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Michigan City, IN Tornado History — 66 Tornadoes Since 1950

Indiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Michigan City, IN had?

Michigan City has had 66 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 6 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Michigan City?

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

When is tornado season in Michigan City?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Michigan City, with 14 on record. April through June account for 28 of the 66 tornadoes on record near Michigan City.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
66
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
6
9.1% of total
Peak Month
June
14 on record
Per Year Avg
0.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Michigan City

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 19 total, averaging 0.9 per year over this window.

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

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Michigan City since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 ENE Wanatah, La Porte County, IN
confirmed touchdown via EMA. (IWX)

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

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 8
1960s 13
1970s 11
1980s 8
1990s 3
2000s 8
2010s 8
2020s 7

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 18
EF1 27
EF2 13
EF3 6
Unrated 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 13
Apr 8
May 6
Jun 14
Jul 8
Aug 7
Sep 1
Oct 7
Nov 2
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Michigan City

3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Michigan City since 1950, across 3 events. 77 injuries have been reported across all events. 2001 was the deadliest year on record near Michigan City.

The deadliest single event was an F3 on October 24, 2001, which caused 1 fatality along a 47.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Michigan City

Deadliest Tornado
F3 on October 24, 2001 — 1 fatality, 47.0 mi path, 1,320 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on April 11, 1965 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on October 24, 2001 — 1,760 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on October 24, 2001 — 47.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on March 19, 2025.

What the record shows near Michigan City

The 1960s were the busiest decade near Michigan City, with 13 of the 66 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 7 so far. The Michigan City record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Michigan City, 45 reached EF0 or EF1 and 19 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Michigan City is rated EF3, of which 6 are logged. A further 2 near Michigan City are unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.

Across the last 20 years Michigan City has averaged 0.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 19 in total. 2007 was the busiest of them with 3, and 10 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Michigan City, IN had?
Since 1950, 66 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Michigan City. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Michigan City?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Michigan City was an F3 on October 24, 2001, which caused 1 fatality.
When is tornado season in Michigan City?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Michigan City, with 14 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 Michigan City?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Michigan City was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Michigan City?
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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