Indian River County, Florida
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 12061 · population 159,719 · 503 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 272 records for Indian River County, Florida from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 209 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (77 records). The deadliest single record is the September 20, 2003 lightning: 1 death and 4 injuries. FEMA has issued 35 declarations naming the county since 1977, 33 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Milton” on October 11, 2024.
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
- 272on 209 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1115 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.8Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 34strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 35latest 2024
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 Indian River County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 77 since 1960. The rank column places the county among Florida'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 | 77 | 70 | 1960-2023 | 0 | 2 | $1.7M | 44 of 67 |
| Hail | 67 | 54 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $968 | 17 of 67 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 28 | 1958-2024 | 0 | 1 | $60M | 32 of 67 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 29 | 20 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.7B | 21 of 67 |
| Floods | 19 | 18 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 1 | $22M | 33 of 67 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 14 | 14 | 1996-2025 | 9 | 0 | – | 13 of 67 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 13 | 13 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 67 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1997-2023 | 1 | 9 | $2.4M | 35 of 67 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 4 | 2009-2010 | 0 | 0 | $9.6M | 24 of 67 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 4 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 67 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 1 | 2 | – | 44 of 67 |
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 Indian River County had?
NOAA records 34 tornadoes in Indian River County from 1958 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 32nd of 67 Florida counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 35 tornadoes whose track touched Indian River County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 34: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people, 0 of them in Indian River County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-09 14:59, as SPC files it | Port St. Lucie | EF3 | 21.24 mi | 6 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Florida.
Every tornado record filed for Indian River County (34)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-09 | Blue Cypress Lake, Indian River County | EF0 3.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-10-09 | Oslo, Indian River County | EF0 2.92 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2024-10-09 | Oslo, Indian River County | EF2 8.27 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $37M |
| 2024-10-09 | Vero Beach, Indian River County | EF1 3.44 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2024-10-09 | Vero Lake Estates, Indian River County | EF1 4.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.5M |
| 2024-10-09 | Apoxsee, Indian River County | EF0 0.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2024-10-09 | Blue Cypress Lake, Indian River County | EFU 6.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-10-17 | Oslo, Indian River County | EF0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $143K |
| 2021-02-06 | River Bridge, Indian River County | EF0 0.14 mi x 65 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-08-18 | Blue Cypress Lake, Indian River County | EF0 0.18 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-17 | Oslo, Indian River County | EF1 0.13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $486K |
| 2012-08-27 | Vero Beach Airpark, Indian River County | EF0 1.61 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $643K |
| 2011-10-18 | Florida Ridge, Indian River County | EF0 0.14 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2010-06-18 | Vero Beach Airpark, Indian River County | EF0 0.02 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-07-12 | Vero Beach Airpark, Indian River County | EF0 0.44 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-25 | Vero Beach, Indian River County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2002-12-13 | Wabasso, Indian River County | F1 1.2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 1 | $189K |
| 2001-09-14 | Sebastian, Indian River County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2001-06-24 | Sebastian, Indian River County | F1 2 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | $333K |
| 1998-09-25 | Sebastian, Indian River County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1996-03-31 | Vero Beach, Indian River County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-27 | Indian River County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1987-07-12 | Indian River County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-05-25 | Indian River County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-05-24 | Indian River County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-08-20 | Indian River County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-09-03 | Indian River County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-10-04 | Indian River County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-04-08 | Indian River County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-02-03 | Indian River County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-07-23 | Indian River County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1966-06-18 | Indian River County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1963-11-10 | Indian River County | F2 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-06-27 | Indian River County | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Indian River County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 9, 2025 rip current (1 death).
Local media report that an 18 year old male from Indian River County drowned when he was caught in a rip current at Treasure Shores Beach Park.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1244088)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-24 | HailRiver Bridge, Indian River County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-09 | Rip CurrentIndian River County · forecast zone Coastal Indian River | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-05 | HailVero Beach Airpark, Indian River County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoBlue Cypress Lake, Indian River County | EF0 3.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoOslo, Indian River County | EF0 2.92 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoOslo, Indian River County | EF2 8.27 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $37M |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoVero Beach, Indian River County | EF1 3.44 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoVero Lake Estates, Indian River County | EF1 4.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.5M |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoApoxsee, Indian River County | EF0 0.92 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoBlue Cypress Lake, Indian River County | EFU 6.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-11-16 | FloodFellsmere, Indian River County | 0 | 0 | $387K | |
| 2023-08-14 | LightningSebastian, Indian River County | 0 | 2 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-09-20 | LightningWabasso, Indian River County A 49 year old woman was struck and killed by lightning while standing on a soccer field. About 20 other people were knocked to the ground by the strike. Four other people were transported to a local hospital. This was the first lightning ground stroke of the day in the area as showers began moving inland from the ... | 1 | 4 | – | |
