Rip Current in Indiana

Events

25

Deaths

29

Injuries

16

Damage

None recorded

• Rip Current in Indiana, July 9, 20163 deaths · 3 injured · 1 eventHazardous swim conditions existed across northwest Indiana beaches during the day and evening hours as gusty northwest winds caused wave heights up to 9 feet.
• Rip Currents in Indiana, August 16, 20203 deaths · 2 eventsA group of 5 teens were swimming in Lake Michigan near Portage Riverwalk when waves pulled them under. A good Samaritan riding a jet ski helped pull two swimmers out. Two others managed to swim out of the currents.
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 22, 20102 deaths · 2 injured · 1 eventA north to northwest wind moved in behind a cold front on August 21st. High pressure moved towards the western Great Lakes. This allowed for an extended period of higher winds and waves on far southeastern Lake Michigan with wave heights in the three to six foot range.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 26, 20052 deaths · 1 eventA 16 year old female and a man in his mid-20s were swimming in Lake Michigan, 80 to 100 yards offshore of Beverly Shores. At 4 pm CST, Michigan City had a north-northeast wind with gusts to 30 mph.
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 18, 20182 deaths · 1 eventA 10 year old boy was found face down in Lake Michigan about 40 yards from shore near the Indiana Dunes State Park north of Chesterton. Rescuers performed CPR and he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 6, 20241 death · 3 injured · 1 eventA 17 year old boy from Minnesota went missing on the afternoon of the 6th while swimming in Lake Michigan near Beverly Shores. He was unable to be recovered. Three others were rescued from the water and transported to a local hospital.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 12, 20221 death · 1 injured · 1 eventTwo girls, a 9 year old and a 14 year old, were spotted struggling in Lake Michigan in a portion of Marquette Beach that is unguarded during the afternoon of July 12th.
• Rip Current in Indiana, June 27, 20221 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA 38 year old man entered the water at Porter Beach in northwest Indiana in the late morning of June 27th after seeing a 17 year old girl in distress. He was able to help the girl get to shore, as they both fought strong currents and waves as high as 5 feet.
• Rip Current in Indiana, June 20, 20231 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA 19 year old man and a 14 year old female family member began struggling in choppy waves in Lake Michigan where a rip current may have carried them into deeper water. A witness was able to rescue the 14 year old girl.
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 29, 19991 death · 1 event
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 13, 20011 death · 1 eventA 19 year old man drowned after he was caught in a rip current while swimming along the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 2, 20081 death · 1 eventA 13 year old boy drowned due to rip currents at Porter Beach, Indiana. His 10 year old brother was also caught in the rip current, but he was pulled out of the water alive.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 13, 20081 death · 1 eventWest winds to 25 knots along with waves to 3 feet caused rip currents to develop near Kemil Beach in Northwest Indiana. A 14 year old boy drowned. His body was recovered three days later.
• Rip Current in Indiana, August 28, 20111 death · 1 eventStrong rip currents developed during the afternoon hours of August 28th. Nine people attempted to go swimming at the Indiana Dunes State Park but the beach was closed due to the rip currents. The people walked west to an unguarded beach at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
• Rip Current in Indiana, September 9, 20121 death · 1 eventGusty northerly winds across Lake Michigan caused numerous rip currents along the southeastern lake shore areas with waves of 3 to 6 feet common. A 57 year old man entered the water around 6 pm EDT and moved away from shore, despite warnings from family members and posted signs.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 8, 20121 death · 1 eventStrong rip currents developed on Sunday July 8th. A 15 year old boy was on a sand bar with three friends near the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. He either stepped off the sandbar or was knocked off and then disappeared in four foot waves.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 27, 20131 death · 1 eventStrong rip currents developed at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore during the evening of July 27th. A 37 year old man swimming at Lakeview Beach was caught in the currents and later died.
• Rip Current in Indiana, June 23, 20201 death · 1 eventAn 18 year old male swimmer went missing around 11 am CDT on June 23rd near the west end of the beach of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. He was located one and a half hours later and taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Waves were estimated around 4 feet.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 10, 20221 death · 1 eventA 72 year old man went under water in Lake Michigan late in the morning of July 10th at the Indiana Dunes State Park. He did not resurface. Lifeguards found the man 15 minutes after he went under, submerged in 7 feet of water about 100 feet from shore.
• Rip Current in Indiana, June 15, 20231 death · 1 eventA 7 year old boy was reported missing in Lake Michigan near the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Beach at 350 pm CST on June 15th. He was pulled from the lake at 411 pm CST by emergency responders. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 29, 20231 death · 1 eventDuring the afternoon of the 29th, first responders were dispatched to Miller Beach in Gary, Indiana for a possible drowning due to a rip current. A search and rescue ensued but was hindered due to rip currents and 3 to 6 foot waves.
• Rip Current in Indiana, September 9, 20231 death · 1 eventA 27 year old man was seen struggling in Lake Michigan near Whiting Lakefront Park on the afternoon of September 9th. He eventually dropped below the surface and was later found by first responders. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
• Rip Current and High Surf in Indiana, June 21, 20254 injured · 2 eventsStrong winds on the 21st generated high waves and deadly currents on southern Lake Michigan beaches, resulting in several water rescues. The Michigan City C-MAN station was regularly reporting wind gusts between 30 and 40 mph during the afternoon out of the south.
• Rip Current in Indiana, July 20, 20252 injured · 1 eventA group of four to five people were in the water at Washington Park Beach, an estimated few hundred feet offshore between the first and second sandbars. Two of the swimmers were rescued by lifeguards after getting pulled into deeper water by a rip current.

Rip Current everywhereEvery kind of event in Indiana

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.