Lake County, Indiana
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1951 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
53
Tornado reports
146
Hail reports
106
Floods since 1996
866
All events
11
Deaths
$68.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Lake County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 52 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Tornado EF3 Tornado
A strong long track tornado with estimated peak winds of 165 mph touched down near the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Clay Street just east of Interstate 65 in rural Lake County. The tornado caused tree and crop damage until it crossed into Porter County, just east of where …
Tornado F3 Tornado
Numerous large tree limbs were blown down just west of Cedar Lake including a few that fell onto houses. One large tree limb, approximately 20 inches in diameter and 70 feet tall fell onto a one story house on 141st Court. The tree caused significant structural damage to the hous…
Two northwest Indiana men drowned in Lake Michigan in the Miller Beach community of Gary, IN during the Gary Air Show. Five people were pulled from the water, two of whom died.
A man working on a billboard in the 4700 Block of 27th Avenue was struck by lightning and later died from his injuries.
A house at 1180 Jefferson Court was struck by lightning starting a fire which engulfed about 50 percent of the home. An adult and a 9-month-old child were home at the time of the fire. The adult was killed and the baby was in critical condition as it was transported to the hospit…
Several instances of flash flooding took place around Gary, Hammond, Whiting, and East Chicago. A sewer storage facility exceeded capacity and overflowed. Multiple basements were flooded in Hammond. Up to three feet of water was reported on Indianapolis Blvd in Whiting from 120th…
Heavy rain fell across parts of far northwest Lake County causing significant flooding and flash flooding. In Hammond, numerous streets were flooded with cars stranded in the flood waters. At least 500 houses experienced some amount of flooding including basement flooding. The ha…
Flash flooding or significant flooding was reported across most of Lake County, including street closures due to flooding, basement flooding and creek, stream and river flooding. Interstate 80/94 was closed due to flooding between Cline and Calumet Avenues. Parts of Interstate 65…
Record flooding occurred along the Little Calumet River and its tributaries in northwest Indiana. A record crest of 17.32 feet was set at Munster on the 14th. Record flooding also occurred along Hart Ditch. Nearly 190 patients were evacuated from the Munster Med-Inn. Major floodi…
St. Margaret Mercy Hospital in Dyer Indiana suffered significant flooding around noon on Friday, August 24th, about 20 hours after the heavy rains fell, when Hart Ditch overflowed it's banks. Sixty seven patients were evacuated from the healthcare center when it was apparent that…
Heavy rain fell across parts of northwest Lake County during the middle and late morning hours of September 13th, which caused major and significant flooding. Highland suffered some of the worse flooding with over 1,400 reports of flood damage and 14 homes condemned due to severe…
A field house under construction in Hobart was struck by lightning, then blown down by strong winds. The damaged steel frame was in ruins and will set the project back at least 6 months.
Heat Heat
Hail Hail
Video showed dime to quarter size hail near Ridge Road and 5th Street.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree limb was blown down onto power lines near Carolina Avenue and 167th Street.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree and power line damage was reported in neighborhoods near Chicago Street and Calumet Avenue.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Video showed multiple large tree limbs blown down and at least one tree uprooted in Kosciuszko Park.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Widespread tree and power line damage occurred in Griffith. A photo showed a large uprooted tree near Brinwood Drive and Arbogast Street. Tree limbs were blown down on Indiana Street, Elmer Street and along Broad Street near Main Street. At least one tree fell onto a house, damag…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple tree limbs were blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple tree limbs were blown down onto Ridge Road near Clark Road.
Flood Flood
Multiple roads were flooded with a few inches of water on the south side of Gary.
Flood Flood
Video showed street flooding near Shell Street and Wegg Avenue.
Flood Flood
Standing water was reported on Interstate 80 near Kennedy Avenue.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Flash flooding occurred in Merrillville, Crown Point, Schererville and surrounding areas. Route 30 was flooded at the underpass near Indianapolis Boulevard. A photo showed cars stalled in flood waters on Route 30 near Mississippi Street. Route 30 was flooded near Taft Street. Bro…
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Flash flooding was reported in many areas of northwest Lake County which resulted in flooded roads, creeks and streams. Flooding was reported along Interstate 80/94 in Highland and Munster. Standing water was reported on Interstate 65 near 61st Avenue. Multiple streets were flood…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees were uprooted. Power lines were blown down along 5th Avenue and County Line Road.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A tornado with estimated peak winds of 80 mph touched down along W 151st Avenue west of Parrish Avenue where video showed the tornado forming. The tornado moved through the Lynnsway subdivision on the southwest side of Cedar Lake where it caused roofing and siding damage to multi…
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A tornado with estimated peak winds of 85 mph touched down near Colfax Street, just south of W 221st Avenue. The tornado snapped a few trees along W 221st Avenue but otherwise caused only sporadic tree damage along the rest of its path. The tornado crossed Interstate 65 north of …
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A tornado with estimated peak winds of 85 mph touched down near the intersection of 98th Avenue and Sheffield Avenue where it uprooted trees. The tornado moved northeast through residential areas causing mainly tree damage. The tornado crossed W 93rd Avenue where significant tree…
A tornado with estimated peak winds of 120 mph touched down just west of Hendricks Street and move through central Merrillville. The tornado quickly widened with numerous homes sustaining significant damage along W 64rd Avenue, 61st Place, 61st Avenue, and Grand Place, including …
Flood Flood
A few inches of standing water was reported on local streets near 113th Avenue and Interstate 65. Minor street flooding reported in the vicinity.
Flood Flood
Roadway flooding was reported near 133rd Avenue and Colfax Avenue.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A wind gust was measured to 65 mph with minor shingle damage.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A personal weather station measured a wind gust to 68 mph. Multiple trees were blown down.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Video showed large trees blown down.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Street flooding was reported in many areas in Lake County including in Lowell, Crown Point and St. John. Rainfall amounts included 3.25 inches near Schereville; 3.06 inches in St. John; 2.52 inches in Merrillville and 2.31 inches in Crown Point.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A personal weather station measured a wind gust to 65 mph near Linda Street and 10th Street.
High Wind High Wind
Multiple reports of downed power poles and trees, including some snapped at the base, came out of the vicinity of St. John, Cedar Lake, and Crown Point. Southeast of Schererville, a few trees were downed onto homes. One vehicle was struck by a falling power pole in St. John.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
This tornado began just west of the Illinois-Indiana state line near CR 9000N in northeast Kankakee County. The first instances of damage included uprooted softwood trees, downed large branches from hardwood trees, and minor structural damage noted near Stateline Rd on either sid…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Numerous trees and power poles were downed around Lowell outside of the path of the EF-0 tornado.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 43 | 6 |
| 2025 | 74 | 6 |
| 2024 | 35 | 4 |
| 2023 | 35 | 1 |
| 2022 | 38 | 0 |
| 2021 | 24 | 3 |
| 2020 | 44 | 0 |
| 2019 | 31 | 2 |
| 2018 | 17 | 0 |
| 2017 | 15 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 |
| 2014 | 49 | 9 |
| 2013 | 40 | 0 |
| 2012 | 40 | 0 |
| 2011 | 24 | 0 |
| 2010 | 30 | 0 |
| 2009 | 12 | 0 |
| 2008 | 31 | 1 |
| 2007 | 55 | 0 |
| 2006 | 21 | 0 |
| 2005 | 11 | 0 |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 |
| 2003 | 24 | 1 |
| 2002 | 8 | 0 |
| 2001 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000 | 9 | 0 |
| 1999 | 5 | 0 |
| 1998 | 4 | 0 |
| 1997 | 9 | 0 |
| 1996 | 13 | 0 |
| 1995 | 8 | 0 |
| 1994 | 6 | 1 |
| 1993 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | 8 | 0 |
| 1991 | 7 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 6 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 3 | 2 |
| 1980 | 3 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 3 | 2 |
| 1976 | 8 | 3 |
| 1975 | 3 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | 1 | 1 |
| 1965 | 1 | 1 |
| 1964 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962 | 2 | 1 |
| 1961 | 3 | 2 |
| 1960 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | 3 | 2 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
| 1951 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Lake County, measured to its path.
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