Union County, IN Environment & Hazard Risk
Very Low natural hazard risk, led by strong wind. 233 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $4.26M
- Very Low nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 233
- Most often thunderstorm wind
- Flood insurance policies
- 1
- 0.0% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 0
- Since 1851
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Very Low
Score 5.2 of 100
Social vulnerability
Very Low
Score 10.6 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively Low
Score 20.6 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $1.66B · Agriculture value exposed: $53.95M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $3.29M
Risk by hazard
- Strong windRelatively Moderate$1.47M/yr expected annual loss, about 3.1 events a year
- LandslideVery Low$1,502/yr expected annual loss, about once every 18 years
- TornadoRelatively Low$617K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 8 years
- DroughtVery Low$26.02K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
- EarthquakeVery Low$72.68K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 578 years
- Cold waveVery Low$219K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.2 events a year
- Ice stormVery Low$11.44K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.0 events a year
- Heat waveVery Low$31.29K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.4 events a year
- HailVery Low$44.62K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.7 events a year
- HurricaneVery Low$2,464/yr expected annual loss, about once every 174 years
- LightningVery Low$27.18K/yr expected annual loss, about 46 events a year
- Winter weatherVery Low$6,074/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
- WildfireVery Low$226/yr expected annual loss, about once every 39,705 years
Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.
Flood risk and insurance
National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA flood maps
Check the flood zone for an address
- Homes with flood insurance
- 1 of 4,016 (0.0%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 22
- Insured in high-risk zones
- 1 (5%)
- Flood claims since 1978
- 3
- Claims paid since 1978
- $50.52K
Flood claims paid per year
Storm history
Since 1996: 233 events, 4 deaths, $2.46M in damage
- Thunderstorm Wind68 · 2 deaths
- Winter Weather40
- Winter Storm27
- Flood27 · 2 deaths
- Flash Flood22
- Hail15
- High Wind10
- Heavy Snow7
- Ice Storm5
- Heat3
Events per year
3 tornadoes on record (EF1 1, F2 2).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- Thunderstorm Wind60 kt wind07/20/1998
Liberty, Union County
2 deaths, 6 injured, $25K damage
What happened
Numerous trees downed across the county, one of which fell across a tent, injuring six campers. Also, two people were killed when a boat overturned in the storm on Brookville Lake.
- Flood01/22/1999
Union
2 deaths
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/02/2023
Liberty, Union County
3 injured, $10K damage
What happened
Several trees were downed in and around Whitewater Memorial State Park. One tree fell onto a tent, resulting in 3 non-life threatening injuries.
- High Wind52 kt wind09/14/2008
Union
$856K damage
What happened
Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. Gusts over 60 mph were common. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines to significant structural damage.
- Frost/Freeze04/06/2007
Union
$620K damage
What happened
Unseasonably warm temperatures for an extended period of time in March allowed much of the Ohio Valley to begin its agricultural growing season early. In early April, a cold snap with low temperatures dropping from the upper teens to middle 20s threatened agricultural interests across the region.|The full effect of these weather extremes is still yet to be known, and will not be known until the fall harvest can be compared with yields from previous years. The initial estimate of 5.58 million in crop damage was split evenly between 9 Indiana counties.
- Flash Flood06/16/2003
Liberty, Union County
$100K damage
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/28/2026
College Corner, Union County
$1,500 damage
- Winter Storm01/25/2026
Union
- Winter Weather12/13/2025
Union
- Winter Weather12/02/2025
Union
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind04/29/2025
College Corner, Union County
$1,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind04/03/2025
Liberty, Union County
$1,000 damage
- Winter Weather01/10/2025
Union
- Winter Storm01/05/2025
Union
Drinking water
3 community water systems serve about 2,692 people. Violations since 2021.
None of the systems serving this county had a health-based violation in this period.
- Liberty Water WorksServes 2,133 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Heritage Hills CampgroundServes 525 · Purchased groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
- Liberty Country Club- Housing Develop.Serves 34 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+6 monitoring or reporting
Largest systems by population served. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or notices were late or missing, not that the water was unsafe.
Climate
1991-2020 normals at Brookville, 15 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 87°F in Jul and winter lows bottom out near 21°F in Jan. About 43.8 inches of rain falls in a typical year, with 17.6 inches of snow.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 21°F | 3.36 in | 6.1 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 2.67 in | 5.0 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 31°F | 3.58 in | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 41°F | 4.60 in | - |
| May | 76°F | 51°F | 4.79 in | - |
| Jun | 84°F | 60°F | 4.89 in | - |
| Jul | 87°F | 64°F | 3.89 in | - |
| Aug | 86°F | 62°F | 3.00 in | - |
| Sep | 81°F | 55°F | 2.96 in | - |
| Oct | 68°F | 42°F | 3.30 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 33°F | 3.40 in | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 26°F | 3.37 in | 4.0 in |
| Year | 54°F average | 43.8 in | 17.6 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 1 toxic release facility in Union County
Superfund sites
None in this county.
Toxic release facilities
- Protech Powder Coatings Inc10,631 lbs released, Liberty
Total: 10,631 lbs in 2024, 10,631 lbs to air.
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk2 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Union County for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Union County very low for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $4.26M a year. The highest-rated hazards are strong wind (relatively moderate), landslide (very low), tornado (relatively low).
- What storms are most common in Union County?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 233 storm events affecting Union County, most often thunderstorm wind (68), winter weather (40), winter storm (27).
- How many tornadoes have hit Union County?
- 3 tornadoes have been recorded in Union County since 1950.
- How many homes in Union County have flood insurance?
- 1 residential flood insurance policy is in force in Union County, covering about 0.0% of homes. The program has paid $50.52K on 3 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Union County?
- At Brookville, average highs reach 87°F in Jul and lows fall to 21°F in Jan, with 43.8 inches of rain a year (1991-2020 normals).
Source: FEMA (National Risk Index, NFIP), NOAA (Storm Events, HURDAT2, Climate Normals), EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch the county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.