Mitchell, IN tornado history
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Mitchell, IN from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 84th of 177 Indiana cities with a tornado on record. 4 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger by the National Weather Service. The most recent was on March 14, 2025 (EF1, 11.0-mile path); the strongest, on June 2, 1990, was rated F4. The deadliest, on June 2, 1990, killed 1 along its path.
Dashed circle: 10 miles from the city's Census center point. A tornado counts when its recorded path passes inside the circle. Paths run straight from start to end point, as SPC records them.
Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.
Every tornado within 10 miles of the center of Mitchell, IN
| Date | Rating | Path length | Deaths / injuries | Started in | Closest to center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF1 | 11.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Orange County, IN | 5.4 mi |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF2 | 0.7 mi | 0 / 1 | Lawrence County, IN | 8.0 mi |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF1 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Lawrence County, IN | 1.9 mi |
| Nov 17, 2013 | EF1 | 1.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Lawrence County, IN | 9.6 mi |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | 2.4 mi | 0 / 0 | Washington County, IN | 9.1 mi |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | 1.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Washington County, IN | 9.3 mi |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | 2.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Orange County, IN | 8.1 mi |
| May 25, 2011 | EF2 | 4.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Orange County, IN | 6.8 mi |
| Mar 8, 2009 | EF3 | 1.1 mi | 0 / 1 | Lawrence County, IN | 10.0 mi |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F1 | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Lawrence County, IN | 0.6 mi |
| Oct 24, 2001 | F1 | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Lawrence County, IN | 9.3 mi |
| Apr 15, 1994 | F1 | 0.3 mi | 0 / 3 | Lawrence County, IN | 4.0 mi |
| Apr 15, 1994 | F1 | 0.5 mi | 0 / 2 | Lawrence County, IN | 5.6 mi |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F1 | 11.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Orange County, IN | 5.1 mi |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | 11.0 mi | 1 / 51 | Lawrence County, IN | 4.2 mi |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | 106.0 mi | 1 / 12 | Hamilton County, IL → IN | 8.8 mi |
| Jun 7, 1980 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Orange County, IN | 4.8 mi |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 35.8 mi | 1 / 26 | Lawrence County, IN | 9.7 mi |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F1 | 14.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Orange County, IN | 3.6 mi |
| Feb 10, 1959 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Lawrence County, IN | 1.4 mi |
| Feb 28, 1955 | F2 | 1.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Lawrence County, IN | 6.4 mi |
More: Lawrence County tornadoes · Indiana tornado history · Mitchell hail history · Indiana damaging wind
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.
NWS Damage Survey Paths Near Mitchell
The National Weather Service mapped the path of 5 tornadoes within 10 miles of Mitchell in damage surveys (1 EF2, 4 EF1). On the map, those paths follow the survey, colored by the EF rating of each stretch, instead of a straight line from start to end.
| Date | Rating | Peak wind | Path length | Max width | Deaths / injuries | On the ground | Surveyed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF1 | 110 mph | 11.0 mi | 50 yd | 0 / 0 | 08:45–08:53 UTC | NWS Louisville |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF1 | 100 mph | 0.1 mi | 25 yd | 0 / 1 | 10:38–15:47 UTC | NWS IND, |
| Feb 28, 2017 | EF2 | 130 mph | 0.6 mi | 25 yd | 0 / 0 | 10:37–10:38 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
| Nov 17, 2013 | EF1 | 90 mph | 1.3 mi | 50 yd | 0 / 0 | 20:57 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
| Apr 3, 1974 | EF1 | – | 27.6 mi | 177 yd | 0 / 0 | 18:15 UTC | NWS IND, |
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT): the tornado paths and EF-rating zones NWS survey teams mapped after each storm. Survey data are preliminary and can be revised; NOAA's official record is Storm Data (NCEI). Paths are simplified to about 30 m. Times are when the tornado was on the ground, in UTC.