Valparaiso, IN Tornado History — 101 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Valparaiso, IN had?
Valparaiso has had 101 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 7 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Valparaiso?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Valparaiso was an EF0 on March 19, 2025.
When is tornado season in Valparaiso?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Valparaiso, with 30 on record. April through June account for 49 of the 101 tornadoes on record near Valparaiso.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Valparaiso
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 44 total, averaging 2.2 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Valparaiso since December 29, 2025
These are 7 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.
confirmed touchdown via EMA. (IWX)
Tornado on the ground north of Kouts. Time estimated by radar. (LOT)
Public report of tornado on the grand east of Lowell near I-65. (LOT)
*** 1 INJ *** Corrects previous tornado report from 3 SE Griffith. An NWS damage survey confirmed an EF-2 tornado with peak winds of 120 mph... path length of 6.5 miles (LOT)
Barn debris found on route 8 northwest of Knox. Location relayed by storm chaser. Time estimated via radar. Delayed report. (IWX)
Based on radar... an NWS Survey and reports from numerous spotter and emergency management officials... one final tornado has been confirmed with a cyclic supercell tha (IWX)
*** 3 INJ *** A tornado began 4 miles southwest of Wheatfield and tracked 10.3 miles across northern Jasper County dissipating 2 miles southeast of Dunns Bridge. This t (LOT)
Within 25 miles of Valparaiso. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
Tornadoes by Decade
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.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Valparaiso
3 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Valparaiso since 1950, across 3 events. 55 injuries have been reported across all events. 2001 was the deadliest year on record near Valparaiso.
The deadliest single event was an F3 on March 12, 1976, which caused 1 fatality along a 38.5-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Valparaiso
What the record shows near Valparaiso
The 2010s were the busiest decade near Valparaiso, with 22 of the 101 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 18 so far. The Valparaiso record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Valparaiso, 78 reached EF0 or EF1 and 22 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Valparaiso is rated EF3, of which 7 are logged. A further 1 near Valparaiso is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Valparaiso has averaged 2.2 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 44 in total. 2014 was the busiest of them with 11, and 8 of those years passed with none at all.