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 for Dearborn County Tornado: 71th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 90th percentile. Hail & wind: 69th percentile. Heat: 43th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 79th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • 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.

Flood insurance claims

113

38th of 92 in Indiana

$2.0 million paid since 1978

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

17

62nd of 92 in Indiana

Fewer than the typical Indiana county, which has had 23

Details

Tropical cyclones within 100 mi

1

None within 50 miles since 1851

Details

Strongest tornado

F4

June 2, 1990, 33.0 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

22

Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026

Details

Record high

104°F

Reached 2 times, most recently July 7, 2012

Details

Record low

−25°F

January 18, 1977

Details

Snowiest 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.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 2 2 1980s: 0 1990s: 8 8 2000s: 1 1 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 3 3 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 4 M: 2 J: 6 6 J: 1 A: 2 S: 0 O: 2 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Dearborn County since 1950
May 16, 2025EF16.325000
Jun 18, 2021EF10.515000
Apr 8, 2020EF01.015000
Oct 7, 2017EF05.710000
May 23, 2011EF03.15000
Oct 26, 2010EF00.11000
Jun 4, 2008EF00.75000
Apr 9, 1999F01.05000
Aug 17, 1997F00.510000
Apr 15, 1994F00.12000
Jul 30, 1992F01.07000
Jun 18, 1992F02.016700
Aug 19, 1991F00.11000
Jun 2, 1990F433.01,350370
Jun 2, 1990F223.044030
Jun 24, 1976F00.11000
Apr 3, 1974F427.11,1331040
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Dearborn 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.

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 cyclones within 100 miles
Helene202497.5Remnant low46Category 4
Opal199582.5Post-tropical46Category 4
Unnamed191541.2Post-tropical40Category 4
Unnamed190289.4Post-tropical40Category 1
Unnamed189226.5Post-tropical51Tropical storm
Unnamed188862.0Tropical storm52Category 3
  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.

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.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 6 2013: 3 2014: 7 2015: 7 2016: 2 2017: 4 2018: 7 2019: 10 2020: 15 2021: 35 2022: 17 2023: 53 53 2024: 18 2025: 11 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population centre, 2011 to 2025.
  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.

Floods and flood insurance

113 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $2.0 million paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 14 1979: 6 1996: 9 1997: 28 28 1998: 8 2018: 11 2025: 7 19782018
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

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

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
4700159$924,000
4706020$254,000
4702512$645,000
4702210$127,000
470187$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.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 4 1896: 3 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 5 1902: 5 1903: 0 1904: 2 1905: 4 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 3 1909: 1 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 3 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 7 1931: 6 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 12 12 1935: 12 1936: 7 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 1 1940: 5 1941: 12 1942: 2 1943: 1 1944: 9 1945: 1 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 3 1954: 7 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 2 1964: 5 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 4 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 1 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 1 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  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.

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.

  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.

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

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning100Apr 20, 1996

Costliest events since 1996

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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…

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  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.

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
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Cincinnati/northern Kentucky I 32°F 39° 23° 3.3 Jan 44° 26° 3.3 Feb 54° 35° 4.2 Mar 66° 44° 4.6 Apr 74° 54° 5.0 May 82° 62° 4.9 Jun 86° 66° 4.2 Jul 85° 65° 3.3 Aug 80° 58° 3.1 Sep 67° 46° 3.4 Oct 54° 35° 3.2 Nov 44° 29° 3.7 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1976: 137 137 1977: 110 1978: 115 1979: 111 1980: 126 1981: 119 1982: 99 1983: 105 1984: 107 1985: 100 1986: 92 1987: 99 1988: 122 1989: 111 1990: 89 1991: 93 1992: 95 1993: 106 1994: 94 1995: 108 1996: 123 1997: 102 1998: 90 1999: 99 2000: 111 2001: 97 2002: 102 2003: 107 2004: 97 2005: 103 2006: 88 2007: 106 2008: 113 2009: 94 2010: 111 2011: 93 2012: 92 2013: 119 2014: 112 2015: 87 2016: 95 2017: 81 2018: 108 2019: 96 2020: 76 2021: 98 2022: 96 2023: 77 2024: 74 2025: 98 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 98.2.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 47.3 in 1977: 53.9 in 53.9 1978: 30.6 in 1979: 30.1 in 1980: 14.0 in 1981: 24.2 in 1982: 6.6 in 1983: 16.6 in 1984: 32.5 in 1985: 19.9 in 1986: 15.9 in 1987: 11.6 in 1988: 8.3 in 1989: 29.1 in 1990: 15.5 in 1991: 13.8 in 1992: 29.5 in 1993: 33.0 in 1994: 27.5 in 1995: 44.6 in 1996: 11.9 in 1997: 31.4 in 1998: 26.4 in 1999: 10.8 in 2000: 17.3 in 2001: 9.1 in 2002: 33.4 in 2003: 23.5 in 2004: 24.3 in 2005: 17.5 in 2006: 17.1 in 2007: 26.2 in 2008: 23.0 in 2009: 38.4 in 2010: 35.2 in 2011: 5.6 in 2012: 25.2 in 2013: 47.5 in 2014: 29.9 in 2015: 19.2 in 2016: 10.0 in 2017: 23.8 in 2018: 21.6 in 2019: 11.2 in 2020: 32.0 in 2021: 13.3 in 2022: 14.4 in 2023: 7.8 in 2024: 29.3 in 2025: 32.6 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

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.

Federal disaster declarations
Aug 25, 2026FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4933-IN
Aug 15, 2026FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergencyEM-3651-IN
Jan 24, 2026Winter StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3641-IN
Apr 3, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4515-IN
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3456-IN
May 4, 2018FloodSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4363-IN
Jun 23, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, andMajor disasterDR-1997-IN
Sep 23, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1795-IN
Jun 8, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1766-IN
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3238-IN
Jan 21, 2005Severe StormSevere Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1573-IN
Jan 11, 2005SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3197-IN
Jun 3, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1520-IN
Jun 13, 2002Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1418-IN
Mar 6, 1997Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1165-IN
Jul 3, 1996Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1125-IN
Apr 2, 1996FloodBlizzard of 96Major disasterDR-1109-IN
Sep 18, 1992Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-962-IN
Jan 5, 1991FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-891-IN
Jun 4, 1990Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-869-IN
Apr 4, 1974TornadoTornadoesMajor disasterDR-423-IN
Jul 30, 1968FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-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.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 19501762 / 921,740 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger248 / 92866 / 3,143
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims11338 / 921,228 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$2.0 million33 / 921,149 / 3,143
Disaster declarations226 / 921,187 / 3,143
Flood events since 19969428 / 92671 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199617658 / 922,157 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19961283 / 92636 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$11.8 million42 / 921,850 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189512852 / 921,516 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years17.278 / 921,326 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Boone County KY161039
Butler County OH2400474
Franklin County130053
Hamilton County OH18001,950
Ohio County60017
Ripley County26016,46620

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.