Pendleton, IN tornado history
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Pendleton, IN from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 27th 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 April 2, 2025 (EF1, 11.6-mile path); the strongest, on May 14, 1972, was rated F4.
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 Pendleton, IN
| Date | Rating | Path length | Deaths / injuries | Started in | Closest to center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF1 | 11.6 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 7.0 mi |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF2 | 2.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 4.9 mi |
| Feb 27, 2023 | EF1 | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Hancock County, IN | 4.5 mi |
| Feb 27, 2023 | EF1 | 5.2 mi | 0 / 0 | Hancock County, IN | 8.0 mi |
| May 27, 2019 | EF2 | 5.9 mi | 0 / 1 | Madison County, IN | 0.7 mi |
| Feb 27, 2011 | EF1 | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 4.5 mi |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF0 | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Hancock County, IN | 9.3 mi |
| May 30, 2008 | EF1 | 4.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Hancock County, IN | 7.8 mi |
| May 11, 2008 | EF0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 8.0 mi |
| Sep 20, 2002 | F3 | 112.0 mi | 0 / 127 | Monroe County, IN | 2.1 mi |
| Jun 11, 1998 | F2 | 16.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Hancock County, IN | 8.5 mi |
| Jul 2, 1997 | F2 | 5.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 7.6 mi |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F1 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Hamilton County, IN | 8.8 mi |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F2 | 2.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Hamilton County, IN | 4.7 mi |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F3 | 9.0 mi | 0 / 0 | Marion County, IN | 9.8 mi |
| Sep 12, 1988 | F1 | 34.0 mi | 0 / 1 | Marion County, IN | 1.4 mi |
| Aug 17, 1980 | F2 | 3.3 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 9.9 mi |
| Jun 7, 1980 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 1.7 mi |
| Jul 24, 1979 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Hamilton County, IN | 9.6 mi |
| Apr 4, 1977 | F1 | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 6.5 mi |
| Mar 20, 1976 | F1 | 5.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 4.8 mi |
| May 14, 1972 | F4 | 30.0 mi | 0 / 20 | Marion County, IN | 6.0 mi |
| Nov 26, 1965 | F3 | 1.0 mi | 0 / 3 | Hancock County, IN | 8.3 mi |
| Apr 16, 1960 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 9.0 mi |
| Mar 29, 1960 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Hancock County, IN | 8.9 mi |
| Jun 12, 1958 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 1 | Madison County, IN | 8.9 mi |
| Jun 9, 1958 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 | Madison County, IN | 8.5 mi |
| Mar 28, 1954 | F2 | 1.5 mi | 0 / 2 | Madison County, IN | 8.8 mi |
| May 9, 1952 | F1 | 15.6 mi | 0 / 0 | Marion County, IN | 9.6 mi |
More: Madison County tornadoes · Indiana tornado history · Pendleton 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 Pendleton
The National Weather Service mapped the path of 5 tornadoes within 10 miles of Pendleton in damage surveys (2 EF2, 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF1 | 110 mph | 11.6 mi | 150 yd | 0 / 0 | 01:46–01:55 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF2 | 125 mph | 2.2 mi | 250 yd | 0 / 0 | 01:43–01:46 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
| Feb 27, 2023 | EF1 | 100 mph | 0.3 mi | – | 0 / 0 | 18:37–18:39 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
| Feb 27, 2023 | EF1 | 110 mph | 5.2 mi | 50 yd | 0 / 0 | 18:28–18:34 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
| May 27, 2019 | EF2 | 130 mph | 6.0 mi | 100 yd | 0 / 0 | 00:05–00:18 UTC | NWS Indianapolis |
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.