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Allen County, Ohio severe weather history spans 286 recorded events between 1950 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 64.3% of all recorded events. It ranks #1,865 nationally and #69 in Ohio.
286
Recorded events
11
Direct deaths
134
Direct injuries
$9.3M
Property damage
The record
What the Allen County, Ohio severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Allen County, Ohio severe weather history averages 3.8 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 73 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 56 events fall before 1990 and 230 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Allen County, Ohio record is tornado, responsible for 11 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $5.9M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Allen County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 184 | 0 | $2.6M | 75 | 1955–2025 |
| Hail | 64 | 0 | $2K | 2.75 | 1959–2025 |
| Tornado | 23 | 11 | $5.9M | F4 | 1950–2023 |
| Flash Flood | 9 | 0 | $610K | 0 | 1996–2020 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $200K | 0 | 2006–2006 |
| Flood | 2 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2015–2019 |
| Heavy Rain | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2020–2020 |
Decade by decade
Allen County, Ohio severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
24 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 19 touched down inside it and 5 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-04-11 | EF4 | 13 | 104 | 32.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1965-04-11 | EF4 | 4 | 125 | 52.5 mi | Crossed in |
| 2001-10-24 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 32.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1950-07-19 | EF3 | 0 | 30 | 9.7 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-10-26 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 3.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 2011-04-19 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2011-04-19 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 mi | Touched down here |
| 2006-06-22 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2002-09-20 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1981-06-21 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.7 mi | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Allen County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1965 | Tornado | 11 | 100 | $2.5M | |
| Jul 19, 1950 | Tornado | 0 | 30 | $2.5M | |
| Jun 22, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | LIMA | 0 | 2 | $200K |
| Jul 27, 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Apr 8, 1980 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $250K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Widespread tree and power line damage throughout the city of Lima. Along a strech of Shawnee Rd. from Fort Amanda Rd. to Reed Rd., every power pole and traffic signal was blown over, completely blocking the road. The roof of an automotive shop at Jackson St. and Findlay Rd. collapsed. Numerous homes and businesses sustained roof damage. About two thirds of Allen County was without power. One person was injured by a falling tree, and one person was knocked over by the wind and sustained minor injuries. There were also up to 15 indirect injuries from automobile accidents during the storm.
Sheriff department officials reported extensive flooding in several areas north of U.S. 30, especially around Cairo and Beaverdam. Water up to 1 foot deep was flowing over several roadways. Flash flooding occurred across Interstate 75, south of Mile Marker 138, resulting in closure of the Interstate in both directions. Pictures were also received of high flowing water near the intersection of Hillville Road and Stewart Road, north of Cairo. While no specific details were available, local media reported eight to 10 households suffered serious flooding problems. In addition, the Cairo Branch of the Lima Public Library suffered water damage as six inches of water entered the building. Hundreds of books were ruined as a -result. The threat for life threatening flash flooding ended during the mid-evening hours, but high water remained in several areas into the overnight hours of the 29th.
Law enforcement reported tress and power lines down across the county with much of the damage in and around Lima. A large tree fell on a home and a car. The Lima High school which was under construction had damage to the roof.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
101,348
Population (ACS)
$165K
Median home value
10
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Aug 20, 2012 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS | EM |
| Aug 27, 2007 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Allen County, Ohio?
286 events are on record between 1950 and 2025, causing 11 direct deaths and $9.3M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Allen County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 184 recorded events — 64.3% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Allen County?
24 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 19 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Allen County?
10 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Allen County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Allen County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Allen County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 73 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Allen County, Ohio severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Adams County 389
- Ashland County 426
- Ashtabula County 500
- Athens County 447
- Auglaize County 386
- Belmont County 476
Cite this page
“Allen County, Ohio.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/ohio/allen-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.