Crawford County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18025 · population 10,515 · 306 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 405 records for Crawford County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 264 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (187 records). The deadliest single record is the May 30, 2004 tornado: 1 death, 11 injuries and $7.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1974, 19 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 405on 264 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 127 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $18Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F5
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Crawford County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 187 since 1956. The rank column places the county among Indiana's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 187 | 133 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 2 | $466K | 13 of 91 |
| Hail | 90 | 52 | 1984-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 91 |
| Floods | 66 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $8.5M | 34 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 37 | 37 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $125K | 47 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1971-2024 | 1 | 21 | $8.7M | 89 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 6 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 4 | $13K | 71 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2016-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 91 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2005-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 91 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 91 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | $374K | 61 of 91 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Crawford County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Crawford County from 1971 to 2024, the strongest rated F5, with 1 death and 21 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 7 tornadoes whose track touched Crawford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 8 people, 1 of them in Crawford County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 13:20, as SPC files it | Daisy Hill | F5 | 68 mi | 6 |
| 2004-05-30 13:25, as SPC files it | English to Marengo | F3 | 15 mi | 1 |
| 1971-05-06 10:50, as SPC files it | Milltown | F1 | 8.1 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for Crawford County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-07 | Sulphur Spgs, Crawford County | EF0 0.18 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-05-19 | Sulphur Spgs, Crawford County | EF1 0.23 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2004-05-30 | Taswell, Crawford County | F3 15 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 11 | $7.8M |
| 1999-05-17 | Eckerty, Crawford County | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1999-05-17 | Eckerty, Crawford County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 1990-06-02 | Crawford County | F2 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 9 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Crawford County | F5 13.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1971-05-06 | Crawford County | F1 3.6 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Crawford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 19, 2017 tornado ($301,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A NWS Storm Survey found all of the damage along Old Union Chapel Rd off of Hwy 62 near T&T Auto. The tornado formed in an open pasture southwest of Chapel Rd. It knocked over several cedar trees and split several sections on some maple trees before striking a barn near the road. Winds in this area were estimated at 80-85 mph. The eastern edge door of the barn was blown out and with significant roof damage above the door. Several pieces of the barn roof along with many pieces of a wood pile next to the barn were thrown 125 yards downwind into the auto body shop vehicle lot area. This smashed out several vehicle windows. Winds here were estimated at 90 mph. A single-wide trailer took roof damage along its entrance. An old RV had its roof removed and large sections of debris was thrown downwind about 100 yards. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 687804)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodSulphur Spgs, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodEnglish, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-16 | HailBrownstown, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindHogtown, Crawford County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindEnglish, Crawford County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-11 | Heavy SnowCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | Heavy SnowCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-24 | Frost/FreezeCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-30 | HailMarengo, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | HailMilltown, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-19 | HailTower, Crawford County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-30 | TornadoTaswell, Crawford County A tornado touched down near Taswell in northwest Crawford County. The tornado passed north of English, then reached it's maximum intensity as it reached the town of Marengo. Newspaper reports indicate that 50 to 60 homes in Marengo were destroyed, and another 100 were damaged. Approximately 80 percent of the buildings ... | F3 15 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 11 | $7.8M |
| 1990-06-02 | TornadoCrawford County | F2 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 9 | $250K step |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindCrawford County · forecast zone Crawford Four injuries were reported in Milltown due to falling trees. Numerous trees and power lines were downed across the county, with some trees having fallen on houses and cars. Downed power lines caused fires to break out near Marengo and English. | 56 kt wind | 0 | 4 | – |
| 2006-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindCurby, Crawford County Power lines were blown on to Interstate 64 at Carefree, closing the interstate for a time. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $7K |
| 1974-04-03 | TornadoCrawford County | F5 13.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-30 | TornadoTaswell, Crawford County | F3 15 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 11 | $7.8M |
| 2017-04-29 | FloodEnglish, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2015-07-12 | LightningSulphur, Crawford County | 0 | 0 | $374K | |
| 2017-05-19 | TornadoSulphur Spgs, Crawford County | EF1 0.23 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2005-04-22 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Crawford County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 1999-05-17 | TornadoEckerty, Crawford County | F1 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2006-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindCurby, Crawford County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $7K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 2, 1990 (tornado, Crawford County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Crawford County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 59 | 77 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 37 | 29 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 27 | 23 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 6 | 19 z | 9 |
Winter storms in the 2010s: 19 records against 6 in the decade before, 19 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Crawford County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Crawford County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 22 · Feb 26 · Mar 41 · Apr 75 · May 64 · Jun 55 · Jul 49 · Aug 22 · Sep 13 · Oct 10 · Nov 14 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Crawford County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Crawford County: 17 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3641 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4882 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4515 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3456 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-05-04 | DR-4363 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-06-23 | DR-1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and |
| 2009-03-05 | DR-1828 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-09-23 | DR-1795 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3238 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-01-21 | DR-1573 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-01-11 | EM-3197 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2004-09-01 | DR-1542 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2004-06-03 | DR-1520 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-06-13 | DR-1418 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1998-07-22 | DR-1234 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1997-03-06 | DR-1165 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-07-03 | DR-1125 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-04-02 | DR-1109 | Flood | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1990-06-04 | DR-869 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-07-31 | DR-596 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-423 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Crawford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 66 flood or flash flood records for Crawford County from 1996 to 2026, on 49 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Crawford County ranks 1149th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.2 million on 136 claims filed in Crawford County; the most in one year was 48 in 1990. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 18 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 7 · 1983: 6 · 1990: 48 · 1991: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 6 · 1997: 4 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 8 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 3 · 2008: 7 · 2009: 2 · 2011: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 2; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Crawford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Crawford County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.9 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $390K | 5.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $41K | 9.5 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $187K | 5.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $42K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.4M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $222K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Crawford County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in IndianaEvery Indiana tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in IndianaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Indiana recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Crawford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Crawford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis