Greensburg
Population 12,315 (2025)
103 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Greensburg since 1950, 11 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 1950103
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1
- Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19847
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 Decatur 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 Decatur County.
Strongest tornado
F4
April 25, 1961, 63.1 mile path
Federal disaster declarations
16
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026
DetailsTornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 11 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 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | EF1 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | EF0 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | EF2 | 13.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 4.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EFU | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 2022 | EF1 | 9.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2022 | EF1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 21, 2022 | EF1 | 14.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 13, 2022 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 7, 2022 | EF0 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF1 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 2021 | EF1 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2019 | EF2 | 14.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 2019 | EF1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 7, 2017 | EF0 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 2017 | EF1 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 23, 2015 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 20, 2014 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 20, 2014 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF3 | 8.7 | 5 | 3 |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2011 | EF0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2009 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF1 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF2 | 10.6 | 4 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF3 | 9.7 | 8 | 1 |
| Apr 14, 2006 | F1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15, 2005 | F3 | 10.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 7, 2004 | F0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 2004 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 2004 | F1 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 2004 | F2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 2004 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 20, 2002 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 24, 2001 | F1 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 1996 | F0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 20, 1996 | F1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1996 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1996 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 16, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1993 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 7.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F3 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2, 1992 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1992 | F1 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| May 22, 1991 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1990 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 23.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 18.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F1 | 10.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jan 7, 1989 | F1 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 19, 1988 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1986 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 1980 | F4 | 11.0 | 25 | 2 |
| Jun 2, 1980 | F0 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 1, 1978 | F1 | 0.5 | 6 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1978 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 8, 1978 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 1978 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1976 | F1 | 19.8 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 35.6 | 17 | 4 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 35.8 | 26 | 1 |
| Jul 4, 1973 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 19, 1973 | F2 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 1973 | F2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 1973 | F1 | 17.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 28, 1971 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 1971 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 15, 1971 | F2 | 1.3 | 5 | 0 |
| Feb 22, 1971 | F1 | 9.1 | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 29, 1970 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1969 | F2 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1969 | F2 | 33.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 11, 1967 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 21, 1967 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1965 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1965 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Apr 19, 1963 | F3 | 85.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 1963 | F2 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 16, 1961 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 25, 1961 | F4 | 63.1 | 7 | 0 |
| Sep 19, 1960 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1959 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 1, 1959 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 31, 1958 | F3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 4, 1957 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 24, 1957 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 13, 1956 | F2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | F2 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 11, 1955 | F2 | 34.8 | 3 | 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
1 tropical cyclone passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.
Most recent
August 21, 1915
Unnamed storm, Post-tropical
24.5 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
- 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.
Wildfire and smoke
7 large fires burned within 25 miles since 1984.
Largest
April 3, 2003
Wui 3 03 Fire, 3,371 acres
25.0 miles from the city centre.
Most recent
November 6, 2010
Tracer Fire
1,409 acres in total.
Every large fire
| Tracer | 2010 | 24.1 | 1,409 |
| Unit 1 | 2004 | 24.1 | 667 |
| Unit 30 | 2004 | 23.2 | 940 |
| Wui 3 03 | 2003 | 25.0 | 3,371 |
| Unit 1 | 2002 | 24.1 | 704 |
| Unnamed | 1999 | 24.1 | 3,120 |
| Unnamed | 1995 | 24.1 | 1,023 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
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. 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
30 federal flood insurance claims since 1987, with $831,000 paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Decatur County, the county that contains Greensburg.
Most claims in one year
2008: 11 claims
$381,000 paid.
2nd most
2009: 5 claims
$89,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 47240 | 25 | $788,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood18
- Flash Flood15
- Heavy Rain1
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 124 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
The drought index is for Decatur County, the county that contains Greensburg.
124
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
63
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
10
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
February 1931
−6.37, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
September 1953 to January 1955.
Latest month
September 2026
+2.88, moderately 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; 19.5 miles away, 1.5 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 12, 2004
Magnitude 3.8
4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana; 19.5 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
331 events in the National Weather Service record for Decatur County, 272 of them since 1996.
45
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
7
Hail, 2 inches or larger
95
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
33
Winter weather events since 1996
2
Heat events since 1996
4
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 25, 2011
4.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
June 15, 2019
100 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 8 | 1 |
| Dense fog and smoke | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Apr 20, 1996Tornado$1.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
Weak tornado destroyed several buildings and damaged several more. Numerous trees were uprooted also. This storm was one of two to produce significant damage in the county.
- May 25, 2011Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
A high end EF-1 tornado, with maximum winds of 100-105 mph impacted the southwest side of Greensburg, with the most extensive damage from the Decatur County Airport northeast through Greensburg City Park, the Greensburg Country Club, and the Country Club Estates neighborhood where about 30 homes sustained damage. Damage began at the airport where roofs were peeled and several garage doors were blown in on the hangar buildings. A Twin Otter plane tethered near the hangars was spun around and cartwheeled about 50 feet to the north. Numerous large oak trees in excess of 4 feet in diameter were completely uprooted through the park and the golf course. A park shelter building was…
- Feb 5, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$260,000
National Weather Service narrative
A microburst caused damage to numerous structures in Decatur County including a church steeple and roof, two mobile homes, three pick up trucks, trees, power lines, a school bus, two semi trailers, a barn, two businesses, a fence, and a few houses.
- May 25, 2011Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Tornado damage was discovered in the Rolling Meadows neighborhood about one half mile south of the Interstate 74 and US 421 interchange and just north of County Road 100 North. This was determined to be from a second tornado, rated EF-1 with maximum winds at 90 mph. Approximately 15-20 homes throughout the neighborhood sustained roof or siding damage, with garage doors buckling and blowing inwards on several of these homes. Much of the debris was strewn into an adjacent farm field. Just across US 421 off to the northeast, a small piece of plywood was found impaled into the stucco on a bank building. The path length was 0.5 miles with a maximum width 400 yards.
- Feb 14, 2016Winter Weather, Decatur$240,000
National Weather Service narrative
Indiana State Police were called out to five different crashes involving 30 to 40 vehicles due to snowfall in the area. No life threatening injuries were reported.
- Aug 25, 2018Hail$150,000
National Weather Service narrative
The emergency manager reported many instances of hail damage to homes, cars, a school bus, and roofs, including both the elementary and high schools.
- Apr 14, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Straight line winds damaged two trailers and an old store.
- Apr 14, 2006Tornado$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A weak tornado briefly touched down near Burney in Decatur County. Among the damage was a destroyed garage, and several outbuildings. No injuries were reported.
- Jul 11, 2000Lightning$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Lightning damaged a business in Greensburg.
- Apr 20, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
- 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, 17.7 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, 17.7 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
16 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, August 25, 2026.
Declarations for Decatur County.
| Aug 25, 2026 | Flood | DR-4933-IN |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Flood | EM-3651-IN |
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641-IN |
| Jul 22, 2025 | Flood | DR-4882-IN |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515-IN |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456-IN |
| Sep 23, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1795-IN |
| Jun 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766-IN |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3238-IN |
| Jan 21, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1573-IN |
| Jan 11, 2005 | Snowstorm | EM-3197-IN |
| Jun 3, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1520-IN |
| Sep 25, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1433-IN |
| Apr 2, 1996 | Flood | DR-1109-IN |
| Jan 5, 1991 | Flood | DR-891-IN |
| Apr 4, 1974 | Tornado | DR-423-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.