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 7
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 1
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 1
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 1

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Washington County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 3, 1974 F5 68 mi 10 yd 6 86
March 2, 2012 EF4 45 mi 800 yd 11
June 2, 1990 F3 41 mi 150 yd
March 10, 1986 F2 12 mi 300 yd 25
April 3, 1956 F2 0.1 mi 10 yd 12
June 2, 1990 F2 4.5 mi 150 yd 2
March 7, 1956 F2 1 mi 10 yd
March 16, 1963 F2 1 mi 800 yd
April 5, 1985 F2 1 mi 10 yd
May 27, 2004 F2 25.9 mi 150 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Washington County was an EF4 on March 2, 2012. It killed 11 people and injured 0 along its 45-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
August 6, 2023 EF1 1.8 mi 60 yd
March 18, 2022 EF1 5.5 mi 200 yd
October 15, 2021 EF0 2.7 mi 70 yd
March 14, 2019 EF0 3 mi 35 yd
July 20, 2018 EF0 1.1 mi 75 yd
November 5, 2017 EF1 0.5 mi 60 yd
November 5, 2017 EF1 0.2 mi 35 yd
November 5, 2017 EF0 0.6 mi 325 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Washington County as relatively moderate, with a score of 77 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.39 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $3,430,209 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Washington County had?

34 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 20 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Washington County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on August 6, 2023. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Washington County?

An F5 on April 3, 1974, with a 68-mile path.

When is tornado season in Washington County?

March has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.