Dearborn County
Population 51,609 (2025) 305 sq mi
Property owners in Dearborn County have filed 113 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 38th most of 92 counties in Indiana.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195017
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1
- Major flood years since 19781
At a glance
The record for Dearborn County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
17
62nd of 92 in Indiana
Fewer than the typical Indiana county, which has had 23
DetailsStrongest tornado
F4
June 2, 1990, 33.0 mile path
Federal disaster declarations
22
Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026
DetailsSnowiest season
53.9in
Winter of 1977-78
Tornadoes
About one every 4.5 years since 1950, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
June 2, 1990
F4, 33.0 mile path
1,350 yards wide.
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 |
| Jun 18, 2021 | EF1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 7, 2017 | EF0 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 23, 2011 | EF0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 2008 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1999 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 17, 1997 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 1992 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 1992 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 19, 1991 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | 33.0 | 37 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 23.0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1976 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 27.1 | 104 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Dearborn County: 0.
- 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
September 27, 2024
Helene, Remnant low
97.5 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
No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 53 days
Heavy smoke on 14 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
17.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 38 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
113 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $2.0 million paid.
Most claims in one year
1997: 28 claims
$1.0 million paid.
2nd most
1978: 14 claims
$47,000 paid.
3rd most
2018: 11 claims
$408,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 47001 | 59 | $924,000 |
| 47060 | 20 | $254,000 |
| 47025 | 12 | $645,000 |
| 47022 | 10 | $127,000 |
| 47018 | 7 | $61,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood54
- Flood38
- Heavy Rain2
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 128 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 27 months.
128
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
66
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
December 1934
−7.12, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
27 months
January 1934 to March 1936.
Latest month
September 2026
+2.54, 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
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1974; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
2
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; 37.8 miles away, 1.5 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 12, 2004
Magnitude 3.8
4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana; 37.8 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
- 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
475 events in the National Weather Service record, 419 of them since 1996.
29
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
2
Hail, 2 inches or larger
123
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
128
Winter weather events since 1996
7
Heat events since 1996
4
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
October 19, 2016
2.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
March 1, 2017
81 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Dearborn$5.8 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.
- Mar 2, 1997Flood, Dearborn$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain fell across the Ohio valley on the 1st and 2nd with some areas upstream over Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky receiving up to 12 inches. The Ohio river rose rapidly and reached a crest of 60.7 feet at 300 pm on the 6th at Markland Dam, which is just across the river in Kentucky. Many towns were flooded and hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes for several days.
- Apr 29, 1996Flood, Dearborn$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Major flooding occurred along the Whitewater river in East-Central and Southeast Indiana. The river level below Brookville lake reached its highest stage since 1968. The heavy rainfall also resulted in the lake level climbing to nearly 4 feet above the previous record pool stage. Flood stage at Brookville was 20 feet and the crest reached 21.86 feet. At least 166 homes and 13 businesses in seven counties had major damage. Numerous roads were washed out and 16 residents were evacuated.
- Jun 17, 2026Tornado$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
The first damage produced by the tornado occurred on Texas Gas Road, where a large tree was uprooted and other smaller trees were downed. Farther east along Cole Lane, an attached garage was destroyed and a large tree was downed onto a house. In addition, a roof was lifted from another garage and several trees were snapped at their trunks. ||The tornado strengthened and proceeded east near East Laughery Creek Road, where it completely destroyed a house and two outbuildings. Debris from these buildings was strewn east along the path of the tornado across a large field. Based on this damage, estimated wind speeds were around 130 mph in this area, and the damage also resulted in a…
- Apr 9, 1999Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
A small barn was totally destroyed, a 40 foot silo was damaged and several trees were downed. Four homes were heavily damaged in rural Dillsboro.
- Jan 6, 1996Winter Storm, Dearborn$200,000
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.
- Dec 11, 2000High Wind, Dearborn$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A strong low pressure system pushed a sharp cold front through the region dropping temperatures by around 30 degrees. Strong winds occurred with the front and continued for several hours after the frontal passage. The highest measured wind gust was 66 mph in Franklin county. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down across the region. Also, a grain bin was blown over onto a road.
- Jan 24, 1996Flood, Dearborn$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
On the 23rd, many areas received around an inch of rainfall which pushed the Whitewater river back into flood. The river crested at Alpine at 12.3 feet where the flood stage is 12 feet. The worst flooding occurred on the Ohio river. Markland Dam which is downstream from Cincinnati, crested at 51.8 feet and flood stage is 51 feet. However, points between Markland and Cincinnati suffered from significant flooding.
- Jun 19, 2021Flash Flood$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous reports of high water and flash flooding were received from the Aurora and Guilford areas. Several people and pets were stranded in Guilford due to rising water. Two vehicles were also swept away in the Guilford area after their occupants escaped.
- Mar 28, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous trees downed, four roofs damaged, barn blown off foundation, and transformer lines pulled out of the ground by winds.
- 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 Cincinnati/northern Kentucky I, 15.1 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 104°F2 times, most recently Jul 7, 2012
- All-time low
- −25°FJan 18, 1977
- Warmest night
- 79°FJul 30, 1999
- Coldest day
- −4°F2 times, most recently Jan 20, 1985
- Wettest day
- 5.21 inMar 9, 1964
- Snowiest day
- 11.8 inFeb 4, 1998
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 57.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1963mean 51.1°F
- Wettest year
- 201173.28 in
- Driest year
- 196327.99 in
- Snowiest season
- 53.9 in1977-78
Median first snow
November 21
Earliest: October 19, 1989
Median last snow
March 24
Latest: May 6, 1989
0 of 78 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Cincinnati/northern Kentucky I (USW00093814), 861 ft elevation, 15.1 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% 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
22 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, August 25, 2026.
| 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 |
| May 4, 2018 | Flood | DR-4363-IN |
| Jun 23, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1997-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 |
| Jun 13, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1418-IN |
| Mar 6, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1165-IN |
| Jul 3, 1996 | Severe Storm | DR-1125-IN |
| Apr 2, 1996 | Flood | DR-1109-IN |
| Sep 18, 1992 | Severe Storm | DR-962-IN |
| Jan 5, 1991 | Flood | DR-891-IN |
| Jun 4, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-869-IN |
| Apr 4, 1974 | Tornado | DR-423-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.
How this compares
Where Dearborn County stands among 92 counties in Indiana and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 17 | 62 / 92 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 2 | 48 / 92 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 113 | 38 / 92 |
| Flood insurance paid | $2.0 million | 33 / 92 |
| Disaster declarations | 22 | 6 / 92 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 94 | 28 / 92 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 176 | 58 / 92 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 128 | 3 / 92 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $11.8 million | 42 / 92 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 128 | 52 / 92 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 17.2 | 78 / 92 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Boone County KY | 16 | 1 |
| Butler County OH | 24 | 0 |
| Franklin County | 13 | 0 |
| Hamilton County OH | 18 | 0 |
| Ohio County | 6 | 0 |
| Ripley County | 26 | 0 |
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 USW00093814.
- 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.