Auburn
Population 14,068 (2025)
79 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Auburn since 1950, 6 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195079
- Major flood years since 1978, DeKalb County1
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for DeKalb County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for DeKalb County.
Strongest tornado
F4
April 3, 1974, 108.7 mile path
Snowiest season
75.3in
Winter of 2013-14
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 6 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 3, 1974
F4, 108.7 mile path
1,760 yards wide; 18 killed along the whole path.
Most recent
Sunday, March 30, 2025
EF1, 5.7 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Mar 30, 2025 | EF1 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | EF1 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 24, 2024 | EF1 | 1.9 | 2 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EFU | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | EF1 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2023 | EF0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF2 | 7.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 9, 2018 | EF1 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 9, 2018 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 24, 2016 | EF2 | 4.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 24, 2016 | EF3 | 5.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 20, 2016 | EF0 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2016 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF1 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF0 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2009 | EF0 | 5.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 8, 2008 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 2007 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 2007 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 2007 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 24, 2001 | F2 | 12.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 24, 2001 | F1 | 39.0 | 14 | 0 |
| May 26, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 26, 2001 | F2 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 |
| May 26, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 2001 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 2000 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 2000 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 14, 2000 | F2 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 3, 1998 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 1998 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 8, 1992 | F2 | 2.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 1992 | F2 | 8.0 | 28 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 1992 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 27, 1991 | F3 | 21.0 | 24 | 1 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 3.5 | 9 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1986 | F0 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 1985 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 8, 1979 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 5, 1978 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 10, 1978 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 1 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F1 | 8.8 | 5 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 36.2 | 53 | 5 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 108.7 | 285 | 18 |
| Jun 4, 1973 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1973 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| May 10, 1973 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1973 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 1972 | F1 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 10, 1971 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1971 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 6, 1969 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 6, 1969 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 15, 1969 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1969 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 17, 1969 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 17, 1969 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 1968 | F3 | 50.3 | 15 | 1 |
| Apr 14, 1968 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1967 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 25, 1965 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 8, 1965 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 16, 1965 | F2 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 29, 1963 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 17, 1963 | F2 | 11.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1961 | F3 | 33.4 | 5 | 0 |
| May 11, 1957 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1956 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 1954 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 1954 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 18, 1953 | F2 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 19, 1950 | F2 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 66 days
Heavy smoke on 13 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
20.7 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
16 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 40 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
67 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $1.5 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for DeKalb County, the county that contains Auburn.
Most claims in one year
2009: 29 claims
$1.1 million paid.
2nd most
1982: 11 claims
$134,000 paid.
3rd most
2008: 8 claims
$184,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 46706 | 52 | $1.3 million |
| 46738 | 9 | $182,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood4
- Flood4
1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in DeKalb County, the county that contains Auburn.
Most severe crest
March 11, 2009
Cedar Creek (IN) at 18th Street Auburn, 12.30 ft
3.30 feet above the 9.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
April 19, 2013
Cedar Creek (IN) at 18th Street Auburn, 10.08 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Cedar Creek (IN) at 18th Street Auburn | 9.0 | 12.30 ft | 1 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 119 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
The drought index is for DeKalb County, the county that contains Auburn.
119
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
59
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
April 1931
−6.53, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
August 1930 to December 1931.
Latest month
September 2026
−0.80, incipient dry spell
Last severe month: March 2026.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.6 in 1947.
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
1
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
August 9, 1947
Magnitude 4.6
Near Coldwater, Michigan; 38.8 miles away, 1.2 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
January 26, 2012
Magnitude 3.0
5 km NE of Topeka, Indiana; 26.7 miles away.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Aug 9, 1947 | 4.6 | 38.8 |
- Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
- Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
302 events in the National Weather Service record for DeKalb County, 255 of them since 1996.
34
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
4
Hail, 2 inches or larger
77
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
85
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
5
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 7, 2024
3.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 22, 2001
86 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 0 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Oct 24, 2001Tornado$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
On Wednesday 10/24/01 a surface low pressure system tracked rapidly northeast from the mid Mississippi Valley to northern Lake Michigan and deepened significantly. The accompanying cold front surged east from the Mississippi Valley during the afternoon to southeast Michigan and western Ohio in the evening. The deepening surface low was the result of a negatively tilted upper level trough approaching the Mississippi Valley. The air mass ahead of the cold front was quite unstable with lifted indices around -5C and surface dewpoints of 65-70F. Strong veering wind fields were over the area with 20-30kt S-SSE flow at the surface veering rapidly in the low levels to southwest at 45kts,…
- Nov 6, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$750,000
National Weather Service narrative
4 houses suffered extensive damage in the city of Auburn. Numerous trees, tree limbs, power lines and poles were also blown down. A shed and other building suffered varying degrees of damage. A truck was blown over onto its side. A local resident reported a 2 by 6 stud was driven into the ground. An officer on his way to work reported a large piece of metal being wrapped around a tree on county road 427. Surveys from local emergency and NWS officials found evidence of the formation of gustnadoes where concentrated areas of damage were observed.
- Aug 29, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Auburn-Garrett drive-in theatre outdoor movie screen suffered extensive damage with half of the panels being ripped off the screen and some supports bent or removed. Damage was estimated at $300,000.
- Jun 14, 2000Tornado$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
Once the previous tornado lifted up into the clouds, the thunderstorm cell moved northeast when this second tornado touched down and followed a skipping path near CR 60. The tornado reached the ground about 3 times. The tornado touched down first in a forested area and knocked down many trees. It then lifted and dropped down again in a residential area about a quarter mile away. There was much damage to houses and barns. A window was broken and a downspout torn off of a house. A satellite dish was twisted and bent while a television antenna was knocked off of a roof. Several trees were snapped and knocked onto power lines before the tornado lifted. It touched down a third time…
- Sep 11, 2000Flood, De Kalb$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Widespread street and basement flooding. Between 4 and 5 inches of rainfall was reported in town. Several people were rescued from stranded vehicles in flood waters.
- May 7, 2024Hail$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
Hail damage in Corunna, cars, siding, and roofs damaged from 3 inch hail stones.
- Jun 14, 2000Tornado$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado touched down on CR 64, one half mile west of Indian Springs Camp Ground. Trees and power lines were knocked down and many were snapped and uprooted. Extensive roof damage occurred to houses in the area. A barn was damaged with much of its roof torn off and outbuildings were either damaged or destroyed. The tornado then lifted back into its parent cloud.
- Jan 8, 2008Flood$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
At least 6 roads were temporarily closed, with many others posted with high water signs, as ditches overflowed and low areas filled. A senior care center was threatened by flood waters coming out of a overflown retention pond. Sandbags were placed to help, but luckily no evacuations were needed. No exact damage figure were available, but are estimated at around $150,000.
- Jan 12, 2005Dense Fog, De Kalb$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Widespread dense fog developed across much of Northern Indiana during the morning hours. Visibility was reported to be at or near zero in many locations. Numerous accidents were reported as a result of the fog. The fog was indirectly responsible for a total of 2 deaths and at least 11 injuries. A 32 vehicle pile-up occurred on the Indiana Toll Road, 4 miles east of State Route 9 near the Indiana/Michigan state line at approximately 11 am EST. A 27 year old male was killed when the car he was traveling in as a passenger was crushed between 2 semi's involved in the pile up. 8 other injuries were reported in this pile up. 2 ambulances were also involved in the pile up when they were…
- Jul 16, 2024Thunderstorm Wind$75,000
National Weather Service narrative
State police report a semi truck driver was injured when a tree fell onto the cab of the truck.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Garrett 1 S, 3.9 miles from the city centre, with records from 1989.
- All-time high
- 102°FJun 28, 2012
- All-time low
- −26°FJan 31, 2019
- Warmest night
- 80°FJun 16, 2022
- Coldest day
- −5°FJan 19, 1994
- Wettest day
- 4.73 inSep 12, 2000
- Snowiest day
- 8.7 inFeb 2, 2011
- Hottest year
- 1998mean 53.5°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 45.7°F
- Wettest year
- 199055.99 in
- Driest year
- 201226.23 in
- Snowiest season
- 75.3 in2013-14
Median first snow
November 16
Earliest: October 12, 2006
Median last snow
April 2
Latest: May 9, 2021
0 of 37 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Garrett 1 S (USC00123207), 870 ft elevation, 3.9 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1989 to September 30, 2026; 98.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
15 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
Declarations for DeKalb County.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641-IN |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515-IN |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456-IN |
| Apr 22, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1832-IN |
| Jan 30, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1740-IN |
| Mar 12, 2007 | Snowstorm | EM-3274-IN |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3238-IN |
| Jan 21, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1573-IN |
| Jun 3, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1520-IN |
| Jan 24, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3162-IN |
| Jan 15, 1999 | Snowstorm | EM-3135-IN |
| Jul 3, 1996 | Severe Storm | DR-1125-IN |
| Sep 18, 1992 | Severe Storm | DR-962-IN |
| Jan 5, 1991 | Flood | DR-891-IN |
| Mar 20, 1982 | Flood | DR-652-IN |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00123207.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.