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Kokomo, IN Tornado History — 112 Tornadoes Since 1950

Indiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Kokomo, IN had?

Kokomo has had 112 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 14 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Kokomo?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Kokomo was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.

When is tornado season in Kokomo?

April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Kokomo, with 26 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
112
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
14
12.5% of total
Peak Month
April
26 on record
Per Year Avg
1.5
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Kokomo

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 36 total, averaging 1.8 per year over this window.

2026 0+4 prelim
2025 1
2024 0
2023 6
2022 0
2021 1
2020 0
2019 2
2018 0
2017 2
2016 8
2015 0
2014 0
2013 9
2012 0
2011 1
2010 3
2009 0
2008 1
2007 2

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Kokomo since December 29, 2025

These are 4 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 July 27, 2026
1 NNW Sweetser, Grant County, IN
Preliminary June 16, 2026
2 N Lincoln, Cass County, IN
Preliminary June 12, 2026
3 SW Wabash, Wabash County, IN
Preliminary EF1° June 12, 2026
2 NW Adamsboro, Cass County, IN

Within 25 miles of Kokomo. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 10
1960s 18
1970s 15
1980s 9
1990s 10
2000s 17
2010s 25
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 33
EF1 39
EF2 25
EF3 11
EF4 3
Unrated 1

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 13
Apr 26
May 14
Jun 22
Jul 14
Aug 9
Sep 2
Oct 3
Nov 9
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Kokomo

59 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Kokomo since 1950, across 6 events. 1,118 injuries have been reported across all events. 1965 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F4 on April 11, 1965, which caused 28 fatalities along a 45.7-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Kokomo

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on April 11, 1965 — 28 fatalities, 45.7 mi path, 1,667 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F4 on April 11, 1965 — est. ~$275.0M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on July 9, 1951 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on April 9, 1953 — 156.7 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 19, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Kokomo

This overview was written July 27, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

The Kokomo, Indiana area sits within a part of the country where tornadoes are a recurring part of the climate rather than a rare anomaly. The tornado history summarized on this page is drawn from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center's severe weather database, which covers the area within the search radius shown above. The counts, ratings and individual events listed on this page are generated directly from that database and update as it is revised, so they always reflect the current record rather than a snapshot frozen at the time this summary was written.

Activity in this area concentrates most heavily in spring, when the contrast between retreating winter air and advancing warmth is sharpest. The underlying setup is a familiar one: Gulf moisture pushes north into the Corn Belt ahead of strong low-pressure systems and their trailing cold fronts. Activity here frequently arrives as fast-moving squall lines as well as discrete supercells, and both can produce tornadoes.

Tornado intensity is described using the Enhanced Fujita scale, which runs from EF0 for the weakest tornadoes to EF5 for the most extreme, and which rates a tornado by the damage it leaves behind rather than by wind speed measured directly. Most tornadoes in the area have been at the weaker end of the scale, but the record also includes violent tornadoes at the top of it. That matters more than the raw frequency does: a single violent tornado can cause more damage and loss than decades of weaker events combined. Tornadoes in this area have caused loss of life; the casualty figures and the specific events behind them are listed above, straight from the record.

One caveat is worth carrying into any look at the numbers above: the modern record begins in 1950, and reported tornado counts have risen over the decades in large part because detection and reporting have improved. Doppler radar, storm spotter networks, mobile phones and denser development all mean that tornadoes which would once have gone unrecorded are now documented. A rising count does not by itself prove that more tornadoes are forming. The practical takeaway for Kokomo residents is unchanged: know where your safe room is, keep a way to receive warnings that will wake you at night, and treat every warning as though it applies to you, because the record here shows that it can.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Kokomo, IN had?
Since 1950, 112 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Kokomo. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Kokomo?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Kokomo was a F4 on April 11, 1965, which caused 28 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Kokomo?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Kokomo, with 26 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.
Has Kokomo been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Kokomo, there have been 0 EF5 and 3 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Kokomo?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Kokomo was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Kokomo?
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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