| 2014-03-13 | Strong WindIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River A sudden wind increase following passage of a cold front led to steepening waves over open waters. A fishing boat within the Stick Marsh in Indian River County was swamped by the waves, estimated at two to three feet. There were three occupants onboard the boat. One person succumbed to the cold water and likely died ... | 26 kt wind | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2025-05-09 | Rip CurrentIndian River County · forecast zone Coastal Indian River Local media report that an 18 year old male from Indian River County drowned when he was caught in a rip current at Treasure Shores Beach Park. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-09-30 | Rip CurrentIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River Following a 9-1-1, police discovered bystanders giving CPR to a man on Vero Beach. After being transported to a local hospital, the man later died due to drowning. The 25 year old man was from South Korea, but had been living in Vero Beach. A high threat of rip currents existed in the surf zone due to long period ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-09-13 | Rip CurrentIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River A 32-year-old man entered the surf with a friend. He was later observed to be in distress alone about 100 yards offshore and then disappeared from view. After a two-day search, his body was located during the afternoon of September 15 near where he was last seen. The fatality was a result of drowning. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-12-29 | High SurfIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River A 58-year old man from New York was standing in the ocean facing the shoreline when a large wave crashed into him from behind. Rescuers found the man face down in the water and performed CPR on him until medical crews arrived and transported him to a local hospital, where he died the following day. An autopsy revealed ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-04-03 | High SurfIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River A pontoon boat capsized west of Sebastian Inlet near the Indian River Lagoon. North winds and an outgoing tide combined to create rough seas. When the boat capsized, a 70-year old man apparently become entangled in boat material and drowned. Three other occupants of the boat were rescued by nearby boaters. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-03-14 | Rip CurrentIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River A 17-year old male from the local area was swimming outside the guarded beach at Jaycee Beach Park in Vero Beach. Rip currents, rough surf and a south-to-north longshore current were present throughout the day. The swimmer was likely caught within a rip current around 1600 EST and drowned. His body was recovered in ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoOslo, Indian River County | EF2 8.27 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $37M |
| 2005-10-24 | Tropical StormBrevard County and Indian River County · forecast zone Indian River | 0 | 0 | $35M | |
| 2016-10-06 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Indian River County · forecast zone Indian River | 0 | 0 | $19M | |
| 1999-10-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Brevard County and Indian River County · forecast zone Indian River | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 2016-10-06 | Storm Surge/TideIndian River County · forecast zone Indian River | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2012-10-27 | Coastal FloodBrevard County and Indian River County · forecast zone Indian River | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoVero Beach, Indian River County | EF1 3.44 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2024-10-09 | TornadoVero Lake Estates, Indian River County | EF1 4.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $7.5M |
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: September 3, 1979 (tornado, Indian River 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 Indian River 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 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 7 | 12 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 23 | 10 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 8 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | 9 | 1 |
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 Indian River County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 7 · Feb 13 · Mar 29 · Apr 24 · May 32 · Jun 42 · Jul 19 · Aug 24 · Sep 41 · Oct 25 · Nov 11 · Dec 5 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Indian River County
FEMA's register lists 35 declarations that include Indian River County: 19 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (22) and fire (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10-11 | DR-4834 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2024-10-07 | EM-3622 | Hurricane | Hurricane Milton |
| 2022-12-13 | DR-4680 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nicole |
| 2022-11-08 | EM-3587 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Nicole |
| 2022-09-29 | DR-4673 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-24 | EM-3584 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ian |
| 2020-08-01 | EM-3533 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4486 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3432 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-10-21 | DR-4468 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2019-08-30 | EM-3419 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2017-09-10 | DR-4337 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-05 | EM-3385 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-10-08 | DR-4283 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-06 | EM-3377 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2008-08-21 | EM-3288 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Fay |
| 2007-06-27 | FM-2696 | Fire | Okeechobee Fire Complex |
| 2005-10-24 | DR-1609 | Hurricane | Hurricane Wilma |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3220 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-26 | DR-1561 | Hurricane | Hurricane Jeanne |
| 2004-09-16 | DR-1551 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-04 | DR-1545 | Hurricane | Hurricane Frances |
| 2004-08-13 | DR-1539 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley |
| 2001-02-19 | FM-2354 | Fire | Fl - Okeechobee Complex Fire |
| 2001-02-05 | DR-1359 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1999-10-20 | DR-1306 | Hurricane | Fl-Hurricane Irene-Dr-Req |
| 1999-10-15 | EM-3150 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene - Florida |
| 1999-09-22 | DR-1300 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-14 | EM-3143 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1999-04-27 | EM-3139 | Fire | Fl-Fires 04/15/99 |
| 1999-04-15 | FM-2251 | Fire | Okeechobee Fire Complex |
| 1998-06-18 | DR-1223 | Fire | Extreme Fire Hazard |
| 1990-01-15 | DR-851 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1985-03-18 | DR-732 | Freezing | Severe Freeze |
| 1977-01-31 | DR-526 | Freezing | Severe Winter Weather |
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 Indian River County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 19 flood or flash flood records for Indian River County from 1999 to 2024, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Indian River County ranks 126th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma | 2017-09-10 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-06 | 2 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Fay | 2008-08-19 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Wilma | 2005-10-24 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Frances | 2004-09-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 1999-10-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $67.0 million on 3,349 claims filed in Indian River County; the most in one year was 2,226 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 3 · 1979: 70 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 5 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 39 · 1985: 2 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 14 · 1992: 5 · 1993: 21 · 1994: 46 · 1995: 30 · 1996: 12 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 139 · 2000: 7 · 2001: 10 · 2002: 42 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 2,226 · 2005: 49 · 2006: 3 · 2007: 14 · 2008: 111 · 2009: 11 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 72 · 2012: 16 · 2013: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2015: 8 · 2016: 106 · 2017: 128 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 71 · 2025: 5; 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 Indian River County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Indian River County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $163 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Very High | $132M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.4M | 77 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $23M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $835K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $863K | once in about 130 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $555K | 2 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 Indian River 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 FloridaEvery Florida tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in FloridaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Florida recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Indian River CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Indian River County's FEMA declarations (CSV)35 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis