FEMA rates relative tornado risk for Marion County as very high and reports historical annualized frequency of 0.30 events per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Marion County reports historical annualized frequency of 0.30 events per year for tornado. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Marion County.
Tornado
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
99.0/100
FEMA annualizes recorded qualifying tornado occurrences across the FEMA geography and source period.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Marion County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Indianapolis, FEMA rates tornado risk for Marion County as very high, with a relative score of 99.0/100. The next highest relative scores are lightning at 98.9/100 and strong wind at 98.0/100.
Using FEMA data for Marion County, Indianapolis is #1 among 10 covered Indiana entries for tornado risk. Carmel is about 13 straight-line miles from the Indianapolis map point; its FEMA figures cover Hamilton County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Indianapolis? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Indianapolis. All FEMA figures on this page cover Marion County.
The FEMA figures cover Marion County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative tornado risk for Marion County as very high. Its historical annualized frequency is 0.30 events per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 10 Indiana cities covered by this directory, Indianapolis is #1 for relative tornado risk based on FEMA's score for Marion County. Homes within Indianapolis can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Marion County, the highest relative ratings are Tornado (Very High), Lightning (Very High), and Strong Wind (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Marion County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Marion County an overall relative risk rating of relatively moderate. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Identify the lowest-floor interior room or nearby rated shelter you can reach quickly. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and keep a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio available. Use Ready.gov Tornadoes and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Tornado rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel, IN | 13 mi | Relatively High | 97.5 |
| Fishers, IN | 16 mi | Relatively High | 97.5 |
| Bloomington, IN | 47 mi | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 |
| Muncie, IN | 49 mi | Relatively Moderate | 89.6 |
| Lafayette, IN | 57 mi | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 |
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Hazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.