Fayette County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18041 · population 23,396 · 215 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 358 records for Fayette County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 298 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (117 records). The most damaging was the September 14, 2008 high wind ($4.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1968, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 25, 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
- 358on 298 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 05 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $37Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Fayette County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 117 since 1956. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 117 | 99 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $601K | 8 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 99 | 99 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $282K | 3 of 91 |
| Floods | 67 | 50 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $330K | 18 of 91 |
| Hail | 43 | 36 | 1979-2021 | 0 | 0 | $113K | 22 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.0M | 14 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 3 | $31M | 53 of 91 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $920K | 23 of 91 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 1 | $2K | 30 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 Fayette County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Fayette County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 3 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Fayette County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-04-25 14:27, as SPC files it | Shelbyville to ConnersvilleCrossed IN, OH | F4 | 63.1 mi | 0 |
| 1960-09-19 15:50, as SPC files it | Glenwood | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for Fayette County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-07 | Bentonville, Fayette County | EF0 1.19 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2019-06-15 | Bentonville, Fayette County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 1999-05-17 | Bentonville, Fayette County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1976-08-25 | Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1973-06-26 | Fayette County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-03-19 | Fayette County | F2 2.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-04-25 | Fayette County | F4 21.6 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1960-09-19 | Fayette County | F3 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1955-03-11 | Fayette County | F2 14.1 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1954-03-19 | Fayette County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Fayette County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 19, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindAlpine, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindHarrisburg, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindFairview, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormFayette County · forecast zone Fayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter WeatherFayette County · forecast zone Fayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | Winter WeatherFayette County · forecast zone Fayette | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-01 | FloodAlpine, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindConnersville, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindEverton, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindConnersville, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-04-05 | FloodBentonville, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | $3K | |
| 2025-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindConnersville, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955-03-11 | TornadoFayette County | F2 14.1 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2024-08-01 | LightningConnersville, Fayette County A person carrying an aluminum umbrella pole was struck by lightning at a park pool. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1988-10-17 | Thunderstorm WindFayette County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindFayette County and Franklin County · forecast zone Fayette | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.0M |
| 1995-06-20 | HailConnersville, Fayette County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $87K |
| 2019-06-15 | TornadoBentonville, Fayette County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2024-05-07 | TornadoBentonville, Fayette County | EF0 1.19 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 1999-05-17 | TornadoBentonville, Fayette County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2025-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindBentonville, Fayette County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindFairview, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindConnersville, Fayette County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 25, 1961 (tornado, Fayette 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 Fayette 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 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 17 | 29 | 24 | 27 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 23 | 54 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 23 | 11 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 37 · Mar 39 · Apr 37 · May 37 · Jun 55 · Jul 31 · Aug 21 · Sep 7 · Oct 5 · Nov 13 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Fayette County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Fayette County: 10 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-25 | DR-4933 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2026-08-15 | EM-3651 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2002-09-25 | DR-1433 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1999-01-15 | EM-3135 | Snowstorm | In-Winter Storm 12/23/98 |
| 1998-07-22 | DR-1234 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1996-04-02 | DR-1109 | Flood | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1991-03-29 | DR-899 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 1991-01-05 | DR-891 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3028 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1968-07-30 | DR-247 | Flood | 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 Fayette County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 67 flood or flash flood records for Fayette County from 1996 to 2025, on 50 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Fayette County ranks 1766th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $498,000 on 40 claims filed in Fayette County; the most in one year was 24 in 2026. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 3 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2026: 24; 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 Fayette County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fayette County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.8 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 Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $663K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.8M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $49K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $156K | 4.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $491K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $33K | 1.1 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Fayette 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 Fayette CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Fayette County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis