1930s
1940s
July 11, 1940
March 16, 1942
June 20, 1942
July 5, 1943
May 16, 1945
August 1947
March 20, 1948
Sept. 1949
1950s (37)
July 19, 1950
Sept. 1950
July 9, 1951
Nov. 26, 1952
April 9, 1953
June 13, 1953
March 19, 1954
May 17, 1954
May 28, 1954
May 31, 1954
June 1, 1954
June 14, 1954
June 19, 1954
May 28, 1955
Sept. 21, 1955
Nov. 15, 1955
Feb. 25, 1956
March 6, 1956
Apr. 3, 1956
May 21, 1956
May 30, 1956
July 20, 1956
Aug. 12, 1956
Apr. 26, 1957
May 12, 1957
June 13, 1957
July 7, 1957
July 12, 1957
July 13, 1957
Apr. 24, 1958
May 22, 1958
June 8, 1958
June 13, 1958
Aug. 15, 1958
May 26, 1959
Sept. 28, 1959
Oct. 10, 1959
1960s (40)
Apr. 16, 1960
Apr. 30, 1960
May 6, 1960
June 13, 1960
July 3, 1960
March 6, 1961
Apr. 23, 1961
June 22, 1961
July 21, 1961
July 28, 1961
Aug. 1, 1961
Aug. 10, 1961
Apr. 30, 1962
June 18, 1962
Apr. 17, 1963
Apr. 22, 1963
Apr. 29, 1963
June 10, 1963
Mar. 25, 1964
June 20, 1964
Aug. 22, 1964
Jan. 24, 1965
Apr. 8, 1965
Apr. 11, 1965
June 7, 1965
Aug. 27, 1965
Sept. 14, 1965
Nov. 26, 1965
Apr. 20, 1966
Dec. 8, 1966
Apr. 21, 1967
June 24, 1967
Sept. 26, 1967
Oct. 24, 1967
Apr. 14, 1968
May 15, 1968
June 11, 1968
June 23, 1968
July 5, 1969
1970s (45)
May 14, 1970
June 26, 1970
July 2, 1970
March 15, 1971
March 19, 1971
June 11, 1971
July 9, 1971
Sept. 6, 1971
Apr. 6, 1972
Sept. 18, 1972
May 29, 1973
June 4, 1973
June 12, 1973
June 16, 1973
June 26, 1973
Apr. 1, 1974
Apr. 3, 1974
June 20, 1974
July 27, 1974
Jan. 1, 1975
March 24, 1975
Apr. 2, 1975
Apr. 19, 1975
May 30, 1975
June 14, 1975
Aug. 11, 1975
Nov. 10, 1975
Feb. 16, 1976
March 12, 1976
March 20, 1976
June 15, 1976
June 29, 1976
July 7, 1976
July 15, 1976
May 4, 1977
June 30, 1977
July 7, 1977
Sept. 30, 1977
Apr. 6, 1978
Apr. 23, 1978
June 25, 1978
July 2, 1978
July 7, 1978
Nov. 17, 1978
June 20, 1979
1980s (53)
Feb. 21, 1980
June 1, 1980
June 2, 1980
June 7, 1980
July 5, 1980
July 9, 1980
Aug. 10, 1980
Aug. 13, 1980
Aug. 19, 1980
Sept. 22, 1980
Apr. 4, 1981
June 8, 1981
June 13, 1981
June 15, 1981
June 24, 1981
Sept. 26, 1981
Apr. 3, 1982
May 31, 1982
June 15, 1982
Aug. 24, 1982
Nov. 1, 1982
May 1, 1983
July 1, 1983
July 19, 1983
June 13, 1984
June 22, 1984
Sept. 2, 1984
Nov. 1, 1984
May 27, 1985
July 5, 1985
July 9, 1985
Aug. 6, 1985
Nov. 19, 1985
May 6, 1986
June 22, 1986
July 25, 1986
Apr. 11, 1987
Apr. 14, 1987
June 1, 1987
June 2, 1987
June 29, 1987
July 6, 1987
July 15, 1987
July 29, 1987
May 8, 1988
Aug. 15, 1988
Sept. 19, 1988
Nov. 16, 1988
March 17, 1989
June 3, 1989
July 11, 1989
Sept. 1, 1989
Nov. 15, 1989
1990s (44)
June 2, 1990
Aug. 28, 1990
March 27, 1991
May 17, 1991
July 8, 1991
Aug. 8, 1991
Sept. 13, 1991
Nov. 30, 1991
June 17, 1992
July 2, 1992
Sept. 9, 1992
Nov. 22, 1992
July 5-6, 1994
Apr. 26, 1994
Aug. 8, 1994
May 13-14, 1995
June 7, 1995
June 21, 1995
July 15, 1995
Jan. 18, 1996
June 24, 1996
July 7, 1996
July 17, 1996
Oct. 17, 1996
Oct. 29, 1996
Apr. 30, 1997
June 21, 1997
July 18, 1997
March 28, 1998
Apr. 7, 1998
May 19, 1998
May 29, 1998
June 11, 1998
June 12, 1998
June 18, 1998
June 29, 1998
July 4, 1998
July 21, 1998
August 24, 1998
November 10, 1998
Dec. 6, 1998
June 1, 1999
June 11, 1999
Sept. 28, 1999
2000s (64)
Apr. 20, 2000
May 9, 2000
May 12, 2000
May 18, 2000
May 31, 2000
June 14, 2000
Apr. 8-9, 2001
Apr. 10, 2001
Apr. 23, 2001
May 16, 2001
May 26, 2001
June 19, 2001
July 4, 2001
July 8, 2001
July 22, 2001
Aug. 18, 2001
Aug. 22, 2001
Oct. 24, 2001
June 4, 2002
July 22, 2002
May 14, 2003
July 4, 2003
June 11, 2003
July 4, 2003
July 6, 2003
July 7-8, 2003
July 9, 2003
July 11, 2003
July 21, 2003
Apr. 20, 2004
May 7, 2004
May 23, 2004
May 30, 2004
July 21, 2004
May 13, 2005
May 19, 2005
June 5, 2005
July 20, 2005
July 26, 2005
Sept. 19, 2005
Nov. 6, 2005
Apr. 14, 2006
Apr. 16, 2006
May 25, 2006
May 31, 2006
June 22, 2006
July 3, 2006
May 15, 2007
Aug. 15, 2007
Aug. 24, 2007
Oct. 18, 2007
Jan. 29, 2008
June 6, 2008
June 15, 2008
June 21, 2008
June 22, 2008
July 21, 2008
August 4, 2008
March 8, 2009
May 15, 2009
June 1, 2009
June 19, 2009
Aug. 4, 2009
Aug. 19, 2009
2010s
June 2, 2010
April 3, 2018
May 19, 2019
2020s
August 2020
March 5, 2022
Local Weather History: The Longest Severe Weather Event Droughts In Area Since 1845
Through years, months, days, hours of research, the library of data at home & here at work has allowed me to find the top 10 longest durations without a severe weather event or outbreak in our viewing area since 1845.
Prior to 1845, lack of newspapers & people reporting severe weather drops off significantly in our area. There is no reference to severe weather prior to 1845 in our area until 1843 & prior to that, 1840. Before 1840, only 1835 reports of severe weather pop back up. There are mentions of flooding in 1836, 1837 & 1844, however. Heat, cold, snow, frost, wet weather or droughts are reportedly on more frequently, but still not to the degree after 1845.
There were not as many observers back a century ago or even half a century ago, but it is amazing how well severe weather was documented in newspapers, diaries & in the archives of the U.S. Weather Bureau (National Weather Service) & the extreme detail our ancestors put into reports. Photographs reveal very much, as well. Some of the reports are much more detailed that what you would even find now!
Severe weather status would reach “event” threshold if at least three counties report a total of more than five severe weather/damage incidents or at least one tornado.
1. March 20, 1849-June 1, 1851 – 2 Years, 73 Days
March 20, 1849: A “very destructive” tornado tracked through northern Warren County. Accounts state:
We are indebted to Mr. Joseph Moose Jr., for some account of the damage done, which is said to have been immense, and not yet entirely ascertained. The storm commenced at Walnut Grove and tended in a northeasterly direction, carrying everything before it stated by men of undoubted veracity, that cattle which happened to be in the way of its principal channel, were carried (off their feet,) at least one quarter or a mile. Another informant living farther north says, one cow to his knowledge was carried upwards of one hundred yards, and killed in the fall.
A two story brick house occupied by Wm. Moore, lost its roof and second story to the top of the first story. At least one fourth of a mile distant, bricks were found to have been blown from this building. The houses of Mr. George Wolfer and Widow Hampton were laid flat, and strewed in the path of the tornado for a considerable distance. Two others belonging to Messrs. W. Timmons, and F. Mattex lost their roofs and second stories. Stables, barns and many other out houses, were torn to atoms, and the fragments of some of them carried to an almost incredible distance. The fencing within its whole range was laid flat. Wheat and hay stacks were scattered as so many feathers in the air. Orchards entirely destroyed though in some instance, we suppose fruit trees may be re-set.
Several were injured with lightning struck a farm house near Perrysville on the same date.
Extensive flooding was reported in the area at the time from heavy rainfall.
June 1, 1851: Tornado tracked through northeastern Cass County (Adams & Bethlehem Townships) with heavy forest & orchard damage reported, but only one barn was unroofed.
I have found extensive accounts of severe storms in 1850 from Indianapolis & southward, but none in our viewing area, interestingly, to make for a severe weather event. Also, June & July 1849 were reportedly very wet with bouts of flooding, but there is no reference to severe weather or tornadoes in our viewing area. There are mentions of lightning, but no severe weather. I have turned over every rock I can find so far on Summer 1849-Spring 1851. I will keep looking!
2. April 28, 1870-December 23, 1871 – 1 Year, 239 Days
April 28, 1870: 3″ diameter hail struck Rensselaer around 6 p.m. with widespread damage to trees, plants, roofs reported. Many windows were broken out. Heavy wind damage was reported just north of Otterbein & at 6:30 p.m., a significant severe t’storm struck Lafayette.
Numerous trees were toppled or otherwise damaged & a lot of substantial structural damage occurred. Here are just a few of the many reports of damage to buildings in the Lafayette area according to the Lafayette Courier at the time: The west wall of Mrs. Barbee’s building, on Columbia street, lately destroyed by fire, was blown over, burying under it the one-story frame grocery store and dwelling of John Lynch. The escape of the family was providential, and had it not been for Mr. Toberty they would have been buried in the ruins. He saw the danger and gave the alarm just in time for the family to escape. The house was totally demolished, and the household furniture was too fine for kindling wood……………
December 23, 1871: Damaging tornado struck the heart of Lafayette with damage to most buildings in the downtown area & point northeastward. Tornado was described an eyewithness as looking like a twisting corkscrew. Two people were injured.
Small pieces of the account:
It came from the southwest, traveling toward the north-east, and was not more than two squares in width. The first building affected was the Falley Block, corner of Fourth and South streets, the rood of which was raised, on the south side, fully two feet, but which fortunately fell back and resumed the proper position. The roof of Mrs. Peter Vall’s new building, on Columbia street, near the corner of Fifth, came next in order, the tin upon which was rolled up like so much paper, though it was not blown clear off the building. The Second National Bank building, north-east corner of the Public-square, better known as Reynold’s store front, came next in the path of the wind. The tin covering of the whole roof was blown off, together with the timbers and sheeting of the entire southern half of it.
3. January 20, 1928-June 30, 1929 – 1 Year 161 Days
January 20, 1928: Day of damaging tornadoes at Cincinnatti, Ohio & Louisville, Kentucky with substantial damage. Other severe weather in that outbreak south of here. Two storms produced 1″ hail reportedly from Fulton, Pulaski, Miami, Cass to Allen counties. Wind damage reported in Allen County throughout the Fort Wayne area with the hail.
June 29, 1929: Significant wind & hail damage from Vermilion County, Illinois to Putnam County, Indiana. Barns damaged to destroyed, trees & powerlines downed & extensive crop damage in two streaks of 5-8 miles long from southwestern Warren to southwestern Fountain & Montgomery counties.
$372,000 (inflation-adjusted) in damage reported in 8-mile long, 0.5-mile strip in Vermilion County, Illinois. No dollar amount given in Indiana.
Roofs were blown off of homes & barns near Greencastle & other barns blown from their foundations. Heavy crop damage was also reported.
4. July 9, 1951-November 26, 1952 – 1 Year, 140 Days
July 9, 1951: An F2 tornado was on the ground for 4.3 miles & did $1/4 million in structural damage (inflation-adjusted) on the southside of Kokomo, as squall line raced through the area. Also reports of hail to 1.75″ in diameter in Fountain, Clinton & Howard counties.
November 26, 1952: Low-topped squall line with 70 mph gusts & a gust to 76 mph at the Purdue University Airport. Wind damage from downed trees & powerlines to fences & roofs was widespread.
Surface low pressure went from 1011 mb central pressure to 984 mb in northeast Iowa in 24 hours as the storm bombed. A strong cold front blasted through as the squall line hit with temperatures dropping from 61 to the 30s rapidly.
Even behind the line, it was windy all day with gusts to 55 mph.
5. March 28, 1920-July 5, 1921 – 1 Year, 99 Days
March 28, 1920: Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak of 1920 with at least 37 tornadoes (31 significant) officially recorded, but reports point to more like 43 (33 significant) over mainly Indiana, Michigan & Illinois with a few others in Ohio, one in Missouri, one in Wisconsin, then a family of strong to violent tornadoes also in Alabama & Georgia.
380 killed & nearly 1300 injured with at least 56 deaths in Indiana & one tornado tracking 100 miles over northern Indiana to Ohio.
In our viewing area, no tornadoes were reported, but a band of damaging winds swept through the area south of the warm front where all of the tornadoes seemed to occur. Wind damage was reported in 8 counties of the area.
July 5, 1921: Early morning derecho blasts through northeast half of the viewing area with widespread straight-line wind damage. Winds reportedly gusted 60-100 mph. Windows were blown out of homes east of Walton & a cottage was heavily damaged at Lake Cicott. Damage was reported in Cass, Fulton, Miami, Carroll & Tippecanoe counties with narrow strips of intense damage embedded in widespread less substantial damage. This occurred after highs of 98-104° on July 4.
6. May 12, 1888-June 16, 1889 – 1 Year, 35 Days
May 12, 1888: Tornadic storm with damaging large hail up to hen egg size with tornado near Freeport, Illinois evolved into damaging wind event that produced widespread wind damage across northern Indiana, including Jasper, Pulaski, Fulton, Miami counties in our area. 48 train cars were blown off the tracks on the Nickel Plate Railroad & trees completely blocked the L. E. & W. Railroad. 150 telegraph poles were snapped. Worst damage was reportedly just north of our area at Wanatah & Winslow Siding where a tornado may have occurred with homes & buildings heavily damaged.
June 16, 1889: Very high damaging winds with hen egg hail devastated crops, trees & buildings in a zone from Bloomington, Illinois to Monmouth, Watseka & Milford. Some homes & barns were damaged or destroyed by tornado embedded in the damaging winds at times. A funnel was observed to touch down near Monmouth, which tore up fences small buildings, crops & trees there, according to local newspapers.
The storms produced wind damage to crops & trees near Kentland to Chalmers in a two strips 7-9 miles long & up to 1 mile wide.
A strip 1 mile wide & 10 miles long saw very heavy wind damage in Montgomery County east & southeast of Crawfordsville. Called a “Cloud-burst” by the U.S. Weather Bureau at the time, it appears to have been a wet macroburst. Barns were destroyed, crops flattened, roofs were damaged or partially removed & damage to timber & wires was impressive in the zone.
The rain was very heavy & some fields were said to have the taken the appearance of a “vast lake”. White County was reportedly hit hardest by the flooding rainfall with roads & crops washed away.
These storms produced a downburst or brief tornado at Macy, Miami County, which caused damage & destroyed the only saloon in town.
7. June 10, 1939-July 11, 1940 – 1 Year 31 Days
June 10, 1939: Wind damage in every single county of the viewing area. Damage from wind & tornado was reported across Illinois, Indiana & Ohio. Likely EF3 ornado reported from northern Benton to southern Newton counties occurred with nearly $1 million in damage (inflation-adjusted).
There may have been a few other quick rain-wrapped EF0 to EF1s here, but it is hard to tell due to widespread, consistent nature of the wind damage.
Total damage in viewing area (inflation-adjusted) +$3 million.
July 11, 1940: Sporadic wind damage southern Warren, Fountain, Montgomery, Clinton counties.
8. April 3, 2018-May 19, 2019 – 1 Year 16 Days
April 3, 2018: Two tornadoes, microburst in Lafayette & other wind damage in Fountain & Clinton counties.
May 19, 2019: Wind damage in Fountain, Tippecanoe, Clinton, Montgomery, Cass, Howard & Miami counties.
9. June 20, 1942-July 5, 1943 – 1 Year 15 Days
June 20, 1942: Part of Kokomo heavily damaged by tornado that had 35-mile path southwestward right into Clinton County. Dozens injured, but remarkably no deaths. Likely EF3.
July 5, 1943: Severe macroburst hit Cass County with extensive damage, while an EF0 tornado occurred near Waveland in Montgomery County.
10. June 29, 1931-July 7, 1932 – 1 Year, 8 Days
June 29, 1931: 11 reports of wind damage across area with damage extending into Illinois. This followed “extensive destruction” from significant wind event across Michigan to northern Ohio June 27 with heavy tree & power line damage, massive power outages & many reports of building damage. Cleveland, Ohio was very hard hit. 6 deaths were reported.
Inflation-adjusted, damage of +$50 million reported in Cleveland. No dollar damage estimates were given in our area.
In one likely macroburst in central Illinois, a 5-mile long, 3-mile wide area saw trees leveled, corn crop completely flattened & buildings “wrecked”.
July 7, 1932: Tornado at 9:30 a.m. with 4-mile path near Peru. Barns damaged to destroyed & heavy tree damage in path.
11. June 21, 1901-June 25, 1902 – 1 Year, 4 Days
June 21, 1901: Significant evere weather outbreak state-wide amidst drought. Widespread damage reports received from eastern Illinois & throughout Indiana according to Weather Bureau & the Western Union Telegraph Office at the time.
It brought needed rainfall before July-August turned extremely hot & dry. Large hail (no exact size given) with damaging winds broke windows & damaged roofs across the city of Lafayette. Numerous trees & limbs were knocked down. A home lost its roof east of Fowler. Widespread damage reports received from eastern Illinois & throughout Indiana according to Weather Bureau & the Western Union Telegraph Office at the time.
Worst damage was reported in a strip from Warren & Fountain counties to southwest of Lafayette with heavy tree, crop, farm building & home damage. Extensive damage was reportedly done to timber across Montgomery County. A bridge was washed out by heavy rainfall near Alamo.
5 people were killed the following day at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania alone as the outbreak re-fired.
June 25, 1902: Significant evere weather outbreak over central & southern Indiana with at least 7 tornadoes, killing 6 (up to 40 injured). It was the deadliest & worst tornado outbreak since 1893 in Indiana.
In our viewing area, widespread damage was reported. The worst was apparent across Tippecanoe, Benton, Warren, Fountain, Montgomery & Clinton counties. Thousands of trees were snapped or uprooted, houses and barns were reportedly leveled in places and telephone and telegraph wires are down all over. Heaviest damage in the city of Lafayette was on the south side. During
the height of the storm the street railway power house was struck by lightning and one of the large dynamos was damaged, fire broke out in the brushes of the machine, and the generator was made useless for several hours, leaving the street car lines without power. Many business buildings were damaged or destroyed. Casr standing on the Lake Erie & Western Railway siding were blown at Pine Village, five miles south of Oxford.
At Templeton the blacksmith shop owned by Chris Finch was blown over and ruined. At Romney a corn crib on the farm of Mark Inskeep was blown across some telephone wires, breaking twenty-two and cutting off communication from that place. At Clark’s Hill, great damage was done to fruit trees, and a large barn owned by Edward Bowles was razed. The schoolhouse was damaged by the wind, the roof being blown off. At Linden a lumber shed was blown down and at New Richmond a blacksmith shop was blown from the foundation. Dozens of other severe weather reports occurred.
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