Washington County, Indiana
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 18175 · population 28,144 · 514 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 368 records for Washington County, Indiana from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 241 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (167 records). The deadliest single record is the March 2, 2012 tornado: 5 deaths and $2.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1974, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 15, 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
- 368on 241 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1026 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $58Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 34strongest F5
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Washington County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 167 since 1969. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 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 | 167 | 119 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 79 of 91 |
| Floods | 71 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $6.3M | 61 of 91 |
| Hail | 52 | 39 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 0 | $147K | 87 of 91 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 26 | 1956-2025 | 8 | 26 | $49M | 38 of 91 |
| Winter storms | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 89 of 91 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2016-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 of 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 91 of 91 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2009-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 91 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $125K | 77 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 Washington County had?
NOAA records 34 tornadoes in Washington County from 1956 to 2025, the strongest rated F5, with 8 deaths and 26 injuries recorded in the county. That is 38th of 91 Indiana 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 Washington 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 19 people, 8 of them in Washington County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-02 13:50, as SPC files it | New PekinCrossed IN, KY | EF4 | 46.6 mi | 11 |
| 1974-04-03 13:20, as SPC files it | Daisy Hill | F5 | 68 mi | 6 |
| 1963-03-19 15:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F1 | 0.1 mi | 2 |
| 1990-06-02 20:25, as SPC files it | Crothersville | F3 | 41 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Indiana.
Every tornado record filed for Washington County (34)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-02 | Shorts Corner, Washington County | EF2 14.64 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-08-07 | Salem Municipal Airport, Washington County | EF1 1.78 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-18 | Becks Mill, Washington County | EF1 5.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-10-15 | Blue River, Washington County | EF0 2.7 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-03-14 | Mt Carmel, Washington County | EF0 3 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2018-07-20 | Salem, Washington County | EF0 1.1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2017-11-05 | Canton, Washington County | EF1 0.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2017-11-05 | Salem, Washington County | EF1 0.25 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2017-11-05 | Livonia, Washington County | EF0 0.59 mi x 325 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2017-03-01 | Saltillo, Washington County | EF1 5.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 2012-03-02 | Freddricksburg, Washington County | EF4 17.35 mi x 800 yd | 5 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2011-05-25 | Mt Carmel, Washington County | EF1 2.4 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2011-05-25 | Saltillo, Washington County | EF1 1.23 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-19 | Salem, Washington County | EF0 0.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-19 | Livonia, Washington County | EF0 1.23 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-19 | Livonia, Washington County | EF1 1.54 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-19 | New Philadelphia, Washington County | EF0 4.01 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-01-29 | Becks Mill, Washington County | EF1 10.71 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $151K |
| 2004-05-30 | Salem, Washington County | F1 10.6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $187K |
| 2004-05-27 | Salem, Washington County | F1 8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 2000-01-03 | Freddricksburg, Washington County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $81K |
| 1995-05-27 | Campbellsburg, Washington County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $968 |
| 1990-06-02 | Washington County | F2 4.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1990-06-02 | Washington County | F3 8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-06-02 | Washington County | F0 3.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-03-10 | Washington County | F2 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-04-05 | Washington County | F2 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-04-03 | Washington County | F5 5.7 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 12 | – |
| 1967-12-11 | Washington County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-03-19 | Washington County | F1 | 2 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1963-03-16 | Washington County | F2 1 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-04-20 | Washington County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-04-03 | Washington County | F2 | 0 | 12 | $2.5M step |
| 1956-03-07 | Washington County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 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 Washington County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 5, 2025 winter storm (1 death).
Heavy snowfall of 6 to 12 inches occurred across Washington County, with the heaviest accumulation reported from the southern part of the county. Washington County also received light ice accumulation of around 0.10 inches.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1232689)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodBecks Mill, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodNew Pekin, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodFreddricksburg, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodHitchcock Station, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodMartinsburg, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-26 | Flash FloodMartinsburg, Washington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Boston, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindSalem Municipal Airport, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindSmedley, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindShorts Corner, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPlattsburg, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindFreddricksburg, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoFreddricksburg, Washington County This EF-4 tornado that ultimately stayed on the ground for 49 miles across several counties touched down just south of Fredricksburg. Several trees were snapped off with estimated EF-1 damage along a path of 30 yards wide along the south fork of the Blue Lick River. After crossing farmland, the tornado widened and ... | EF4 17.35 mi x 800 yd | 5 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 1963-03-19 | TornadoWashington County | F1 | 2 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-04-03 | TornadoWashington County | F5 5.7 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 12 | – |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington Heavy snowfall of 6 to 12 inches occurred across Washington County, with the heaviest accumulation reported from the southern part of the county. Washington County also received light ice accumulation of around 0.10 inches. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-01-17 | FloodMillport, Washington County Recent heavy rains brought the East Fork of the White River above flood Stage. A man drowned around 8 pm Thursday evening January 18th after attempting to drive south from Jackson County into Washington County across a water covered bridge 1 mile east of Sparksville. His car was found on January 20th, and his body was ... | 1 | 0 | $21K | |
| 1956-04-03 | TornadoWashington County | F2 | 0 | 12 | $2.5M step |
| 1990-06-02 | TornadoWashington County | F2 4.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-03-18 | FloodFreddricksburg, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoFreddricksburg, Washington County | EF4 17.35 mi x 800 yd | 5 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2004-05-27 | TornadoSalem, Washington County | F1 8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 2006-03-11 | FloodFreddricksburg, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $732K | |
| 2017-11-05 | TornadoSalem, Washington County | EF1 0.25 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 1996-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindSalem, Washington County | 0 | 0 | $282K | |
| 2002-11-10 | Thunderstorm WindFreddricksburg, Washington County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $246K |
| 2017-11-05 | TornadoCanton, Washington County | EF1 0.5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
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: April 3, 1956 (tornado, Washington County); April 5, 1985 (tornado, Washington County); March 10, 1986 (tornado, Washington 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 Washington 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 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 44 | 46 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 21 | 26 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 21 | 15 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 6 | 17 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 25 · Mar 45 · Apr 58 · May 64 · Jun 64 · Jul 38 · Aug 11 · Sep 5 · Oct 5 · Nov 15 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washington County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Washington County: 15 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-15 | EM-3651 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2012-03-09 | DR-4058 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2008-06-08 | DR-1766 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2004-06-03 | 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 |
| 1996-04-02 | DR-1109 | Flood | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1992-08-17 | DR-953 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flash Flooding |
| 1990-06-04 | DR-869 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Washington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 71 flood or flash flood records for Washington County from 1996 to 2026, on 41 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washington County ranks 1596th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.7 million on 58 claims filed in Washington County; the most in one year was 13 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1988: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 12 · 2005: 4 · 2006: 4 · 2008: 13 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 2 · 2025: 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 Washington County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washington County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $100K | 9.7 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $704K | once in about 362 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $220K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.1M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $289K | 5.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $724K | 1.4 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 Washington 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 Washington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis