NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit West Terre Haute, IN
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
5 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of West Terre Haute, Indiana since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ike in 2008. Since 1950, 71 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 5
- Tornadoes
- 71
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for West Terre Haute
None of the 5 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed West Terre Haute; the strongest was Ike in 2008, a tropical storm with 55 mph winds when its centre passed 31 miles away. The record near West Terre Haute begins with an unnamed storm in 1902; the most recent system was Ike in 2008. Of the 5 systems, one has come since 2000. West Terre Haute has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 63% of the 356 Indiana cities on this site. The highest rating among the 71 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on April 29, 1963, came within 13 miles. Of the 71, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 22 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on December 28, 2025. Of the 356 Indiana cities, 96% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than West Terre Haute. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 106 times since 1971, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). West Terre Haute has more hail reports within 10 miles than 85% of the 356 Indiana cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near West Terre Haute
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormSep 25 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 3 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 21 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 29 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in West Terre Haute: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of West Terre Haute
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s8
- 2000s7
- 1990s20
- 1980s5
- 1970s12
- 1960s7(3 EF3+)
- 1950s5
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1963 | F3 | 13 mi | 5.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 22, 1963 | F3 | 20 mi | 38.6 mi | 0 / 40 |
| Jun 22, 1960 | F3 | 6 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF2 | 4 mi | 48.91 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 16 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 17 mi | 17.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 17, 1988 | F2 | 7 mi | 3.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| May 15, 1986 | F2 | 8 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1984 | F2 | 25 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F2 | 20 mi | 77.9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 5, 1969 | F2 | 20 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 24, 1967 | F2 | 4 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 71, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in West Terre Haute
The Storm Prediction Center has 106 hail reports within 10 miles of West Terre Haute since 1971, made on 63 separate days. Of these, 63 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 2 days, most recently March 28, 2020. The most recent report is from March 30, 2025. April has the most reports, 22.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in West Terre Haute
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Terre Haute Hulman Regional Airport, IN, 9 miles southeast of West Terre Haute at 575 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 86°F and low of 65°F; January is the coolest, at 37°F and 21°F. April and May are the wettest at 4.7 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.0 inches; the year adds up to 40.7 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 24 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 110 nights a year. That 40.7 inches is more than at 33 of the 115 Indiana stations used on this site (29%). Clinton, 11 miles north, has its own station (Rockville, IN): 47.5 inches a year, 6.8 more than here, and the same July average high, 86°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37 | 21 | 2.6 | 5 |
| Feb | 42 | 24 | 2.0 | 5 |
| Mar | 53 | 33 | 2.9 | 7 |
| Apr | 65 | 43 | 4.7 | 8 |
| May | 75 | 53 | 4.7 | 9 |
| Jun | 83 | 62 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Jul | 86 | 65 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Aug | 85 | 63 | 3.0 | 4 |
| Sep | 79 | 54 | 2.9 | 4 |
| Oct | 67 | 43 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Nov | 53 | 34 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Dec | 41 | 26 | 2.5 | 5 |
| Year | 64 | 43 | 40.7 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Terre Haute Hulman Regional Airport, IN (575 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near West Terre Haute
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 246 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of West Terre Haute: 176 thunderstorm wind reports, 40 floods, 23 flash floods, 5 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $105.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 82 mph, on February 5, 2008. June has had the most flash floods, 13 of 23. Of the 337 Indiana cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 271 have had fewer than West Terre Haute.
June 1, 2008: flood 4 miles from the centre of West Terre Haute — $100.0 million damage.
June 29, 2023: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of West Terre Haute — $2.0 million damage.
June 25, 2024: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of West Terre Haute — $2.0 million damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in West Terre Haute's ZIP code 47885 have filed 81 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1985, and were paid $1.8 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Storm in 2008: 15 claims (19% of all) and $516,000. 33% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 155 Indiana cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 104 have fewer than West Terre Haute.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Storm2008 | 15 | $516,000 |
Vigo County, which includes West Terre Haute, has been named in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 11 of them major disasters (by incident: 7 severe storms, 3 floods, 2 biological emergencies, 2 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on April 3, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Vigo County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for strong wind; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $46.2 million a year, the 13th highest of 92 Indiana counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $24.2 million (52%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near West Terre Haute
- Terre Haute, IN6 mi
- Clinton, IN11 mi
- Rosedale, IN13 mi
- Paris, IL14 mi
- Marshall, IL15 mi
- Farmersburg, IN18 mi
- Brazil, IN18 mi
- Chrisman, IL22 mi
- Shelburn, IN23 mi
- Rockville, IN23 mi
- Clay City, IN24 mi
- Martinsville, IL25 mi
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