Fairfield
Population 44,682 (2025)
91 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Fairfield since 1950, 8 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195091
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1
- Major flood years since 1978, Butler County5
At a glance
Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Butler County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Butler County.
Strongest tornado
F5
April 3, 1974, 20.8 mile path
Tornadoes
About one tornado a year since 1950, 8 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 3, 1974
F5, 20.8 mile path
533 yards wide; 3 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
August 9, 1969
4 killed, F3
247 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
EF0, 8.5 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF0 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF0 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | EF0 | 11.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | EF0 | 6.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 19, 2025 | EF1 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2024 | EF1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2024 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 14, 2023 | EF0 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 14, 2023 | EF0 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 27, 2023 | EF1 | 4.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2022 | EF2 | 4.8 | 2 | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2022 | EF1 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 2021 | EF1 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 2021 | EF1 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 2017 | EF0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 2017 | EF1 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 13, 2016 | EF0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 7, 2012 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2012 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2012 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 1, 2012 | EF1 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 25, 2011 | EF1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 4, 2008 | EF0 | 1.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 30, 2005 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 24, 1999 | F0 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1999 | F2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 9, 1999 | F4 | 10.0 | 65 | 4 |
| Apr 9, 1999 | F1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 8, 1992 | F1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 12, 1992 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 20, 1991 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F1 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | 33.0 | 37 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | 23.0 | 3 | 0 |
| May 4, 1990 | F2 | 0.2 | 5 | 1 |
| May 4, 1990 | F1 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1986 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 1984 | F0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 19, 1981 | F1 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1980 | F1 | 6.2 | 15 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 1980 | F2 | 2.0 | 10 | 0 |
| Jun 12, 1978 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1977 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1977 | F3 | 0.7 | 17 | 0 |
| Oct 1, 1977 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1976 | F1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1976 | F0 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 11, 1975 | F1 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1975 | F2 | 1.0 | 3 | 0 |
| May 18, 1974 | F1 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F2 | 9.8 | 9 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 19.8 | 39 | 2 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F5 | 20.8 | 210 | 3 |
| Dec 26, 1973 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 29, 1973 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 1973 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 1973 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 1973 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 3, 1973 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 19, 1973 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 9, 1969 | F3 | 22.2 | 247 | 4 |
| May 10, 1969 | F3 | 54.5 | 25 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1968 | F4 | 24.1 | 33 | 1 |
| Feb 15, 1967 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 15, 1967 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 1965 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1960 | F2 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 20, 1960 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 22, 1959 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 1958 | F2 | 0.1 | 8 | 0 |
| Jun 26, 1956 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | F2 | 1.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Feb 25, 1956 | F2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2, 1954 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 1951 | F1 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
- Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
1 tropical cyclone passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.
Most recent
October 5, 1995
Opal, Post-tropical
75.0 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 55 days
Heavy smoke on 13 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
17.5 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 37 so far in 2026.
- A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.
NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Floods and flood insurance
474 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $4.6 million paid.
Flood insurance figures are for Butler County, the county that contains Fairfield.
Most claims in one year
1979: 77 claims
$269,000 paid.
2nd most
2003: 70 claims
$1.3 million paid.
3rd most
1980: 34 claims
$48,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 45014 | 235 | $1.3 million |
| 45013 | 69 | $732,000 |
| 45011 | 58 | $438,000 |
| 45069 | 24 | $359,000 |
| 45044 | 21 | $695,000 |
| 45056 | 17 | $339,000 |
| 45042 | 13 | $43,000 |
| 45064 | 13 | $198,000 |
| 45053 | 8 | $74,000 |
| 45062 | 7 | $353,000 |
| 45067 | 5 | $41,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood63
- Flood55
- Heavy Rain6
1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.
River crests
River gauges in Butler County, the county that contains Fairfield.
Most severe crest
January 22, 1959
Great Miami River at Middletown, 19.20 ft
7.20 feet above the 12.0 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
January 22, 1959
Great Miami River at Middletown, 19.20 ft
Moderate flooding.
River gauges
| Great Miami River at Hamilton | 75.0 | 76.60 ft | 0 |
| Great Miami River at Middletown | 12.0 | 19.20 ft | 0 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 111 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 14 months.
The drought index is for Butler County, the county that contains Fairfield.
111
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
47
Months in extreme drought
7%
Share of all months, severe or worse
2
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
December 1934
−6.18, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
14 months
May 1934 to June 1935.
Latest month
September 2026
+4.07, extremely wet
Last severe month: September 2007.
- The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.
NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.
Earthquakes
No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more is recorded within 50 miles of the city centre in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.
Severe weather and other events
805 events in the National Weather Service record for Butler County, 675 of them since 1996.
91
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
9
Hail, 2 inches or larger
213
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
140
Winter weather events since 1996
8
Heat events since 1996
5
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 3, 1974
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
January 5, 1997
98 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 7 | 2 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Butler$41.7 million
National Weather Service narrative
Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. A gust to 65 mph was recorded in Trenton. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines, to significant crop losses and structural damage.
