Indiana rip currents and high surf
Every recorded rip current or surf record since 1996 · 3 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 29 rip current and surf records in Indiana from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 2.0 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the July 9, 2016 rip current in Lake County: 3 deaths and 3 injuries. Indiana ranks 20th of 34 states and territories by count and 18th of 34 per square mile.
Rip currents and high surf in Indiana, 1996 to 2026
Surf records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 291996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 2.0average
- Deaths
- 2920 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- –as filed
- Busiest year
- 20204 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are rip current and surf records common in Indiana?
Indiana averages about 2.0 rip current and surf records a year since 2000, 20th of 34 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2020 (4). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Indiana records 8.1 rip current and surf records since 1996, 18th of 34 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Indiana have the most rip current and surf records?
Per square mile, Porter County leads Indiana: 17 days with a rip current or surf record since 1996, 40.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Porter County has the most surf records (19 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the surf season in Indiana?
69% of its rip current and surf records since 1996 fell in July and August. The busiest month is August (11 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 0 · Feb 0 · Mar 0 · Apr 0 · May 0 · Jun 7 · Jul 9 · Aug 11 · Sep 2 · Oct 0 · Nov 0 · Dec 0 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest rip current and surf records in Indiana?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-07-09 | Rip CurrentLake County · forecast zone Lake Two northwest Indiana men drowned in Lake Michigan in the Miller Beach community of Gary, IN during the Gary Air Show. Five people were pulled from the water, two of whom died. | 3 | 3 | – | |
| 2020-08-16 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. A group of 5 teens were swimming in Lake Michigan near Portage Riverwalk when waves pulled them under. A good Samaritan riding a jet ski helped pull two swimmers out. Two others managed to swim out of the currents. One of the swimmers pulled out of the water, an 18 year old male, was taken to a local hospital and died ... | 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 | – | |
| 2018-08-18 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter A 10 year old boy was found face down in Lake Michigan about 40 yards from shore near the Indiana Dunes State Park north of Chesterton. Rescuers performed CPR and he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. About an hour later, a 14 year old boy was rescued by two police officers about 50 yards ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-07-26 | Rip CurrentBeverly Shrs, Porter County A 16 year old female and a man in his mid-20s were swimming in Lake Michigan, 80 to 100 yards offshore of Beverly Shores. At 4 pm CST, Michigan City had a north-northeast wind with gusts to 30 mph. These strong winds likely produced waves of 4 feet or higher as well as rip currents. Both people were found about an ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-08-06 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter A 17 year old boy from Minnesota went missing on the afternoon of the 6th while swimming in Lake Michigan near Beverly Shores. He was unable to be recovered. Three others were rescued from the water and transported to a local hospital. A Beach Hazards Statement was in effect at the time advertising 6 to 9 foot waves ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-06-20 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter A 19 year old man and a 14 year old female family member began struggling in choppy waves in Lake Michigan where a rip current may have carried them into deeper water. A witness was able to rescue the 14 year old girl. The 19 year old man was located unresponsive by other witnesses. He was transported to a nearby ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-07-12 | Rip CurrentLake County · forecast zone Lake Two girls, a 9 year old and a 14 year old, were spotted struggling in Lake Michigan in a portion of Marquette Beach that is unguarded during the afternoon of July 12th. Beachgoers were able to rescue the 14 year old but the 9 year old slipped under the water and was unable to be located. First responders found the 9 ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-06-27 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter A 38 year old man entered the water at Porter Beach in northwest Indiana in the late morning of June 27th after seeing a 17 year old girl in distress. He was able to help the girl get to shore, as they both fought strong currents and waves as high as 5 feet. The man went under water and did not resurface. First ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2013-07-27 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter Strong rip currents developed at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore during the evening of July 27th. A 37 year old man swimming at Lakeview Beach was caught in the currents and later died. | 1 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
Are rip current and surf records becoming more frequent in Indiana?
Indiana's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Indiana | United States | Indiana's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 1 | 1,021 | 0.10% |
| 2000s | 4 | 4,386 | 0.09% |
| 2010s | 7 | 5,810 | 0.12% |
| 2020-26 | 17 | 2,346 | 0.72% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent rip current and surf records in Indiana
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-20 | Rip CurrentLaPorte County · forecast zone Northern La Porte County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2025-06-21 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2025-06-21 | High SurfPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | High SurfPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2024-08-06 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-09-09 | Rip CurrentLake County · forecast zone Lake | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-29 | Rip CurrentLake County · forecast zone Lake | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-06-20 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2023-06-15 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-07-12 | Rip CurrentLake County · forecast zone Lake | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-07-10 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-06-27 | Rip CurrentPorter County · forecast zone Porter | 1 | 1 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Next
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