546
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
47
Direct injuries
$9.7M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Franklin County, Ohio: 546 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 85. That places the county #89 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Franklin County, Ohio: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Franklin County is the 2010s, when 207 of the county's 546 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 Franklin County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 53.3% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #89 for this hazard and #2 within Ohio, putting it in the 97.2 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Franklin County with 141 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.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 1984 | 0 | 1 | 4 | $0 | |
| Jul 15, 1985 | 0 | 1 | 0 | $0 | |
| Aug 21, 1997 | OBETZ | 50 | 0 | 15 | $50K |
| Jul 10, 2013 | LINCOLN VLG | 83 | 0 | 6 | $1.0M |
| Aug 9, 2000 | HILLIARD | 52 | 0 | 5 | $50K |
| Aug 4, 1994 | Columbus | 0 | 0 | 4 | $5K |
| Jul 2, 1994 | Columbus | 0 | 0 | 4 | $5K |
| Apr 14, 2019 | (LCK)RCKENBCKR ARPT | 61 | 0 | 3 | $100K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2026 | NEW ALBANY | 50 | $8K |
| Mar 22, 2026 | (CMH)PORT COLUMBUS A | 60 | $0 |
| Mar 22, 2026 | COLUMBUS BOLTON FLD | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2025 | WRIGHTSVILLE | 50 | $1K |
| Jul 12, 2025 | HOMEDALE | 50 | $500 |
| Jul 12, 2025 | BRIGGSDALE | 50 | $2K |
| Jun 27, 2025 | GAHANNA | 50 | $250 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | HANFORD | 45 | $100 |
| Jun 19, 2025 | CENTRAL COLLEGE | 50 | $2K |
| Jun 19, 2025 | CENTRAL COLLEGE | 50 | $1K |
Other hazards here
More from Franklin County
- Hail 284
- Flood 74
- Flash Flood 67
- Tornado 40
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A downburst from a thunderstorm struck an area 0.25 miles wide and 1.5 miles long north of Frank Road and east of Brown Road. Winds estimated to 80 mph damaged 52 homes, of which 19 were damaged seriously, of which six were left temporarily uninhabitable. Numerous trees were downed and about 3000 homes lost electricity due to downed power lines. Damage estimated near $600,000.
A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service confirmed straight line wind damage due to a microburst. Significant damage occurred to at least 4 industrial warehouse buildings with at least some roof loss at 2 to 3 of these sites. Major damage occurred to parts of these buildings. Based on the damage surveyed, the estimated wind speed of this microburst was 95 miles per hour.
Widespread wind damage occurred across the northern part of the county. Up to 200 trees were downed, some causing extensive damage by falling onto homes and automobiles. Dime size hail also fell across the northern Columbus suburbs. Wind gusts were estimated at near 70 mph.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Franklin County, Ohio?
546 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Franklin County between 1955 and 2026, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Franklin County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Franklin County measured 85.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Franklin 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 Franklin County, Ohio.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/ohio/franklin-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.