Connersville
Population 13,406 (2025)
83 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Connersville since 1950, 8 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on May 16, 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 195083
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 Fayette 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 Fayette County.
Strongest tornado
F4
April 25, 1961, 63.1 mile path
Federal disaster declarations
17
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026
DetailsSnowiest season
45.6in
Winter of 1909-10
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 8 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 25, 1961
F4, 63.1 mile path
550 yards wide.
Deadliest
April 3, 1974
4 killed, F4
17 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Friday, May 16, 2025
EF1, 6.3 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| May 16, 2025 | EF1 | 6.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF0 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2024 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EFU | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF0 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 14, 2023 | EF0 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2023 | EF0 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 2022 | EF1 | 9.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2019 | EF0 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2019 | EF0 | 1.6 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2019 | EF1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2019 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2019 | EF2 | 14.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 2019 | EF1 | 4.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 2016 | EF0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 23, 2015 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 20, 2014 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2012 | EF1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF1 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF3 | 9.7 | 8 | 1 |
| Aug 28, 2006 | F0 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 15, 2005 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 7, 2004 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 2004 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 2004 | F1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 2004 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20, 2002 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 2002 | F0 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 2000 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 2000 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 1, 1999 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1999 | F0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 17, 1999 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2, 1997 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1995 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F3 | 20.0 | 21 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 8, 1992 | F1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1992 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1992 | F1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| May 4, 1990 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1986 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1986 | F2 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 1980 | F4 | 11.0 | 25 | 2 |
| Jun 2, 1980 | F0 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1980 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1977 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 25, 1976 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 20, 1976 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1976 | F1 | 10.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 35.6 | 17 | 4 |
| Apr 1, 1974 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1973 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1973 | F1 | 17.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2, 1972 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 9, 1969 | F2 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1969 | F2 | 33.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 28, 1967 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1967 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 26, 1965 | F3 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| May 18, 1965 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1965 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1965 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 1963 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1963 | F1 | 11.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 1963 | F2 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1962 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 1961 | F4 | 63.1 | 7 | 0 |
| Sep 19, 1960 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1960 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1958 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 1958 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 1957 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1956 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 11, 1955 | F2 | 34.8 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 1954 | F2 | 0.1 | 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: 54 days
Heavy smoke on 14 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
17.9 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
12 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 39 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
40 federal flood insurance claims since 1980, with $498,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Fayette County, the county that contains Connersville.
Most claims in one year
2026: 24 claims
$366,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 47331 | 36 | $498,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood42
- Flash Flood25
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 Fayette County, the county that contains Connersville.
Most severe crest
August 13, 2026
West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine, 21.78 ft
7.78 feet above the 14.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
August 13, 2026
West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine, 21.78 ft
Major flooding.
| Aug 13, 2026 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 21.78 | +7.78 |
| Apr 6, 2025 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 16.80 | +2.80 |
| Feb 16, 1990 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 16.75 | +2.75 |
| Mar 5, 1963 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 16.47 | +2.47 |
| May 24, 1968 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 15.81 | +1.81 |
| May 13, 1990 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 14.93 | +0.93 |
| May 4, 1996 | West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 14.20 | +0.20 |
River gauges
| West Fork Whitewater River near Alpine | 14.0 | 21.78 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 129 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
The drought index is for Fayette County, the county that contains Connersville.
129
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
58
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
March 1935
−7.00, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
May 1934 to September 1935.
Latest month
September 2026
+4.46, extremely wet
Last severe month: August 2012.
- 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 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 2004; none reached magnitude 4.
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
September 12, 2004
Magnitude 3.8
4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana; 27.9 miles away, 1.5 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 12, 2004
Magnitude 3.8
4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana; 27.9 miles away.
- 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
359 events in the National Weather Service record for Fayette County, 310 of them since 1996.
24
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
4
Hail, 2 inches or larger
94
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
99
Winter weather events since 1996
5
Heat events since 1996
4
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 20, 1995
2.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 8, 1958
105 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Fayette$2.9 million
National Weather Service narrative
Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. Gusts over 60 mph were common. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines to significant structural damage.
- Feb 7, 2019Flash Flood$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Two county roads were washed away due to flooding. In addition, numerous roads were closed due to flooding.
- Jan 6, 1996Winter Storm, Fayette$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
This massive storm system developed in the Gulf Coast and moved up the East Coast. The heaviest snow fell across Southeast Indiana where up to a foot of snow occurred near the Kentucky border. Farther north, around 6 inches fell in Wayne county. Strong winds caused significant blowing and drifting snow, especially to the north where the snow was lighter and more powdery.
- Jun 15, 2019Tornado$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado briefly touched down damaging an older church building on North County Road 550 West. The roof collapsed within the building as the north wall was blown out. There was a large amount of splatter on the east facing wall. A piece of metal was located in a tree around forty yards to the west of the church. Debris from the church was lifted and scattered northward across the cemetery and up to 200 yards into a nearby field.
- Jan 2, 1996Winter Storm, Fayette$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
Low pressure strengthening in the Tennessee Valley passed southeast of Indiana. The heaviest snow fell across East Central Indiana, near Interstate 70. In this area there was up to 1 foot of snowfall, and blizzard conditions. Wind gusts up to 40 mph were common in this area with snow drifts between 3 and 5 feet across Wayne, Fayette, and Union counties. Roads oriented east to west were particularly hazardous as strong north winds produced large snow drifts shortly after the roads were plowed. Snow amounts dropped off rapidly to the south as rain and mixed precipitation preceded the snowfall. Parts of Northern Ripley county reported 8 inches of snow, while in the southern part of…
- Apr 3, 2018Flash Flood$30,000
National Weather Service narrative
County Road 440 North was washed out near Waterloo.
- Mar 7, 2022Flash Flood$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
A culvert was washed out along West County Road 150S.
- Jul 27, 2012Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several large trees were downed, parts of roofing were removed from a business, and a billboard was blown down due to thunderstorm winds.
- Sep 20, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
A cement building was destroyed on the Fayette-Rush County line.
- May 7, 2024Tornado$25,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado began along North County Road 350 West, about 3 miles northeast of Bentonville, where tree damage was observed. Additional tree damage occurred to the east of Paul Road on the Fayette and Wayne County border. The tornado moved into Wayne County at 1910EST and continued northeast before ending about 1 mile north of Milton at 1913EST.
- 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 Rushville, 17 miles from the city centre, with records from 1901.
- All-time high
- 108°FJul 22, 1901
- All-time low
- −31°FJan 17, 1994
- Warmest night
- 77°F3 times, most recently Jul 8, 2012
- Coldest day
- −12°FJan 17, 1994
- Wettest day
- 5.90 inFeb 18, 2022
- Snowiest day
- 17.0 inDec 22, 2004
- Hottest year
- 1944mean 55.4°F
- Coldest year
- 1904mean 48.3°F
- Wettest year
- 201159.38 in
- Driest year
- 193422.56 in
- Snowiest season
- 45.6 in1909-10
Median first snow
November 25
Earliest: October 18, 1989
Median last snow
March 24
Latest: May 9, 1923
0 of 100 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Rushville (USC00127646), 948 ft elevation, 17.0 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1901 to October 27, 2026; 94.6% 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
17 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, August 25, 2026.
Declarations for Fayette County.
| Aug 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933-IN |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651-IN |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641-IN |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515-IN |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456-IN |
| Sep 23, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1795-IN |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3238-IN |
| Jan 21, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1573-IN |
| Jan 11, 2005 | Snowstorm | EM-3197-IN |
| Sep 25, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1433-IN |
| Jan 15, 1999 | Snowstorm | EM-3135-IN |
| Jul 22, 1998 | Severe Storm | DR-1234-IN |
| Apr 2, 1996 | Flood | DR-1109-IN |
| Mar 29, 1991 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-899-IN |
| Jan 5, 1991 | Flood | DR-891-IN |
| Feb 2, 1977 | Snowstorm | EM-3028-IN |
| Jul 30, 1968 | Flood | DR-247-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 USC00127646.
- 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.