- Jul 17, 2001Flash Flood$1.5 million
National Weather Service narrative
Several state, county and township roads incurred culvert and/or beam damage. 159 dwellings and one nursing home with damage across county. A stream was out of its banks at the intersection of State Routes 73 and 177. Total estimate of public assistance is 1,465,350.
- Jan 5, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A three mile path received extensive damage. Numerous buildings were damaged with a trucking company building being nearly destroyed. A trailer was thrown into a fence and several tractor trailers were overturned. High school bleachers were blown 50 feet which caused damage. Several homes received minor roof damage. Numerous trees were downed with a few electrical poles being snapped.
- Jun 15, 2003Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Twenty five homes in the Cedar Grove subdivision in New Miami were evacuated when Four Mile and Seven Mile Creeks came out of their banks. In Fairfield, up to 50 homes were evacuated when Pleasant Run Creek rose out of its banks. Cars were trapped in high water throughout Fairfield, with a total of 300 homes sustaining damage from the flooding.
- May 19, 1998Lightning$750,000
National Weather Service narrative
Thunderstorms moved through Butler county causing 2 house fires. Both houses were nearly completely destroyed.
- Feb 27, 2023Tornado$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado first touched down near the intersection of Jacksonburg Road and Oxford Middletown Road, where some minor roof and tree damage was observed. Damage was more pronounced at properties along Middletown Eaton Road. Several homes had fascia and shingles removed. One house even lost some plywood underneath the shingles.||The strongest winds occurred at a property on Elk Creek Road, just north of the bridge over Elk Creek. A home on the east side of the road had the roof removed from the second story, with the back wall also failing in the process. This is where the tornado is likely to have been at its maximum intensity, with the degree of damage and structural damage to the…
- Jan 6, 1996Winter Storm, Butler$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
The Blizzard of '96 developed near the Gulf Coast and moved up the East Coast. This massive system produced the greatest total and 24 hour snowfall at Greater Cincinnati\Northern Kentucky airport. This one storm brought 14.3 inches of snowfall to the airport which normally receives 23 inches for an entire season. The heaviest snow fell near the Ohio river in the extreme south. The worst blizzard conditions occurred over West Central areas as dry and powdery snow was blown around by high winds causing whiteouts. Some areas had more than 30 continuous hours of snowfall, and many people in Southern Ohio felt this was the worst winter storm since the Blizzard of '78. In Fayette…
- Jun 1, 1997Flash Flood$450,000
National Weather Service narrative
Many county roads were flooded by persistent heavy rainfall. The New London Road bridge was washed out.
- Mar 30, 2025Tornado$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
Tornadic damage was first observed near Hamilton Eaton Road, just north of New Miami, Ohio and traveled northeast. The tornado caused substantial roof and siding damage to several mobile homes and moved at least two others from their foundation. There were also numerous trees either uprooted or with their tops snapped through this area. The tornado then continued along Trenton Road and Hawkins Road, where additional tree damage was noted. From there, the tornado crossed Wayne Madison Road, where several power poles were snapped. ||Additional damage to outbuildings was noted along Woodsdale Road. The tornado then moved across the Great Miami River and caused damage to several homes…
- May 7, 2024Tornado$200,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado started in Reily Township along Bunker Hill Woods Road where one outbuilding was destroyed and significant damage occurred to the roof and garage of a single family home. Winds in this area were estimated to be around 110 mph. ||Trees were snapped and another outbuilding was destroyed along Pierson Road. Additional tree and structure damage was noted along Stillwell Beckett Road. The tornado continued to move east and downed some trees at the Indian Ridge Golf Club. Some trees were also downed along Eagle View Court and Lanes Mill Road just east of the golf course before the tornado ended.
- Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.
Weather records
From Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field, 17 miles from the city centre, with records from 1949.
- All-time high
- 105°FJul 30, 1999
- All-time low
- −22°FJan 19, 1994
- Warmest night
- 80°F3 times, most recently Jul 21, 1983
- Coldest day
- −2°FJan 20, 1985
- Wettest day
- 4.73 inMar 9, 1964
- Snowiest day
- 10.0 inMar 1, 1980
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 57.9°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 51.9°F
- Wettest year
- 195058.96 in
- Driest year
- 198728.67 in
Station Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field (USW00093812), 475 ft elevation, 17.0 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1949 to October 24, 2026; 99.6% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.
NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.
Federal disaster declarations
14 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, March 31, 2020.
Declarations for Butler County.
| Mar 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507-OH |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457-OH |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346-OH |
| Oct 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1805-OH |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3250-OH |
| Jan 11, 2005 | Snowstorm | EM-3198-OH |
| Sep 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1556-OH |
| Aug 27, 2001 | Severe Storm | DR-1390-OH |
| Jun 24, 1996 | Flood | DR-1122-OH |
| Jun 6, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-870-OH |
| Jun 10, 1989 | Flood | DR-831-OH |
| Jan 26, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3055-OH |
| Apr 4, 1974 | Tornado | DR-421-OH |
| Jun 5, 1968 | Flood | DR-243-OH |
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.
Sources and vintage
Every number on this page comes from these public records.
- Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
- Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
- Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
- Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
- Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
- Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00093812.
- River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
- Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
- Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.
Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.