LaPorte County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18091 · population 112,304 · 598 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 611 records for LaPorte County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 397 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (286 records). The deadliest single record is the March 17, 2017 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone La Porte, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1965, 17 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
- 611on 397 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1934 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $249Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 LaPorte County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 286 since 1956. 48% 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 | 286 | 165 | 1956-2026 | 1 | 2 | $4.9M | 59 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 149 | 134 | 1997-2026 | 9 | 6 | $44K | 28 of 91 |
| Hail | 92 | 58 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $126K | 69 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 24 | 1955-2026 | 1 | 13 | $242M | 69 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $22K | 41 of 91 |
| Floods | 12 | 12 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 87 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 8 | 1996-2024 | 3 | 0 | – | 53 of 91 |
| Lightning | 6 | 5 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 8 | $28K | 32 of 91 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 4 | 4 | 2010-2025 | 3 | 4 | – | 3 of 91 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2001-2013 | 2 | 0 | – | 25 of 91 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 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 LaPorte County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in LaPorte County from 1955 to 2026, the strongest rated EF3, with 1 death and 13 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 29 tornadoes whose track touched LaPorte County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-24 14:15, as SPC files it | Wanatah to Kingsbury | F2 | 35 mi | 1 |
| 1976-03-12 14:00, as SPC files it | Michigan to La Porte | F3 | 12.6 mi | 0 |
| 1965-04-11 17:10, as SPC files it | Hebron to Wanatah | F3 | 33.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for LaPorte County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | South Wanatah, LaPorte County | EF3 1.81 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-15 | Waterford, LaPorte County | EF1 3.21 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2016-03-24 | Kingsford Hgts, LaPorte County | EF0 0.51 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-03-24 | Kingsford Hgts, LaPorte County | EF0 0.94 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-03-24 | Thomaston, LaPorte County | EF0 0.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $92K |
| 2014-06-30 | Pinhook, LaPorte County | EF1 0.26 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-30 | Tracy, LaPorte County | EF1 4.72 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-08-04 | Rolling Prairie, LaPorte County | EF1 1.46 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-10-26 | Wanatah, LaPorte County | EF1 1.89 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2007-04-26 | Springville, LaPorte County | EF1 0.31 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 1 | $57K |
| 2007-04-26 | Springville, LaPorte County | EF1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2001-10-24 | Wanatah, LaPorte County | F2 33 mi x 1,760 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2001-08-25 | La Porte, LaPorte County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-07-19 | La Crosse, LaPorte County | F0 1.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-12 | Westville, LaPorte County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 1997-08-16 | La Porte, LaPorte County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-05 | LaPorte County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-07-19 | LaPorte County | F1 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-07-25 | LaPorte County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-06-07 | LaPorte County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-06-07 | LaPorte County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-10-06 | LaPorte County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-12 | LaPorte County | F3 12.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 7 | $250K step |
| 1965-04-25 | LaPorte County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-04-11 | LaPorte County | F3 18.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1960-05-21 | LaPorte County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-05-31 | LaPorte County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1958-05-31 | LaPorte County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1957-03-14 | LaPorte County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-03-03 | LaPorte County | F1 5.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $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 LaPorte County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | TornadoSouth Wanatah, LaPorte County | EF3 1.81 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindLa Porte, LaPorte County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindMagee, LaPorte County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindWanatah, LaPorte County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-27 | Strong WindLaPorte County · forecast zone Northern La Porte County | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindMill Creek, LaPorte County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2026-03-06 | HailWestville, LaPorte County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter StormLaPorte County · forecast zone Northern La Porte County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Winter WeatherLaPorte County · forecast zone Southern La Porte County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Lake-Effect SnowLaPorte County · forecast zone Southern La Porte County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Lake-Effect SnowLaPorte County · forecast zone Northern La Porte County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter WeatherLaPorte County · forecast zone Southern La Porte County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-03-17 | Winter WeatherLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte A wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain accompanied a warm front during the morning hours of March 17th. Ice and snow amounts were light, though enough to create slick spots on area roads. Several accidents and school delays were reported across the county. One accident around 8:00 am EDT, about 1 mile west of ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-08-22 | Rip CurrentLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte A father, his two sons and a family friend, were swimming about a half mile west of Washington Park Beach near the pier in Michigan City when they were pulled away from the shore by a strong rip current. The father and one of the sons was able to break away and make it safely out of the water. However, the other son, ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2008-01-19 | Cold/Wind ChillLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte Two deaths related to the cold temperatures were reported by local media outlets. A 61 year old woman was found deceased in her home in Michigan City as a result of hypothermia from exposure to the cold inside her home. Family members said that she had tried to conserve in the past for energy and may not have realized ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-02-13 | Winter StormLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte On average 9 to 12 inches of snow fell across the county. A report of 14 inches was received southwest of Laporte. A 19 year old woman was killed in a head on collision on US 20 just west of the Indiana 39 intersection, near Springville. Her vehicle slid on slippery roads and collided with a westbound pickup truck. ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2018-01-12 | Winter WeatherLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte A light mixture of freezing rain, sleet, and snow created slick roads during the morning hours of December 12th. Light ice and snow accumulations were reported. There were also numerous accidents across the region, with one fatal accident on the Indiana Toll Road around 7 am. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-12-12 | Lake-Effect SnowLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte Periods of heavy lake effect snow on December 12th led to total snowfall accumulations ranging between 2 and 7 inches across the county. There was a report of 5.5 inches of total snow accumulation near La Porte. Intense snowfall rates and wind gusts to 35 mph also reduced visibilities leading to whiteout conditions ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte Lake effect snow showers created hazardous driving conditions behind an arctic front February 18th into February 19th. There were reports of slide-offs and accidents across the region thanks to reduced visibilities and snow covered roads. Total snow accumulations were highly variable across the county, ranging from a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-02-14 | Winter StormLaPorte County · forecast zone La Porte Wind gusts up to 45 mph and snow squalls enhanced by Lake Michigan created near whiteout conditions at times on February 14th. Visibilities were reduced to less than 100 feet in heavier snow showers, with total snow accumulations generally ranging between 2 and 3 inches. This created difficult driving conditions with ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindMichigan City, LaPorte County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.2M |
| 2001-10-24 | TornadoWanatah, LaPorte County | F2 33 mi x 1,760 yd | 1 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2010-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindPine Lake, LaPorte County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2010-10-26 | TornadoWanatah, LaPorte County | EF1 1.89 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2018-02-20 | FloodMichigan City, LaPorte County | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 1998-08-24 | Thunderstorm WindLa Porte, LaPorte County | 0 | 0 | $453K | |
| 2009-07-28 | Flash FloodMichigan City, LaPorte County | 0 | 0 | $344K | |
| 2024-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindUnion Mills, LaPorte County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $94K |
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: April 11, 1965 (tornado, LaPorte 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 LaPorte 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 | 3 | 9 | 26 | 37 | 72 | 78 | 60 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 42 | 58 | 43 |
| Hail | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 17 | 26 | 19 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 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?
48% 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 69 · Feb 40 · Mar 57 · Apr 31 · May 69 · Jun 90 · Jul 98 · Aug 67 · Sep 10 · Oct 17 · Nov 25 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for LaPorte County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include LaPorte County: 12 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 2018-05-04 | DR-4363 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-04-22 | DR-1832 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-09-23 | DR-1795 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms 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 |
| 2001-01-24 | EM-3162 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-01-15 | EM-3135 | Snowstorm | In-Winter Storm 12/23/98 |
| 1998-05-08 | DR-1217 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 1965-04-14 | DR-189 | Tornado | Tornadoes & Severe Storms |
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 LaPorte County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 12 flood or flash flood records for LaPorte County from 1996 to 2025, on 12 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), LaPorte County ranks 1116th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $817,000 on 143 claims filed in LaPorte County; the most in one year was 22 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 4 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 8 · 1983: 13 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 6 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 4 · 1990: 8 · 1991: 4 · 1993: 22 · 1994: 6 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 5 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 4 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 2 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 13 · 2009: 9 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 9 · 2020: 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 LaPorte County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates LaPorte County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $37.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $10M | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $8.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $172K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $15M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $947K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $425K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $745K | once in about 802 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with LaPorte 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 LaPorte CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download LaPorte County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis