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Fort Wayne, IN Tornado History — 96 Tornadoes Since 1950

Indiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Fort Wayne, IN had?

Fort Wayne has had 96 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Fort Wayne?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Fort Wayne was an EF1 on March 30, 2025.

When is tornado season in Fort Wayne?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Fort Wayne, with 20 on record. April through June account for 49 of the 96 tornadoes on record near Fort Wayne.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
96
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
2
2.1% of total
Peak Month
May
20 on record
Per Year Avg
1.3
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Fort Wayne

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 20 total, averaging 1.0 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 1
2024 0
2023 6
2022 1
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 4
2015 0
2014 0
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 5
2009 1
2008 2
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Fort Wayne since December 29, 2025

These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary June 12, 2026
3 NW Bowerstown, Huntington County, IN
In an open area north of US 24 and east of State Route 9... an incredibly brief tornado appears to have touched down and impacted a single residence. Here... a two-stor (IWX)
Preliminary EF1° March 31, 2026
2 SE Hicksville, Defiance County, OH
A brief tornado (EF1)... embedded within a large swath of damaging straight line winds associated with a bookend vortex... touched down southeast of Hicksville... OH. T (IWX)

Within 25 miles of Fort Wayne. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 9
1960s 14
1970s 18
1980s 7
1990s 15
2000s 16
2010s 9
2020s 8

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 35
EF1 39
EF2 19
EF3 2
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 1
Mar 14
Apr 13
May 20
Jun 16
Jul 14
Aug 7
Sep 0
Oct 9
Nov 0
Dec 2

Casualties on Record Near Fort Wayne

2 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Fort Wayne since 1950, across 2 events. 47 injuries have been reported across all events. 1976 was the deadliest year on record near Fort Wayne.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on May 16, 1968, which caused 1 fatality along a 50.3-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Fort Wayne

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on May 16, 1968 — 1 fatality, 50.3 mi path, 10 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F2 on August 26, 1986 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF3 on August 24, 2016 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on May 16, 1968 — 50.3 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on March 30, 2025.

What the record shows near Fort Wayne

The 1970s were the busiest decade near Fort Wayne, with 18 of the 96 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 8 so far. The Fort Wayne record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Fort Wayne, 74 reached EF0 or EF1 and 21 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Fort Wayne is rated EF3, of which 2 are logged. A further 1 near Fort Wayne is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Fort Wayne has averaged 1.0 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 20 in total. 2023 was the busiest of them with 6, and 13 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Fort Wayne, IN had?
Since 1950, 96 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Fort Wayne. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Fort Wayne?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Fort Wayne was an F3 on May 16, 1968, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Fort Wayne?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Fort Wayne, with 20 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Fort Wayne?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Fort Wayne was an EF1 on March 30, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Fort Wayne?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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