Martin County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18101 · population 9,780 · 336 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 244 records for Martin County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 204 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (97 records). The deadliest single record is the June 25, 2023 tornado: 1 death, 1 injury and $1.1 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1979, 14 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
- 244on 204 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 47 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $40Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Martin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 97 since 1957. 45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in May and June. 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 | 97 | 82 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 2 | $3.2M | 76 of 91 |
| Floods | 52 | 47 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $28M | 38 of 91 |
| Hail | 33 | 26 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 85 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 29 | 29 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 76 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 9 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 5 | $8.5M | 84 of 91 |
| Drought | 10 | 10 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $941 | 80 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 91 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 91 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1996-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 91 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | $132K | 64 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 Martin County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Martin County from 1958 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 5 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 Martin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-25 14:34, as SPC files it | Alfordsville | EF2 | 9.12 mi | 1 |
| 2005-11-15 14:40, as SPC files it | Washington | F3 | 12 mi | 0 |
| 1990-06-02 17:19, as SPC files it | Montgomery to Loogootee | F3 | 7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for Martin County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-21 | Dover Hill, Martin County | EF0 2.02 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2024-07-09 | Dover Hill, Martin County | EF0 1.77 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2023-06-25 | Hindostan Falls, Martin County | EF2 8.07 mi x 565 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.1M |
| 2023-06-25 | Crane, Martin County | EF1 0.77 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 2005-11-15 | Bramble, Martin County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $756K |
| 1995-05-18 | Se Martin, Martin County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 1990-06-02 | Martin County | F4 14.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1990-06-02 | Martin County | F3 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-07-19 | Martin County | F0 0.2 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-05-30 | Martin County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-28 | Martin County | F1 0.4 mi x 33 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 Martin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2026 flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | FloodWhitfield, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodNatchez, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-21 | Flash FloodDover Hill, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-06-21 | TornadoDover Hill, Martin County | EF0 2.02 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindNatchez, Martin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindDover Hill, Martin County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindBramble, Martin County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-27 | HailBramble, Martin County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | HailIndian Sprs, Martin County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailWhitfield, Martin County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailLoogootee, Martin County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-09 | FloodShoals, Martin County | 1 | 0 | $20K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-25 | TornadoHindostan Falls, Martin County A supercell thunderstorm spawned this fourth and final tornado of the day, which tracked in an overall east-southeastern direction across primarily far southern Martin County, before entering northeastern Dubois County for its final 1 mile. The tornado's intensity varied from EF0/EF1 damage along its first 3 miles, to ... | EF2 8.07 mi x 565 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.1M |
| 2026-03-09 | FloodShoals, Martin County The East Fork White River, rising amid moderate flood stage at Shoals, inundated Sprout Springs Road, which swept an elderly man's truck off the road on the 9th, and while the vehicle's passenger was later rescued from a tree vine, search efforts continued for the man through following days. | 1 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2008-03-20 | FloodNatchez, Martin County An elderly man drowned after driving into floodwaters while he was on his way to a doctor's appointment. The 85 year old male was pulled from a flooded area near the Lost River. His body was found about 70 feet away from his car in four and a half feet of water. His death was ruled an accidental drowning. Flooding ... | 1 | 0 | $14K | |
| 2008-02-06 | FloodMt Olive, Martin County Flooding occurred across Low Gap Road in Martin County. A 46 year old man drove into high water on Low Gap Road that was flooded from Indian Creek. The man drowned in the flood waters around 10 pm EST. His vehicle was swept 100 yards downstream and submerged. | 1 | 0 | $14K | |
| 1990-06-02 | TornadoMartin County | F4 14.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindWillow Vly, Martin County Thunderstorm wind gusts downed many trees along Williams Road NE of Shoals. One tree fell on a house injuring 1 person. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $20K |
| 2017-03-01 | Thunderstorm WindNatchez, Martin County A large tree was downed onto a home due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. One person sustained non-life threatening injuries. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $19K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-10 | FloodShoals, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 1999-01-27 | FloodDaviess County and Martin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 1993-10-09 | Thunderstorm WindMartin County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2023-06-25 | TornadoHindostan Falls, Martin County | EF2 8.07 mi x 565 yd | 1 | 1 | $1.1M |
| 2005-11-15 | TornadoBramble, Martin County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $756K |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodDaviess County and Martin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | $378K | |
| 2023-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindHindostan Falls, Martin County | 67 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $194K |
| 2023-06-25 | TornadoCrane, Martin County | EF1 0.77 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
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: June 2, 1990 (tornado, Martin 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 Martin 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 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 26 | 9 | 8 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 18 · Feb 16 · Mar 21 · Apr 33 · May 37 · Jun 47 · Jul 30 · Aug 13 · Sep 6 · Oct 6 · Nov 4 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Martin County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Martin County: 12 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and flood (3).
| 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 |
| 2011-06-23 | DR-1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and |
| 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 |
| 1996-07-03 | DR-1125 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1991-01-05 | DR-891 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1990-06-04 | DR-869 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-07-31 | DR-596 | 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 Martin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 52 flood or flash flood records for Martin County from 1996 to 2026, on 47 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Martin County ranks 2245th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $212,000 on 14 claims filed in Martin County; the most in one year was 5 in 2005. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 5 · 2006: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 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 Martin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Martin County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Low | $86K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $410K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $36K | 7.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $653K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $28K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $351K | once in about 320 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $181K | 6 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 Martin 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 Martin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Martin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis