Lima

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
2. 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.

Smoke overhead

1. 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.

Flood insurance figures are for Allen County, the county that contains Lima.

Claims by ZIP code

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.

The drought index is for Allen County, the county that contains Lima.

1. 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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the city centre.
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jun 22, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$1.6 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Three aircraft hangars destroyed. About 17 airplanes and the Allen County Sheriff's Office helicopter were significantly damaged or destroyed.

2. Aug 22, 2007Flash Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous roads closed across the county caused by high, flowing water.

3. Jun 22, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$200,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   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.

4. Apr 20, 2003Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   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.

5. May 28, 2014Flash Flood$100,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   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…

6. Jul 2, 2006Lightning$80,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Lightning was believed to the cause of a fire at a 2 story residence in Delphos. The home was a total loss with the value estimated at $80,000.

7. Jun 21, 2006Lightning$80,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A residence was struck by lightning, cause a fire which spread through much of the house, causing extensive damage to the house and an attached garage. Those in the home were able to escape without injury. Damage is estimated at around $80,000.

8. Jun 22, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$60,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Barn destroyed on Sugar Creek Road. Thirty seven head of cattle were trapped in the barn, eight of which died.

9. Sep 20, 2002Tornado$50,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Emergency management reported power lines and large trees were blown down. 6 homes suffered shingle and window damage.

10. Jun 22, 2006Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Roof collapsed at the Motel 6 on Harding Highway. The south end of the building sustained considerable damage.

1. 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.

All-time high

109°FJul 14, 1936

All-time low

−21°F2 times, most recently Jan 19, 1994

Warmest night

83°FJul 10, 1984

Coldest day

−6°FJan 18, 1994

Wettest day

5.08 inAug 21, 2007

Snowiest day

18.0 inJan 13, 1964

Hottest year

2024mean 55.0°F

Coldest year

1917mean 47.4°F

Wettest year

201556.86 in

Driest year

196322.44 in

Snowiest season

51.1 in2013-14

Station Lima Wwtp (USC00334551), 850 ft elevation, 1.4 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1901 to October 25, 2026; 97.6% 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.

Declarations for Allen County.

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.

• 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 USC00334551.
• 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.