Tippecanoe County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18157 · population 186,025 · 499 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 754 records for Tippecanoe County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 452 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (301 records). The deadliest single record is the April 26, 1994 tornado: 3 deaths, 70 injuries and $10.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1974, 12 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
- 754on 452 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 498 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $85Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 55strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Tippecanoe County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 301 since 1959. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1959 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 | 301 | 196 | 1959-2026 | 1 | 11 | $3.1M | 20 of 91 |
| Floods | 145 | 117 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $40M | 17 of 91 |
| Hail | 132 | 83 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $8.8M | 24 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 46 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $204K | 68 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 55 | 42 | 1953-2025 | 3 | 87 | $32M | 3 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 13 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $30K | 50 of 91 |
| Drought | 17 | 12 | 2010-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 7 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 91 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2008 | 0 | 0 | $15K | 34 of 91 |
| Heat | 3 | 2 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 91 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 91 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 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 Tippecanoe County had?
NOAA records 55 tornadoes in Tippecanoe County from 1953 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 3 deaths and 87 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd of 91 Indiana counties and 91st of 3,080 U.S. 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 58 tornadoes whose track touched Tippecanoe County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 55: 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, 3 of them in Tippecanoe County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 15:45, as SPC files it | Monticello to Rochester | F4 | 108.7 mi | 18 |
| 1994-04-26 22:58, as SPC files it | West Lafayette | F4 | 14 mi | 3 |
| 1953-04-09 17:15, as SPC files it | Frankfort to EatonCrossed IL, IN | F3 | 156.7 mi | 3 |
| 1976-03-20 15:20, as SPC files it | Montmorenci to Pittsburg | F4 | 16.7 mi | 0 |
| 1965-04-11 18:07, as SPC files it | Mulberry | F4 | 21.8 mi | 0 |
| 2013-11-17 13:54, as SPC files it | Lafayette | EF3 | 37.91 mi | 0 |
| 1978-06-25 17:00, as SPC files it | Lafayette | F3 | 27.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for Tippecanoe County (55)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-18 | Klondyke, Tippecanoe County | EF0 0.34 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2025-06-18 | West Pt, Tippecanoe County | EF0 0.56 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2021-06-25 | Pettit, Tippecanoe County | EF1 0.77 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2018-04-03 | Lafayette Aretz Airport, Tippecanoe County | EF0 0.64 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2017-11-18 | Dayton, Tippecanoe County | EF0 0.32 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2016-08-15 | Cairo, Tippecanoe County | EF0 0.51 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2016-03-31 | Meadowbrook, Tippecanoe County | EF1 0.14 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $61K |
| 2015-07-17 | Monroe, Tippecanoe County | EF1 0.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2015-07-17 | Stockwell, Tippecanoe County | EF1 0.21 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2013-11-17 | Montmorencie, Tippecanoe County | EF1 3.89 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2013-11-17 | North Crane, Tippecanoe County | EF3 8.69 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $950K |
| 2013-11-17 | Odell, Tippecanoe County | EF2 1.83 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2013-11-17 | South Raub, Tippecanoe County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2013-11-17 | South Raub, Tippecanoe County | EF2 3.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $158K |
| 2013-11-17 | Concord, Tippecanoe County | EF1 2.87 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2011-04-19 | Buck Creek, Tippecanoe County | EF0 2.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2011-04-19 | Taylors, Tippecanoe County | EF1 0.71 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2006-06-25 | Odell, Tippecanoe County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2006-04-14 | Americus, Tippecanoe County | F1 2.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2006-04-14 | Cairo, Tippecanoe County | F0 3.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-02 | Romney, Tippecanoe County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $73K |
| 2005-07-26 | Dayton, Tippecanoe County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2004-05-30 | Dayton, Tippecanoe County | F2 1.8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2004-05-30 | Romney, Tippecanoe County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-21 | Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-09-28 | Battle Ground, Tippecanoe County | F1 3.8 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 1 | $531K |
| 1998-07-04 | West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | F1 8 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $362K |
| 1996-01-18 | Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | F0 3.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-04-26 | Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | F4 13 mi x 100 yd | 3 | 70 | $10.0M |
| 1991-03-27 | Tippecanoe County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1981-06-24 | Tippecanoe County | F1 1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-06-07 | Tippecanoe County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-07-02 | Tippecanoe County | F1 8.3 mi x 170 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-06-25 | Tippecanoe County | F3 18 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-06-25 | Tippecanoe County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-04-23 | Tippecanoe County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-04-10 | Tippecanoe County | F2 8 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-20 | Tippecanoe County | F4 13.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1976-03-12 | Tippecanoe County | F1 5.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-04-01 | Tippecanoe County | F2 1.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-06-12 | Tippecanoe County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1973-06-12 | Tippecanoe County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-29 | Tippecanoe County | F0 17.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1971-03-19 | Tippecanoe County | F2 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-05-15 | Tippecanoe County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-06-24 | Tippecanoe County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-09-14 | Tippecanoe County | F2 1.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-04-11 | Tippecanoe County | F4 6.9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 10 | – |
| 1963-06-10 | Tippecanoe County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1963-04-22 | Tippecanoe County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-03-06 | Tippecanoe County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1956-04-03 | Tippecanoe County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-06-13 | Tippecanoe County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Tippecanoe County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-16 | HailMontmorencie, Tippecanoe County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLafayette, Tippecanoe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Tippecanoe County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $100K |
| 2026-06-10 | HailElston, Tippecanoe County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindMonitor, Tippecanoe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindPurdue Univ Laf, Tippecanoe County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLafayette, Tippecanoe County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindPurdue Univ Laf, Tippecanoe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindPurdue Univ Laf, Tippecanoe County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtTippecanoe County · forecast zone Tippecanoe | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindTippecanoe County · forecast zone Tippecanoe | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtTippecanoe County · forecast zone Tippecanoe | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-04-26 | TornadoLafayette, Tippecanoe County The path of the tornado was intermittent. The tornado touched down northwest of Lafayette just before midnight, and then moved northeast at a forward speed of about 60 mph. The tornado crossed into Carroll County at 1212 EST and then lifted. Eleven single family homes were destroyed, and 17 homes sustained major ... | F4 13 mi x 100 yd | 3 | 70 | $10.0M |
| 2011-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindWelborn Airport, Tippecanoe County Thunderstorm wind gusts downed a 12 to 18 diameter tree fell on a vehicle traveling southbound on State Route 43, just north of West Lafayette. Two individuals were in the vehicle, with one fatality and one injury. Winds were estimated at 45 to 50 mph. | 43 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $13K |
| 1965-04-11 | TornadoTippecanoe County | F4 6.9 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 10 | – |
| 1976-03-20 | TornadoTippecanoe County | F4 13.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCairo, Tippecanoe County Two semis blown over by thunderstorm wind gusts on I-65. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $100K |
| 1989-05-25 | Thunderstorm WindTippecanoe County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2009-03-08 | Thunderstorm WindDayton, Tippecanoe County A semi-trailer was blown off Interstate 65 by thunderstorm winds. The driver was traveling north on I-65 about 10 miles north of Frankfort when the wind forced his empty vehicle off the road, tearing the roof open. The driver sustained minor injuries. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $17K |
| 2006-10-03 | Thunderstorm WindLafayette, Tippecanoe County Thunderstorm winds blew a tree down on top of a mobile home, destroying the dwelling and injuring the occupant. Power outages were caused by wind in the area as well. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $15K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-07-05 | FloodTippecanoe County and White County · forecast zone Tippecanoe | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2003-07-05 | FloodTippecanoe County and White County · forecast zone Tippecanoe | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 1994-04-26 | TornadoLafayette, Tippecanoe County | F4 13 mi x 100 yd | 3 | 70 | $10.0M |
| 2004-05-30 | TornadoDayton, Tippecanoe County | F2 1.8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoNorth Crane, Tippecanoe County | EF3 8.69 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $950K |
| 2005-01-03 | FloodTippecanoe County and White County · forecast zone Tippecanoe | 0 | 0 | $907K | |
| 2004-06-12 | Flash FloodCountywide, Tippecanoe County | 0 | 0 | $703K | |
| 2008-01-08 | FloodWest Lafayette, Tippecanoe County | 0 | 0 | $685K |
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: March 20, 1976 (tornado, Tippecanoe 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 Tippecanoe 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 | 5 | 14 | 26 | 28 | 76 | 110 | 41 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 33 | 101 | 11 | 0 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 38 | 61 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 28 | 13 | 10 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
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 1959 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 52 · Feb 41 · Mar 52 · Apr 86 · May 91 · Jun 168 · Jul 78 · Aug 78 · Sep 25 · Oct 18 · Nov 33 · Dec 32 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Tippecanoe County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Tippecanoe County: 9 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2008-06-08 | DR-1766 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2004-06-03 | DR-1520 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-07-11 | DR-1476 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1999-01-15 | EM-3135 | Snowstorm | In-Winter Storm 12/23/98 |
| 1991-03-29 | DR-899 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 1991-01-05 | DR-891 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-423 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Tippecanoe County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 145 flood or flash flood records for Tippecanoe County from 1996 to 2019, on 117 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Tippecanoe County ranks 893rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.2 million on 218 claims filed in Tippecanoe County; the most in one year was 41 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 8 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 4 · 1985: 7 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 11 · 1991: 3 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 2 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 1 · 2003: 41 · 2004: 13 · 2005: 17 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 22 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 9 · 2011: 7 · 2013: 31 · 2014: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2024: 1 · 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 Tippecanoe County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Tippecanoe County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $49.5 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 | $14M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $754K | 9.5 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.7M | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 4.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.1M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $21M | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $459K | 46 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 Tippecanoe 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 Tippecanoe CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Tippecanoe County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis