Evansville

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
2. 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.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. 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.

Flood insurance figures are for Vanderburgh County, the county that contains Evansville.

Claims by ZIP code

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 Vanderburgh County, the county that contains Evansville.

River gauges

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.

The drought index is for Vanderburgh County, the county that contains Evansville.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. 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.
2. 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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. May 9, 2014Thunderstorm Wind$35.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A very intense macroburst caused extensive damage across the Evansville metro area, primarily the north half of the city. The macroburst was about three miles wide on average. The macroburst started on the west side of Evansville and moved east-northeast across the Melody Hill area into Warrick County. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. Wind speeds averaged from 60 to 90 mph, with frequent peaks over 100 mph. A damage assessment indicated roughly 100 structures were damaged, with dozens destroyed. Dozens of vehicles were damaged due to falling trees. The assessed number of damaged homes and vehicles includes Warrick County as well. Thousands of trees were uprooted, snapped,…

2. Jan 26, 2009Winter Storm, Vanderburgh$15.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A major winter storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow north and west of Evansville, including Pike County. In addition to the sleet and snow, up to one-half inch of ice coated objects. This resulted in very difficult driving conditions. Numerous vehicles slid off roadways. Schools were out for several days. Isolated power outages affected a small number of people north and west of Evansville. From Evansville south and east, a major ice storm occurred. About one inch of ice accumulated. This resulted in widespread tree damage and numerous power outages. In the city of Evansville itself, several inches of sleet and snow were combined with nearly an inch of ice. The weight of…

3. Nov 6, 2005Tornado$15.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado crossed into Vanderburgh County from Henderson County, KY a second time near Ellis Park, a horse-racing facility off U.S. Highway 41. The tornado moved rapidly east-northeast at close to 60 MPH, staying a mile or less south of Interstate 164 and the southern city limit of Evansville. Twenty people perished at a large mobile home park on the south side of the interstate. Of about 350 mobile homes in the park, 100 were destroyed and another 125 were damaged. Many of the destroyed homes were obliterated. The coroner reported that most of the victims were probably killed instantly, many by spine and skull fractures. Several bodies were carried almost two hundred yards.…

4. Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Vanderburgh$12.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Frequent wind gusts from 50 to 70 mph caused numerous problems in southwest Indiana. The low pressure center that was the remnant of Hurricane Ike raced northeast at 40 to 50 mph across Missouri and Illinois. The center passed between Carbondale, IL and St. Louis, MO on its way toward the northeastern states. The rapid speed of the low pressure system contributed to this high wind event. A peak wind gust of 64 mph was measured by the automated observing system at the Evansville airport. The highest sustained wind at the airport was 47 mph. An unofficial wind gust of 66 mph was measured at Newburgh.||Extensive tree damage occurred. Trees were uprooted and very large limbs were…

5. Sep 12, 2006Flash Flood$1.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Major flash flooding inundated sections of Evansville. A total of 248 occupied structures were affected. Of those 248, fifteen were single family homes that sustained major damage, 141 were structures that received minor damage, and 92 others were affected in some way. The totals include three businesses and 40 to 50 apartments. A school cafeteria was flooded with an inch or two of water. The basement wall of a residence collapsed. Thirteen families were displaced, and at least four of those families were placed in hotels by the Red Cross. Over 30 water rescues were conducted from cars stalled in flooded streets. Six persons were rescued from a stranded school bus. The occupants…

6. May 30, 2004Tornado$1.2 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado first touched down on Bromm Road, then tracked east directly across Darmstadt, finally lifting at Browning Road. Hundreds of trees were blown down, including many that landed on houses and power lines. A total of 42 single family homes, 6 commercial structures, and 1 agricultural structure were affected. One single family home and one business was destroyed. Five single family homes and four commercial buildings received major damage. The remainder of the 42 structures received only minor damage. Peak winds were estimated near 100 MPH. Strong gusty winds occurred throughout Vanderburgh County. A gust to 57 MPH was measured in Evansville.

7. May 1, 2011Flood$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Minor flooding continued on the Ohio River from April. At the Evansville river gage, the river crested at 46.78 feet on May 5. This was the 8th highest crest on record, and less than a foot below the 1997 flood. Ohio River floodwaters backed up into Pigeon Creek in the Evansville area. Widespread flooding of fields and some farm buildings occurred along Pigeon Creek, especially near Interstate 164. About 40 to 50 homes near Pigeon Creek were sandbagged or evacuated. At least 35 to 40 roads were underwater and closed. A truss bridge spanning Pigeon Creek at the mouth of the Ohio River was partially underwater. Another bridge over Pigeon Creek on the northeast side of Evansville was…

8. Apr 2, 2024Thunderstorm Wind$850,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A macroburst with peak winds of 95 mph caused thousands of trees in its path to be uprooted or snapped. There was also damage to some home and outbuildings, mainly shingle loss, minor roof damage, or damage to gutters and fascia. There were also several homes damaged by trees falling onto them. The macroburst began in extreme eastern Posey County, near Parkers Settlement, continuing east-southeast into Vanderburgh County, where damage occurred north and south along Highway 66 for a while before impacting residential areas east of Highway 66 near Mill Road and north of Kasson Drive. A large tree was uprooted and fell on a car near North Park. Additional damage continued to occur as…

9. Jul 17, 2004Flood, Vanderburgh$750,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous primary roads remained closed and barricaded due to high water levels from the previous night's thunderstorms. Some mobile home parks remained evacuated as the water levels were slow to recede.

10. Jan 5, 2025Winter Storm, Vanderburgh$650,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A major winter storm impacted southwest Indiana on the 5th with a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Heavy snow with rates around 1 inch per hour impacted locations along and north of Interstate 64 beginning in the morning hours before eventually ending as sleet and freezing rain later that day. A lull occurred that evening with areas of freezing drizzle before wrap around moisture caused one final burst of snow into the morning hours on the 6th. Peak accumulations ranged from 4 to 8 inches of snow and sleet along with glazes of ice. Further south along an axis that extended along the Ohio River, a period of snow on the onset transitioned to sleet and freezing rain, ending as…

1. 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.

All-time high

107°F3 times, most recently Jul 5, 2012

All-time low

−23°FFeb 2, 1951

Warmest night

82°FJul 8, 1980

Coldest day

−3°F2 times, most recently Dec 22, 1989

Wettest day

6.40 inMar 18, 2008

Snowiest day

19.3 inDec 22, 2004

Hottest year

2024mean 60.3°F

Coldest year

1979mean 53.8°F

Wettest year

201170.03 in

Driest year

196327.88 in

Snowiest season

37.9 in1969-70

Station Evansville Regional Airport (USW00093817), 402 ft elevation, 4.5 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 27, 2026; 99.8% 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.

Declarations for Vanderburgh County.

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.

• 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 USW00093817.
• 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.