DeKalb County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18033 · population 43,222 · 363 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 302 records for DeKalb County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 231 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (120 records). The deadliest single record is the January 22, 2014 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone De Kalb, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1982, 13 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
- 302on 231 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 513 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $59Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 DeKalb County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 120 since 1955. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. 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 | 120 | 89 | 1955-2025 | 2 | 9 | $1.7M | 73 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 85 | 84 | 1999-2026 | 2 | 3 | $36K | 26 of 91 |
| Hail | 58 | 39 | 1975-2024 | 0 | 0 | $268K | 59 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 10 | 1968-2001 | 0 | 1 | $56M | 83 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 91 |
| Floods | 8 | 8 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $1.0M | 86 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2014-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 91 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | $15K | 66 of 91 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | $151K | 45 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 DeKalb County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in DeKalb County from 1968 to 2001, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched DeKalb County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for DeKalb County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-24 | Corunna, DeKalb County | F2 7 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2001-05-26 | St Joe, DeKalb County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-09 | Sedan, DeKalb County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2000-07-09 | Corunna, DeKalb County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
| 2000-06-14 | Butler Center, DeKalb County | F1 1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $531K |
| 2000-06-14 | Butler Center, DeKalb County | F2 3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 1998-05-31 | Auburn, DeKalb County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-31 | Spencerville, DeKalb County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-14 | DeKalb County | F2 4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1973-06-04 | DeKalb County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-06-03 | DeKalb County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1969-04-21 | DeKalb County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-04-14 | DeKalb County | 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 DeKalb County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 19, 2025 flood ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-14 | Winter WeatherDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | FloodAuburn, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-03-30 | Thunderstorm WindCorunna, DeKalb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-03-19 | LightningAuburn, DeKalb County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2025-03-19 | Thunderstorm WindAuburn, DeKalb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-02-12 | Winter WeatherDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-05 | Winter WeatherDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindAuburn Jct, DeKalb County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $71K |
| 2024-05-07 | HailSummit, DeKalb County | 3.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2024-05-07 | HailCorunna, DeKalb County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $188K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-22 | Winter WeatherDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb One person died in a three-vehicle accident in DeKalb County on January 22nd. The accident happened on County Road 427 at County Road 50 around 10:15 a.m. According to an Indiana State Police spokesperson, a Dekalb County plow truck slid into a semi causing the semi to jackknife. The semi then went into the other lane ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindAuburn, DeKalb County Law enforcement officials reported multiple trees down along 7th Street. One of these trees in the 400 block of 7th Street, fell onto a westbound United Parcel Service truck, striking the driver compartment. The 46 year old male driver was killed instantly. | 55 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2008-02-26 | Winter WeatherDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb A burst of moderate snow as well as some blowing and drifting snow was a contributing factor to a death in Dekalb county. Police reports indicate the 53 year old man driving a snowmobile attempted to jump West Smith ditch at around 10 pm EST, near the interection of County Roads 34 and 43 around Auburn. The snowmobile ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-05-17 | Flash FloodN Dekalb County, DeKalb County Five to eight inches of rain fell across Northern DeKalb Countyproducing flooding of many roads with many roads impassable. Serious flooding along Fish Creek produced one fatality when a 33 year old female tried to drive through flood waters and was swept away by the water drowning her. Several homes, also, sustained ... | 1 | 0 | $198K | |
| 1991-03-27 | Thunderstorm WindDeKalb County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindSpencerville, DeKalb County Emergency management officials and local media report a 27 year old female was critically injured when a large tree fell onto her vehicle on County Road 68, near State Road 101 in Spencerville. The tree fell onto her minivan's roof between the windshield and rear of the front seats. The van continued forward before ... | 55 kt wind | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2009-01-09 | Winter WeatherDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb One to three inches of snow fell Friday morning, January 9th. This created hazardous driving conditions with numerous accidents and slide-offs across the region Friday into Saturday, as some additional snow fell late Friday night into Saturday. There were injuries with a crash just before 6:00 pm on January 9th. The ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1984-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindDeKalb County | 0 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-24 | TornadoCorunna, DeKalb County | F2 7 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 2005-11-06 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, DeKalb County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2000-06-14 | TornadoButler Center, DeKalb County | F1 1 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $531K |
| 2000-09-11 | FloodDeKalb County · forecast zone De Kalb | 0 | 0 | $428K | |
| 2000-06-14 | TornadoButler Center, DeKalb County | F2 3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 2022-08-29 | Thunderstorm WindAltona, DeKalb County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $303K |
| 1996-05-17 | Flash FloodN Dekalb County, DeKalb County | 1 | 0 | $198K | |
| 2000-07-09 | TornadoCorunna, DeKalb County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $86K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 14, 1992 (tornado, DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 32 | 29 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 19 | 47 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 18 | 16 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 35 · Mar 24 · Apr 16 · May 46 · Jun 50 · Jul 41 · Aug 16 · Sep 5 · Oct 6 · Nov 8 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for DeKalb County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include DeKalb County: 9 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and snowstorm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3641 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-04-03 | DR-4515 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3456 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2009-04-22 | DR-1832 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-01-30 | DR-1740 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-03-12 | EM-3274 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3238 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-01-21 | DR-1573 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-06-03 | DR-1520 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2001-01-24 | EM-3162 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-01-15 | EM-3135 | Snowstorm | In-Winter Storm 12/23/98 |
| 1996-07-03 | DR-1125 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-09-18 | DR-962 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1991-01-05 | DR-891 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1982-03-20 | DR-652 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 DeKalb County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 8 flood or flash flood records for DeKalb County from 1996 to 2025, on 8 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), DeKalb County ranks 1504th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.5 million on 67 claims filed in DeKalb County; the most in one year was 29 in 2009. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 11 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 7 · 1990: 2 · 1996: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2008: 8 · 2009: 29 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2025: 1; 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 DeKalb County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates DeKalb County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $508K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $254K | 1.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $876K | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $60K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $158K | 39 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 DeKalb 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 DeKalb CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download DeKalb County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis