Ohio County
Population 5,994 (2025) 86 sq mi
Property owners in Ohio County have filed 17 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 79th most of 92 counties in Indiana.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 19506
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger2
At a glance
The record for Ohio County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Tornadoes since 1950
6
90th of 92 in Indiana
Fewer than the typical Indiana county, which has had 23
DetailsStrongest tornado
F5
April 3, 1974, 20.8 mile path
Snowiest season
53.9in
Winter of 1977-78
Tornadoes
About one every 13 years since 1950, 2 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.
Most recent
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
EF1, 3.3 mile path
2 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF1 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 5.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 5.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F5 | 20.8 | 210 | 3 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 27.1 | 104 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Ohio County: 0.
- 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
2 tropical cyclones passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.
Most recent
September 27, 2024
Helene, Remnant low
95.0 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 here since satellite mapping began in 1984.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 51 days
Heavy smoke on 14 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
16.2 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
10 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
17 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $111,000 paid.
Most claims in one year
1997: 10 claims
$86,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 47040 | 7 | $24,000 |
| 47001 | 5 | $44,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood17
- Flood15
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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 123 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 20 months.
123
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
62
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
Lowest reading
December 1934
−6.82, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
20 months
December 1933 to July 1935.
Latest month
September 2026
+1.81, slightly wet
Last severe month: August 2012.
- 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
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1974; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
1
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
0
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
0
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
June 4, 1974
Magnitude 3.2
8 km ESE of Bromley, Kentucky; 21.5 miles away, 9.3 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
June 4, 1974
Magnitude 3.2
8 km ESE of Bromley, Kentucky; 21.5 miles away.
- 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 county boundary (or inside the county).
- 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.
Severe weather and other events
196 events in the National Weather Service record, 182 of them since 1996.
6
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
4
Hail, 2 inches or larger
58
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
63
Winter weather events since 1996
7
Heat events since 1996
3
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
October 19, 2016
3.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
March 1, 2017
81 mph
Costliest events since 1996
- Mar 2, 1997Flood, Ohio$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rain fell across the Ohio valley on the 1st and 2nd with some areas upstream over Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky receiving up to 12 inches. The Ohio river rose rapidly and reached a crest of 60.7 feet at 300 pm on the 6th at Markland Dam, which is just across the river in Kentucky. Many towns were flooded and hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes for several days.
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Ohio$684,000
National Weather Service narrative
Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. Gusts over 60 mph were common. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines to significant structural damage.
- Jan 3, 2000Flash Flood$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Heavy rainfall caused Bear Creek Road to be closed. Also, the 4th Street Bridge in Rising Sun was washed out.
- Jan 24, 1996Flood, Ohio$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
On the 23rd, many areas received around an inch of rainfall which pushed the Whitewater river back into flood. The river crested at Alpine at 12.3 feet where the flood stage is 12 feet. The worst flooding occurred on the Ohio river. Markland Dam which is downstream from Cincinnati, crested at 51.8 feet and flood stage is 51 feet. However, points between Markland and Cincinnati suffered from significant flooding.
- Jan 6, 1996Winter Storm, Ohio$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
This massive storm system developed in the Gulf Coast and moved up the East Coast. The heaviest snow fell across Southeast Indiana where up to a foot of snow occurred near the Kentucky border. Farther north, around 6 inches fell in Wayne county. Strong winds caused significant blowing and drifting snow, especially to the north where the snow was lighter and more powdery.
- Sep 3, 2022Flash Flood$55,000
National Weather Service narrative
Several creeks were out of their banks in the vicinity of Aberdeen Road, mainly to the west of Aberdeen.
- Apr 2, 2024Tornado$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado developed near the Ohio and Switzerland County line, just north of Aberdeen Road. A garage was destroyed on the north side of Aberdeen Road and a well constructed barn on Aberdeen Road was completely destroyed. Much of the debris from this barn was lofted high into the trees behind the barn. Winds at this location were estimated to be around 100 mph. The tornado then continued east through wooded and inaccessible areas, eventually crossing Bear Branch Creek and Texas Gas Road before it dissipated near Milton Bear Branch Road. Along this path, numerous trees were uprooted.
- Apr 8, 2020Tornado$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado first touched down along Milton Bear Branch Road in western Ohio County. The tornado traveled east southeast until it lifted near the 6000 block of Palmer Road. There were numerous occurrences of damage to roofs, siding, barns and trees. Damage of this nature was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with winds topping out at about 70 to 75 mph.
- Mar 1, 2017Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
A farm residence on Hartford Pike Road was damaged, where a house had the top of its roof removed, and several large trees on the nearby hillside were toppled. Tree damage was observed along Laughery Creek and adjacent portions of Hartford Pike Road along the Dearborn/Ohio County border. Structural damage was also observed at several locations along Salem Ridge Road and Belleview Lane, with minor roof damage to homes, and significant damage or destruction of a few barns and garages. This was near the end of a swath of about 13 miles of damage that extended back into Dearborn County. The damage was consistent with winds in the 70 to 80 mph range.
- Jun 17, 2026Tornado$50,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado developed in Dearborn County at 2314EST on Texas Gas Road, about 4 miles east of Dillsboro. It moved east and crossed Laughery Creek as it entered Ohio County at 2317EST, about 2.8 miles southeast of Dillsboro. The tornado then moved across Laughery Creek, producing significant tree damage along and near Laughery Creek and in wooded areas along Hartford Pike, where numerous trees were snapped. Along Holmes Hill Road, more tree damage was observed along with the roof being lifted off an outbuilding. On Thuermer Hollow Road, more trees were damaged and a roof was lifted off a barn. Along State Route 56, additional roof damage to a barn and damage to large healthy trees…
- 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/northern Kentucky I, 14.2 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1948.
- All-time high
- 104°F2 times, most recently Jul 7, 2012
- All-time low
- −25°FJan 18, 1977
- Warmest night
- 79°FJul 30, 1999
- Coldest day
- −4°F2 times, most recently Jan 20, 1985
- Wettest day
- 5.21 inMar 9, 1964
- Snowiest day
- 11.8 inFeb 4, 1998
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 57.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1963mean 51.1°F
- Wettest year
- 201173.28 in
- Driest year
- 196327.99 in
- Snowiest season
- 53.9 in1977-78
Median first snow
November 21
Earliest: October 19, 1989
Median last snow
March 24
Latest: May 6, 1989
0 of 78 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Cincinnati/northern Kentucky I (USW00093814), 861 ft elevation, 14.2 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% 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
19 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Winter Storm, January 24, 2026.
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3641-IN |
| Apr 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4515-IN |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3456-IN |
| May 4, 2018 | Flood | DR-4363-IN |
| Jun 23, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1997-IN |
| Mar 5, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1828-IN |
| Sep 23, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1795-IN |
| Jun 8, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1766-IN |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3238-IN |
| Jan 11, 2005 | Snowstorm | EM-3197-IN |
| Jun 3, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1520-IN |
| Jun 13, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1418-IN |
| Mar 6, 1997 | Severe Storm | DR-1165-IN |
| Jul 3, 1996 | Severe Storm | DR-1125-IN |
| Apr 2, 1996 | Flood | DR-1109-IN |
| Sep 18, 1992 | Severe Storm | DR-962-IN |
| Jun 4, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-869-IN |
| Apr 4, 1974 | Tornado | DR-423-IN |
| Jul 30, 1968 | Flood | DR-247-IN |
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.
How this compares
Where Ohio County stands among 92 counties in Indiana and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 6 | 90 / 92 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 2 | 48 / 92 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 17 | 79 / 92 |
| Flood insurance paid | $111,000 | 84 / 92 |
| Disaster declarations | 19 | 29 / 92 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 32 | 62 / 92 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 72 | 92 / 92 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 63 | 40 / 92 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $2.7 million | 82 / 92 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 123 | 69 / 92 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 16.2 | 87 / 92 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Boone County KY | 16 | 1 |
| Dearborn County | 17 | 0 |
| Ripley County | 26 | 0 |
| Switzerland County | 10 | 1 |
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 USW00093814.
- 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.