297
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$9.0M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Portage County, Ohio: 297 recorded events between 1956 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 91. That places the county #463 nationally and #22 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Portage County, Ohio: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Portage County is the 2000s, when 74 of the county's 297 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Portage County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 56.8% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #463 for this hazard and #22 within Ohio, putting it in the 85.3 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Portage County with 94 recorded events, while Dec is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 2026 | SUFFIELD | 55 | $0 |
| Apr 15, 2026 | GARRETTSVILLE | 61 | $0 |
| Apr 15, 2026 | HIRAM | 55 | $0 |
| Apr 15, 2026 | MANTUA | 55 | $0 |
| Mar 31, 2026 | YALE | 61 | $20K |
| Jun 19, 2025 | NEW MILFORD | 55 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2025 | RANDOLPH | 55 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2025 | AURORA | 55 | $0 |
| Jun 18, 2025 | NEW MILFORD | 55 | $0 |
| May 17, 2025 | NEW MILFORD | 55 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Portage County
- Hail 168
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Thunderstorm downburst winds in excess of 100 mph caused extensive damage across northern Portage County. A 105 mph wind gust was measured by an automated sensor in Aurora. Damages stretched from the county line west of Aurora across the northern tier of townships to the eastern end of the county. The damage was most concentrated in Aurora and adjacent Mantua Township. Thousands of trees were downed across the county. Many homes lost roofing or siding and several others were damaged by fallen trees. Many vehicles were reported damaged by flying debris or from fallen trees or limbs. Widespread power outages occurred with full restoration taking around five days. Bleachers at an athletic field at Aurora High School were overturned and destroyed. Several school districts in Portage County were closed on November 6th and some on the 7th because of power outages. Clean up from the storms took weeks.
A thunderstorm downburst with winds estimated at 85 to 95 mph hit the west side of Kent. The area affected by the downburst was one quarter wide mile and approximately a mile in length. Several hundred trees and 40 power poles were downed. A total of 25 homes were damaged including four that were declared unhabitable. In addition, a camper and over a dozen automobiles were crushed by fallen trees. Widespread power outages occurred and a state of emergency was put in effect because of the widespread and severe damage.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Portage County and downed hundreds of trees and caused widespread power outages. A spotter measured a 63 mph gust in Ravenna. The southern half of the county, including the Ravenna and Kent areas saw the most extensive damage. Around 100 homes sustained damaged with one mobile home destroyed by fallen trees. Many vehicles were also reported damaged. Several roads had to be closed because of the extensive tree damage. At the peak of the storm, over 7,000 customers were without power.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Portage County, Ohio?
297 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Portage County between 1956 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Portage County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Portage County measured 91.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Portage County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Portage County, Ohio.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/ohio/portage-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.