Blackford County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Blackford County: 0.
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.

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.

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.

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 county boundary (or inside the county).
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. Nov 10, 2002Tornado$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado touched down 5 miles southwest of Hartford City and then moved into Hartford City before lifting. An NWS ground survey found F0 to F1 damage along its path with F1 damage to a supermarket and a motel. One home and 2 mobile homes were destroyed in Hartford City. 3 persons were injured, none seriously.

2. Jul 5, 2003Flash Flood$75,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Law enforcement reported some roads closed countywide due to flash flooding. 13 to 14 homes had some damage.

3. Aug 5, 1998Flash Flood$50,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   NUMEROUS COUNTY ROADS WERE FLOODED ALONG WITH AGRICULTURAL LAND.

4. Aug 11, 2010Lightning$50,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The local newspaper reported lightning was the cause of a barn fire in the 4200 block of East 400 North. The barn was fully engulfed in flames when fire fighters arrived. The building suffered extensive damage, estimated at around $50,000. No details on contents or their extent of damage was provided.

5. Jun 4, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Emergency management officials reported numerous trees and tree limbs down throughout Hartford City. Windows were blown out on some of the downtown businesses.

6. Aug 16, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$25,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines down across the city and parts of the county. At least one tree fell onto an unoccupied vehicle. Winds were estimated by spotters at around 80 mph.

7. Feb 24, 2007Ice Storm, Blackford$25,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Two to four tenths of an inch of ice covered roads and power lines, creating hazardous driving conditions and widespread power outages along with tree limbs downed. No injuries or deaths were reported in the county.

8. May 9, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$20,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Three homes damaged by fallen trees. Many other trees down.

9. Nov 6, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$15,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Power lines were blown down in several parts of the county. A large tree was also blown down 7 miles northeast of Hartford City.

10. Jun 30, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$15,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A one foot diameter tree limb and as a billboard were blown down north of Hartford City. Trees were reported down south through southwest of Montpelier.

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

104°FJun 29, 2012

All-time low

−26°FJan 19, 1994

Warmest night

78°F3 times, most recently Jun 16, 2022

Coldest day

−12°FJan 17, 1977

Wettest day

9.00 inAug 22, 2014

Snowiest day

13.9 inFeb 14, 2007

Hottest year

2012mean 54.2°F

Coldest year

1978mean 46.8°F

Wettest year

199852.13 in

Driest year

196326.81 in

Snowiest season

61.8 in2002-03

Station Hartford City 4 Ese (USC00123777), 924 ft elevation, 3.7 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1959 to October 26, 2026; 95.1% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USC00123777.
• 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.