Spencer County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18147 · population 19,789 · 397 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 785 records for Spencer County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 677 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (154 records). 450 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The most damaging was the January 26, 2009 winter storm ($8.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1979, 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
- 785on 677 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest EF1
- 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 Spencer County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 154 since 1955. 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 | 154 | 127 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 2 | $2.4M | 43 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 120 | 120 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $8.5M | 10 of 91 |
| Floods | 89 | 83 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 25 of 91 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 80 | 79 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 91 |
| Hail | 75 | 60 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 70 | 69 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 4 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 70 | 70 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | 5 of 91 |
| Heat | 68 | 68 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 91 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 1999-2016 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 6 of 91 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 19 | 2005-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 18 | 1982-2023 | 0 | 0 | $561K | 57 of 91 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 1 | $7K | 72 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 Spencer County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Spencer County from 1982 to 2023, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Spencer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 24 people, 0 of them in Spencer County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-11-06 01:39, as SPC files it | EvansvilleCrossed IN, KY | F3 | 41.3 mi | 24 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for Spencer County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-05 | Centerville, Spencer County | EF0 3.05 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2023-03-03 | Dale, Spencer County | EF1 2.34 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $48K |
| 2021-10-15 | Gentryville, Spencer County | EF1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $54K |
| 2021-06-08 | Chrisney, Spencer County | EF0 0.13 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-12-31 | Mariah Hill, Spencer County | EF1 2.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2018-09-08 | Newtonville, Spencer County | EF0 0.02 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-11-18 | Lake Mill, Spencer County | EF1 2.38 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $84K |
| 2015-12-23 | Pueblo, Spencer County | EF0 2.05 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2015-04-07 | Pigeon, Spencer County | EF1 2.99 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2011-06-26 | St Meinrad, Spencer County | EF1 1.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $79K |
| 2009-06-11 | Eureka, Spencer County | EF0 0.56 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2005-11-06 | Gentryville, Spencer County | F0 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2001-07-29 | Gentryville, Spencer County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-03 | Dale, Spencer County | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1994-04-15 | Eureka, Spencer County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-06 | Spencer County | F0 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-05-19 | Spencer County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1982-05-31 | Spencer County | F0 | 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 Spencer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 8, 2026 strong wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-25 | Dense FogSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-27 | Dense FogSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Dense FogSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Dense FogSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Cold/Wind ChillSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-08 | Strong WindSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-11-24 | Dense FogSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-22 | Dense FogSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-10 | Winter WeatherSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindSpencer County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-02-24 | LightningNewtonville, Spencer County A stray bolt of lightning from an isolated storm entered a house through the telephone line. A 64-year-old man was knocked across his living room. Almost every window was shattered. The television set exploded. The man received a concussion and a damaged eardrum. | 0 | 1 | $7K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-26 | Winter StormSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8.2M |
| 2004-05-25 | Flash FloodDale, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 1996-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindDale, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | $376K | |
| 2008-03-18 | FloodRichland, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | $343K | |
| 2011-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindEureka, Spencer County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2018-07-20 | Thunderstorm WindHatfield, Spencer County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 1996-05-03 | TornadoDale, Spencer County | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 31, 1982 (tornado, Spencer 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 Spencer 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 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 19 | 38 | 52 | 17 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 41 | 46 | 23 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 41 | 24 | 12 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 4 | 10 | 39 z | 27 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 37 | 12 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 24 | 25 | 18 |
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds in the 2010s: 39 records against 10 in the decade before, 35 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Spencer County days with a record above.
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 Spencer County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 89 · Feb 81 · Mar 61 · Apr 87 · May 81 · Jun 70 · Jul 88 · Aug 41 · Sep 29 · Oct 37 · Nov 46 · Dec 75 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Spencer County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Spencer County: 11 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (4).
| 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 |
| 2018-05-04 | DR-4363 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-06-23 | DR-1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and |
| 2009-03-05 | DR-1828 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-09-23 | DR-1795 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3238 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 |
| 1997-03-06 | DR-1165 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-04-02 | DR-1109 | Flood | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1991-01-05 | DR-891 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Spencer County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 89 flood or flash flood records for Spencer County from 1996 to 2025, on 83 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Spencer County ranks 1710th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $408,000 on 45 claims filed in Spencer County; the most in one year was 26 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 26 · 2001: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 5 · 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 Spencer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Spencer County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $249K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $964K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.4M | once in about 197 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $313K | 6.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $371K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.5M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $479K | 8 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.0M | 2.9 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 Spencer 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 Spencer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Spencer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis