1,561
Recorded events
88
Counties affected
199
Direct deaths
$3.0B
Property damage
Ohio tornado history: 1,561 recorded events across 88 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Ohio tornado history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 318 reported tornado events across Ohio. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most tornado events in Ohio
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Van Wert County | 42 | 2 | $34.7M | 1950–2025 |
| #2 | Franklin County | 40 | 0 | $58.7M | 1954–2025 |
| #3 | Huron County | 37 | 6 | $11.8M | 1972–2025 |
| #4 | Lorain County | 36 | 18 | $36.9M | 1953–2025 |
| #5 | Warren County | 35 | 0 | $41.3M | 1956–2025 |
| #6 | Miami County | 35 | 0 | $16.9M | 1955–2024 |
| #7 | Clark County | 33 | 0 | $5.9M | 1962–2025 |
| #8 | Clinton County | 32 | 2 | $8.4M | 1961–2025 |
| #9 | Darke County | 31 | 0 | $32.9M | 1955–2025 |
| #10 | Medina County | 30 | 0 | $7.6M | 1959–2025 |
| #11 | Richland County | 30 | 0 | $11.3M | 1961–2024 |
| #12 | Mercer County | 29 | 3 | $39.5M | 1965–2024 |
| #13 | Licking County | 29 | 1 | $31.5M | 1958–2024 |
| #14 | Wood County | 28 | 11 | $132.7M | 1953–2016 |
| #15 | Brown County | 27 | 1 | $11.5M | 1961–2025 |
| #16 | Pickaway County | 27 | 0 | $11.6M | 1958–2024 |
| #17 | Putnam County | 26 | 2 | $8.7M | 1954–2025 |
| #18 | Clermont County | 26 | 4 | $15.3M | 1953–2023 |
| #19 | Butler County | 25 | 1 | $62.2M | 1951–2025 |
| #20 | Muskingum County | 25 | 1 | $8.4M | 1954–2024 |
| #21 | Wayne County | 25 | 0 | $58.0M | 1957–2026 |
| #22 | Trumbull County | 25 | 10 | $507.5M | 1956–2024 |
| #23 | Greene County | 25 | 37 | $321.4M | 1956–2024 |
| #24 | Fairfield County | 24 | 0 | $2.3M | 1963–2024 |
| #25 | Auglaize County | 24 | 0 | $9.9M | 1980–2026 |
Significant events
Deadliest tornado events in Ohio
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | Greene County | F5 | 36 | 1,150 |
| Apr 12, 1965 | Lorain County | F4 | 17 | 100 |
| Apr 12, 1965 | Lucas County | F4 | 16 | 207 |
| Apr 12, 1965 | Allen County | F4 | 11 | 100 |
| May 31, 1985 | Trumbull County | F5 | 10 | 250 |
| Apr 23, 1968 | Scioto County | F5 | 7 | 75 |
| Jun 6, 2010 | Wood County | EF4 | 7 | 28 |
| Jun 9, 1953 | Cuyahoga County | F4 | 6 | 300 |
| Jun 9, 1953 | Henry County | F4 | 5 | 1 |
| May 10, 1973 | Huron County | F3 | 5 | 100 |