PlainHazard

Indiana high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 92 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,436 high wind and dust records in Indiana from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 48 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the September 14, 2008 high wind in Clark County: 3 deaths and 4 injuries across 3 records. Indiana ranks 33rd of 52 states and territories by count and 27th of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Indiana, 1996 to 2026

Wind 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
1,4361996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
48average
Deaths
1330 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$94Mas filed
Busiest year
2009146 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 high wind and dust records common in Indiana?

Indiana averages about 48 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 33rd of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2009 (146). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Indiana records 401 high wind and dust records since 1996, 27th of 51 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. Rhode Island 7061
  2. 2. New Jersey 4882
  3. 3. Massachusetts 4776
  4. 4. Delaware 3705
  5. 5. Maryland 1330
  6. 6. Connecticut 1301
  7. 7. Vermont 1178
  8. 8. Hawaii 1067
  9. 9. New York 1028
  10. 10. Wyoming 900
  11. 27. Indiana 401

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 high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Vanderburgh County leads Indiana: 84 days with a high wind record since 1996, 359.9 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Vanderburgh County has the most wind records (84 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).

  1. Vanderburgh County 359.9 (84)
  2. Pike County 200.4 (67)
  3. Warrick County 200.2 (77)
  4. Posey County 178.3 (73)
  5. Spencer County 176.4 (70)
  6. Gibson County 151.8 (74)
  7. Lake County 80.2 (45)
  8. Porter County 71.8 (38)
  9. Union County 62.0 (10)
  10. Marion County 58.1 (39)
  11. Blackford County 54.5 (9)
  12. Switzerland County 54.4 (12)

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 windy season in Indiana?

Indiana's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is March (301 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 92 · Feb 233 · Mar 301 · Apr 194 · May 35 · Jun 6 · Jul 2 · Aug 3 · Sep 122 · Oct 47 · Nov 174 · Dec 227 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Indiana?

Indiana: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2008-09-14 High WindClark County · forecast zone Clark One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. The remnants of Hurricane Ike moved across the Ohio Valley on the morning and afternoon of September 14th. This system combined with an upper level trough and surface cold front approaching the region to bring very strong surface wind gusts to the area. Widespread damage occurred, with measured wind gusts in excess of ... 56 kt wind 3 4 –
2023-03-03 High WindPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam Gradient winds uprooted a tree that crashed into the top of the drivers side of a car. The driver and a passenger were killed by the falling tree with two additional injuries. 50 kt wind 2 2 $24K
2008-09-14 High WindRipley County · forecast zone Ripley One storm episode: 8 records in 8 places; the totals are the episode's. The remnants of hurricane Ike raced northeast through the midwest and merged with a frontal boundary across the lower Ohio Valley Sunday morning. Abundant sunshine promoted deep mixing of the atmosphere, and warm, dry air aloft translated down to the surface. Gusty winds in excess of 70 mph persisted for a period of ... 61 kt wind 2 0 $35M
2022-04-23 Strong WindOwen County · forecast zone Owen Robust breezes downed a large dead tree at Indian Oaks Campground in northeastern Owen County, which fell on a golf cart that two children were in, killing both. Nearby ASOS in Bloomington, IN showed peak gusts that afternoon as high as 41 mph. 43 kt wind 2 0 $1K
2015-08-02 Strong WindElkhart County · forecast zone Elkhart A tree branch was blown down by gusty winds onto a bleacher at a soccer game in Studebaker Park. Five people of varying ages, including a ten month old girl were injured. The ten month old child died as a result of her injuries on August 5th. A ten year old child suffered severe head trauma with others suffering ... 30 kt wind 1 4 –
2010-10-27 Strong WindSt. Joseph County · forecast zone St. Joseph A 20 year old male was on a scissor lift videotaping a practice of the Notre Dame Football team. The lift fell over onto a street, throwing the student off the lift. He was transported to a local hospital where he died of his injuries. Strong winds sustained around 40 mph with gusts over 50 mph, were observed at the ... 43 kt wind 1 0 –
1996-01-18 High WindMarion County · forecast zone Marion A tree fell on a man in Indianapolis during a brief peak gust which occurred within a longer duration high wind event. 1 0 $19
2024-09-27 Strong WindGibson County · forecast zone Gibson A man (81m, direct) died as a result of a tree falling onto him while he was sitting in his house located off of County Rd 1675 W northeast of Griffin, IN. A combination of heavy rain and 40-45 mph wind gusts from the remnants of Hurricane Helene helped to knock down the tree. 39 kt wind 1 0 $28K

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.

The costliest high wind and dust records in Indiana

Indiana: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2008-09-14 High WindVanderburgh County · forecast zone Vanderburgh One storm episode: 6 records in 6 places; the totals are the episode's. 56 kt wind 0 1 $45M
2008-09-14 High WindRipley County · forecast zone Ripley One storm episode: 8 records in 8 places; the totals are the episode's. 61 kt wind 2 0 $35M
2006-07-20 Strong WindLake County · forecast zone Lake 45 kt wind 0 0 $4.4M
2024-09-27 High WindMarion County · forecast zone Marion One storm episode: 3 records in 3 places; the totals are the episode's. 59 kt wind 0 1 $1.9M
2019-11-27 High WindMarion County · forecast zone Marion 54 kt wind 0 0 $866K
2026-03-15 High WindPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam One storm episode: 10 records in 10 places; the totals are the episode's. 52 kt wind 0 0 $445K
2026-03-13 High WindDelaware County · forecast zone Delaware One storm episode: 9 records in 9 places; the totals are the episode's. 58 kt wind 0 0 $348K
2005-05-23 Dust StormBartholomew County and Brown County · forecast zone Bartholomew 0 1 $76K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are high wind and dust 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.

High wind and dust storms: Indiana and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeIndianaUnited StatesIndiana's share
1996-9912214,0260.9%
2000s48237,2541.3%
2010s43241,7481.0%
2020-2640036,3001.1%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Indiana

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-27 High WindPorter County · forecast zone Porter 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-27 High WindPorter County · forecast zone Porter 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-27 High WindPorter County · forecast zone Porter 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-27 High WindLake County · forecast zone Lake 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-27 Strong WindGrant County · forecast zone Grant 43 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-04-27 Strong WindSteuben County · forecast zone Steuben 40 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-04-27 Strong WindNoble County · forecast zone Noble 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-04-27 Strong WindKosciusko County · forecast zone Northern Kosciusko County 43 kt wind 0 0 $1K
2026-04-27 Strong WindElkhart County · forecast zone Elkhart 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-04-27 High WindSt. Joseph County · forecast zone Eastern St. Joseph County 61 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-04-27 Strong WindLaPorte County · forecast zone Northern La Porte County 43 kt wind 0 0 $10K
2026-04-13 High WindMarion County · forecast zone Marion 56 kt wind 0 0 –

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.

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