The June 1990 Lower Ohio Valley tornado outbreak spawned 65 tornadoes, including seven of F4 intensity, in southern Illinois, central and southern Indiana, southwestern Ohio, and northern Kentucky on June 2–3, 1990.

In Indiana, 37 tornadoes formed, breaking the single-day record of 21 set during the Super Outbreak on April 3, 1974.

Meteorological synopsis On June 2, an unseasonably intense surface low over eastern North Dakota brought with it a cold front across the Mississippi Valley. Ahead of the front, a highly unstable air mass combined with a strong jet stream that increased the synoptic-scale lifting favoring supercell development. Meanwhile, backed southerly low-level winds brought moist dew points well into the region. The National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Norman, Oklahoma, put out a high risk for severe weather over much of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and northern Kentucky. A notable feature of this outbreak is that there was a sector of weak tornadoes north of Terre Haute, Indiana, while a sector of strong and vicious tornadoes developed south of the city.

Confirmed tornadoes

June 2 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, June 2, 1990F#LocationCounty / ParishStateDateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary F0SW of CantrilVan BurenIA16:35Minor damage reported to a farm. F1S of GreenwoodSebastianAR17:00Roof damage to homes and outbuildings with severe damage to 29 homes. F2SW of ManchesterVan Buren, DelawareIA17:43Tornado struck a building housing 500 hogs, killing two of them. F1S of GoodhueGoodhueMN17:50A barn was destroyed but without damage to the equipment inside. The tornado also uprooted trees and damaged three farm sites. F1Flat Gap areaJohnsonKY19:00This tornado destroyed a food market and a mobile home. F1S of MaquoketaJacksonIA20:12Trees snapped and transported . One shed was slightly damaged as a door was ripped off and the power cut off. F2Westervelt to FindlayShelbyIL21:30Tornado struck Findlay, where 16 homes were destroyed and 60 others were damaged. Two people were injured. F0SW of ArcolaDouglasIL21:47No damage reported. F2SW of Fond du Lac areaFond du LacWI22:00Caused $2 million in damage to an industrial park, several businesses, and a farm. A woman was cut by flying glass when her vehicle was struck by a billboard. F1SE of La GrangeWalworthWI22:00Four homes damaged along with trees near Lauderdale Lake. F1N of CaseyCumberland, ClarkIL2205A mobile home was destroyed and trees were damaged. F0NW of DanaVermillionIN22:15Brief touchdown. No damage was found from this tornado. F0NW of AnnapolisParkeIN22:23Brief tornado damaged trees. F0SW of ByronParkeIN22:28Brief tornado along with the Annapolis event. One porch was damaged. F1Grandview areaEdgarIL22:30Four homes were unroofed and two others were damaged. F0S of CatlinParkeIN22:45Minor tree damage occurred near Raccoon Lake. F4Rinard to S of OlneyWayne, Clay, RichlandIL22:45Three mobile homes were destroyed, including two that were completely disintegrated. A permanent home was also destroyed, and heavy oil tanks were rolled. Two injuries occurred when a tree fell onto a pickup truck. F0W of FairbanksSullivanIN22:45Brief tornado. No damage noted. F2S of Crawfordsville to SE of DarlingtonMontgomeryIN22:5014 homes and two mobile homes were badly damaged, with nearby barns leveled. A truck was blown from I-74. Twelve people were injured. F2SW of Horace, IL to E of Dana, INEdgar (IL), Vermillion (IN)IL, IN 22:53Three farms were damaged, including one where all outbuildings were destroyed and the farmhouse sustained major damage. Trees were also damaged. F2NE of Paris, IL to St. Bernice, INEdgar (IL), Vermillion (IN)IL, IN 22:58Tornado struck St. Bernice, where 20 homes were damaged and an old brick school building was leveled. F0S of HollandsburgParkeIN23:00Brief tornado. F4Newton areaJasperIL23:07Seven homes near Newton Lake were leveled to the ground. Two other homes were destroyed with minor damage elsewhere. F1W of Thorntown to SE of ColfaxBooneIN23:10Windows were smashed with some damage to trees. Two barns were leveled. F0GeorgetownCassIN23:10Brief tornado hit Georgetown. F1S of PomeroytonMenifeeKY23:15Destroyed a single home with other structures damaged nearby. F3SW of Montgomery to N of LoogooteeDaviess, MartinIN23:19Metal high-tension towers blown were down, businesses were unroofed, and eight homes were damaged. F4N of Aden, IL to Mt. Carmel, IL to N of Petersburg, IN to SE of Huron, INHamilton (IL), Wayne (IL), Edwards (IL), Wabash (IL), Knox (IN), Gibson (IN), Pike (IN), Daviess (IN), Martin (IN), Orange (IN), Lawrence (IN)IL, IN23:201 death — See section on this tornado — 11 people were injured. F1Oblong areaJasper, CrawfordIL23:20Damaged grain-storage bins and a garage before dissipating. F1Grassy Creek to CottleMorganKY23:25Uprooted trees and damaged seven structures. F1SE of Frankfort to Michigantown areaClintonIN23:25Damage to the roof of The Red Barn theater near Frankfort. F2WNW of Switz City to E of WorthingtonGreeneIN23:30Destroyed four homes with others damaged. Trees were snapped and farm buildings were damaged as well. Tornado killed several hogs and 50 rabbits on one farm alone. F1SSE of LebanonBooneIN23:35Hit two hangars and six planes at the Boone County Airport with losses of $200,000. F0W of GadsdenBooneIN23:37Developed just after the previous event, resulting in minor damage to barns, treetops, and limbs along its path. F0S of PalestineCrawfordIL23:40Little to no damage was found from this weak, brief tornado. F1ESE of ElizavilleBooneIN23:43Developed just to the north of the previous event. Also caused minor damage to barns and vegetation. F2S of Pinkstaff, IL to WSW of Oaktown, INLawrence (IL), Knox (IN)IL, IN23:45Tornado destroyed a mobile home and farm. A man was injured when he hid under a tractor, which was lifted and dropped onto his leg. F4NE of Bryantsville to ENE of BedfordLawrenceIN23:501 death — Leveled several businesses alongside U.S. Route 50 and State Road 37, then went on to destroy trailers, metal high-tension structures, trees, and cabins in the Bedford area. A total of 12 homes and 29 trailers destroyed. F1NW of OxbowNewaygoMI23:59 F4W of Union to AlfordGibson, PikeIN00:176 deaths — See section on this tornado — 60 additional people were injured. F0NNE of NoblesvilleHamiltonIN00:20Uprooted two trees during a brief touchdown. F2New Maysville to S of North SalemPutnam, HendricksIN00:301 death — One death occurred in a destroyed mobile home. Tornado also damaged another mobile home, a farm, and a house. Six people were injured. F1Hanover areaJacksonMI00:30 F2W of MerriamNobleIN00:40Destroyed two mobile homes and three barns plus a silo. Also severely damaged a third mobile home and displaced a fourth barn. F1W of OrleansOrangeIN00:54 F1E of ReddingtonJackson, JenningsIN00:55 F2NE of Fleming to NE of ZenasJenningsIN01:05 F2N of Guthrie to NE of DexterWashtenawMI01:10 F0NW of MillhousenDecaturIN01:15 F0Campbellsburg areaWashingtonIN01:17 F4SW of Clear Spring to NW of SeymourJacksonIN01:20Hundreds of trees and ten homes leveled to the ground. 44 homes damaged and 11 mobile homes destroyed with many farms damaged or destroyed. Nine people were injured. F2SE of Salem to NW of South BostonWashingtonIN02:03Seven trailers and a barn were destroyed. 15 trailers and several frame homes were damaged as well. F3S of Millport to NE of LancasterWashington, Jackson, Scott, JeffersonIN02:25One home was destroyed and 15 others were damaged. F2NE of Nebraska to SE of New AlsaceRipley, DearbornIN02:30A church built in 1838 was destroyed. F2Riddle to N of CarefreeCrawford, HarrisonIN02:30Destroyed four homes and damaged numerous others; $260,000 in damage to three buildings at a food-processing plant. F3NW of Galena to SellersburgFloyd, ClarkIN02:57Tornado first struck Floyds Knobs and Hamburg, destroying over 25 homes and mobile homes. In Sellersburg, the tornado badly damaged a bowling alley and many businesses. F4W of Bright, IN to SW of Mason, OHDearborn (IN), Hamilton (OH), Butler (OH), Warren (OH)IN, OH03:00See section on this tornado — 37 people were injured. F0SE of ClarkedaleCrittendenAR03:05Brief touchdown sighted with no reported damage. F3La Grange area to JerichoOldham, HenryKY03:30First clipped the north side of La Grange, where three frame homes and three mobile homes were destroyed. Tornado then struck Jericho, damaging several other homes. Caused $2,500,000 in damage and injured 5 people. F3SE of Marysville, IN to NE of Bedford, KYClark (IN), Jefferson (IN), Trimble (KY)IN, KY03:40Half-mile wide tornado badly damaged many buildings, homes, and trailers in Indiana. Tornado crossed into Kentucky and struck Mt. Pleasant, where 15 homes and 25 barns were damaged. Five people were injured. This tornado followed a similar path to a devastating EF4 tornado that killed 11 people during an outbreak on March 2, 2012. F2N of ShelbyvilleShelbyKY04:14Damaged 16 homes and 12 barns on the north edge of Shelbyville. Caused $1,000,000 in damage. F1Allensville to CorinthLoganKY04:34Damaged outbuildings and a partially completed home. F1S of BurlingtonBooneKY04:40Major damage to four homes in the area. F1S of FranklintonHenryKY04:55Damaged many homes and a barn. F0Clarksville areaClintonOH04:45Damaged only two homes and some trees. F2SW of SaltairClermontOH5:50Three mobile homes and numerous barns were destroyed. Five homes and other barns were damaged.

Barnhill–Albion, Illinois/Mt. Carmel–Shoals, Indiana

This extremely long-tracked F4 tornado began near Aden, littering I-64 with trees and overturning a truck before striking Barnhill, where 10 homes were destroyed and 10 others were damaged. The tornado then struck Albion, where a factory, homes, and other buildings were destroyed. The tornado then caused severe damage in the Browns area, where one woman was killed in her home. In the town of Mt. Carmel, the tornado ripped apart seventeen homes and severely damaged Wabash Valley College before crossing into Indiana. In Indiana, the tornado passed near Hazleton, Bowman, Petersburg, and Orrville, where a barn was destroyed. In Daviess County, Indiana, the tornado caused $10,000,000 in damage as it destroyed 10 homes and damaged 35 others. A cabin was crushed by a tree as the tornado passed near Shoals, resulting in four injuries. The tornado passed near Whitfield before dissipating near Huron. A total of eleven people were injured by this tornado.

Petersburg, Indiana

A powerful F4 tornado developed west of Union and proceeded to enter that community from Gibson County. The tornado completely leveled one home, killing two occupants, and also blew another off its base. After passing through a wooded area, the tornado hit Petersburg, killing four people there. Upon entering the town limits, it leveled a nursing home plus an apartment complex and up to ten homes. Having now killed six people, the tornado was the deadliest to hit Indiana since the 1974 Super Outbreak. It then struck the business district in downtown Petersburg and destroyed 19 businesses before going on to level 168 additional homes and damage an elementary school in Petersburg. The town became the hardest hit in Indiana on June 2, 1990. The tornado destroyed half of Petersburg, including the home of the mayor. 60 others were injured by this tornado.

Bright, Indiana/Harrison, Ohio