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Plainfield, IN Tornado History — 145 Tornadoes Since 1950

Indiana · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Plainfield, IN had?

Plainfield has had 145 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 12 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Plainfield?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Plainfield was an EF2 on April 2, 2025.

When is tornado season in Plainfield?

May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Plainfield, with 32 on record. April through June account for 76 of the 145 tornadoes on record near Plainfield.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
145
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
12
8.3% of total
Peak Month
May
32 on record
Per Year Avg
1.9
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Plainfield

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 38 total, averaging 1.9 per year over this window.

2026 0+5 prelim
2025 3
2024 0
2023 5
2022 0
2021 0
2020 1
2019 2
2018 0
2017 0
2016 7
2015 5
2014 3
2013 3
2012 1
2011 0
2010 2
2009 1
2008 3
2007 2

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

Preliminary tornado reports near Plainfield since December 29, 2025

These are 5 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 EF0° August 1, 2026
3 S Monument Circle, Marion County, IN
A brief EF-0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 76 mph uprooted or snapped multiples trees. A few structures also sustained minor siding damage and a truck trailer wa (IND)
Preliminary June 17, 2026
3 E Putnamville, Putnam County, IN
An EF-1 tornado with path length of 9.37 miles began at this location. The path width was 100 yards with a peak wind speed of 105 mph. The tornado moved mostly over rur (IND)
Preliminary June 17, 2026
3 E Putnamville, Putnam County, IN
Corrects previous tornado report from 3 E Putnamville. An EF-1 tornado with path length of 9.37 miles began at this location. The path width was 100 yards with a peak w (IND)
Preliminary EF1° June 12, 2026
5 WNW Boggstown, Johnson County, IN
An EF-1 tornado with path length of 4.26 miles and a path width of 50 yards began at this location. The tornado had a peak wind of 90 mph with impacts to several farms (IND)
Preliminary EF0° April 28, 2026
3 NW Waverly, Morgan County, IN
An EF-0 tornado with path length of 0.84 miles and path width of 50 yards began at this location. The peak winds were 85 mph with most damage associated with tree damag (IND)

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

What storm spotters reported near Plainfield

2 local storm reports have been filed within 25 miles of Plainfield and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 2, 2025 and the most recent on April 2, 2025. They are already counted in the Plainfield totals above; quoted below is the narrative each reporting office filed at the time.

EF1° April 3, 2025
3 WSW Carmel, Hamilton County, IN
An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 105 mph and a path length of 6.60 miles tracked in an east-northeasterly direction through mainly southeastern portions of the Carmel (IND)
EF1° April 3, 2025
3 NE Brownsburg, Hendricks County, IN
An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 100 mph and a path length of 1.53 miles was a secondary tornado that tracked north of the main tornado...from west of CR 1000 East to (IND)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 14
1960s 21
1970s 21
1980s 15
1990s 20
2000s 22
2010s 23
2020s 9

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 45
EF1 54
EF2 34
EF3 10
EF4 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 2
Feb 6
Mar 12
Apr 17
May 32
Jun 27
Jul 19
Aug 12
Sep 3
Oct 7
Nov 5
Dec 3

Casualties on Record Near Plainfield

6 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Plainfield since 1950, across 3 events. 314 injuries have been reported across all events. 1995 was the deadliest year on record near Plainfield.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on May 13, 1995, which caused 3 fatalities along a 14.0-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Plainfield

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on May 13, 1995 — 3 fatalities, 14.0 mi path, 250 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
EF2 on May 30, 2008 — $29.3M in reported property damage.
Widest Tornado
F3 on November 22, 1992 — 867 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on September 20, 2002 — 112.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF2 on April 2, 2025.

What the record shows near Plainfield

The 2010s were the busiest decade near Plainfield, with 23 of the 145 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 9 so far. The Plainfield record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Plainfield, 99 reached EF0 or EF1 and 46 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Plainfield is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Plainfield has averaged 1.9 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 38 in total. 2016 was the busiest of them with 7, and 7 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Plainfield, IN had?
Since 1950, 145 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Plainfield. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Plainfield?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Plainfield was an F2 on May 13, 1995, which caused 3 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Plainfield?
May is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Plainfield, with 32 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 Plainfield been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Plainfield, there have been 0 EF5 and 2 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 Plainfield?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Plainfield was an EF2 on April 2, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Plainfield?
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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