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 for Ohio County Tornado: 83th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 93th percentile. Hail & wind: 86th percentile. Heat: 43th percentile. Cold: 16th percentile. Winter: 46th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • 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.

Flood insurance claims

17

79th of 92 in Indiana

$111,000 paid since 1978

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

6

90th of 92 in Indiana

Fewer than the typical Indiana county, which has had 23

Details

Tropical cyclones within 100 mi

2

None within 50 miles since 1851

Details

Strongest tornado

F5

April 3, 1974, 20.8 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

19

Most recent: Severe Winter Storm, 2026

Details

Record high

104°F

Reached 2 times, most recently July 7, 2012

Details

Record low

−25°F

January 18, 1977

Details

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.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 2 2 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 2020s: 4 4 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 6 6 M: 0 J: 0 J: 0 A: 0 S: 0 O: 0 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Ohio County since 1950
Apr 2, 2024EF13.310000
Apr 8, 2020EF05.220000
Apr 8, 2020EF05.745000
Apr 8, 2020EF00.16000
Apr 3, 1974F520.85332103
Apr 3, 1974F427.11,1331040
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Ohio County: 0.
  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.

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 cyclones within 100 miles
Helene202495.0Remnant low46Category 4
Opal199578.9Post-tropical46Category 4
Audrey195799.2Tropical storm44Category 3
Unnamed191558.6Post-tropical40Category 4
Unnamed189222.0Post-tropical51Tropical storm
Unnamed188854.2Tropical storm52Category 3
  1. 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.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 6 2013: 3 2014: 6 2015: 8 2016: 2 2017: 4 2018: 6 2019: 11 2020: 13 2021: 34 2022: 15 2023: 51 51 2024: 16 2025: 10 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population centre, 2011 to 2025.
  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.

Floods and flood insurance

17 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $111,000 paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1997: 10 10 1997
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1997: 10 claims

$86,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
470407$24,000
470015$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.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 3 1896: 2 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 5 1902: 8 1903: 0 1904: 2 1905: 4 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 3 1909: 1 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 2 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 7 1931: 11 1932: 0 1933: 1 1934: 12 12 1935: 7 1936: 5 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 1 1940: 6 1941: 9 1942: 0 1943: 1 1944: 10 1945: 1 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 1 1952: 0 1953: 3 1954: 7 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 2 1964: 2 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 0 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 1 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 4 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 2 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  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.

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.

  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 county boundary (or inside the county).
  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.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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…

  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.

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
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Cincinnati/northern Kentucky I 32°F 39° 23° 3.3 Jan 44° 26° 3.3 Feb 54° 35° 4.2 Mar 66° 44° 4.6 Apr 74° 54° 5.0 May 82° 62° 4.9 Jun 86° 66° 4.2 Jul 85° 65° 3.3 Aug 80° 58° 3.1 Sep 67° 46° 3.4 Oct 54° 35° 3.2 Nov 44° 29° 3.7 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1976: 137 137 1977: 110 1978: 115 1979: 111 1980: 126 1981: 119 1982: 99 1983: 105 1984: 107 1985: 100 1986: 92 1987: 99 1988: 122 1989: 111 1990: 89 1991: 93 1992: 95 1993: 106 1994: 94 1995: 108 1996: 123 1997: 102 1998: 90 1999: 99 2000: 111 2001: 97 2002: 102 2003: 107 2004: 97 2005: 103 2006: 88 2007: 106 2008: 113 2009: 94 2010: 111 2011: 93 2012: 92 2013: 119 2014: 112 2015: 87 2016: 95 2017: 81 2018: 108 2019: 96 2020: 76 2021: 98 2022: 96 2023: 77 2024: 74 2025: 98 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 98.2.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 47.3 in 1977: 53.9 in 53.9 1978: 30.6 in 1979: 30.1 in 1980: 14.0 in 1981: 24.2 in 1982: 6.6 in 1983: 16.6 in 1984: 32.5 in 1985: 19.9 in 1986: 15.9 in 1987: 11.6 in 1988: 8.3 in 1989: 29.1 in 1990: 15.5 in 1991: 13.8 in 1992: 29.5 in 1993: 33.0 in 1994: 27.5 in 1995: 44.6 in 1996: 11.9 in 1997: 31.4 in 1998: 26.4 in 1999: 10.8 in 2000: 17.3 in 2001: 9.1 in 2002: 33.4 in 2003: 23.5 in 2004: 24.3 in 2005: 17.5 in 2006: 17.1 in 2007: 26.2 in 2008: 23.0 in 2009: 38.4 in 2010: 35.2 in 2011: 5.6 in 2012: 25.2 in 2013: 47.5 in 2014: 29.9 in 2015: 19.2 in 2016: 10.0 in 2017: 23.8 in 2018: 21.6 in 2019: 11.2 in 2020: 32.0 in 2021: 13.3 in 2022: 14.4 in 2023: 7.8 in 2024: 29.3 in 2025: 32.6 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

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.

Federal disaster declarations
Jan 24, 2026Winter StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3641-IN
Apr 3, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4515-IN
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3456-IN
May 4, 2018FloodSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4363-IN
Jun 23, 2011Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, andMajor disasterDR-1997-IN
Mar 5, 2009Severe StormSevere Winter StormMajor disasterDR-1828-IN
Sep 23, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1795-IN
Jun 8, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1766-IN
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3238-IN
Jan 11, 2005SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3197-IN
Jun 3, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1520-IN
Jun 13, 2002Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1418-IN
Mar 6, 1997Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1165-IN
Jul 3, 1996Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1125-IN
Apr 2, 1996FloodBlizzard of 96Major disasterDR-1109-IN
Sep 18, 1992Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-962-IN
Jun 4, 1990Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-869-IN
Apr 4, 1974TornadoTornadoesMajor disasterDR-423-IN
Jul 30, 1968FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-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.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 1950690 / 922,542 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger248 / 92866 / 3,143
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims1779 / 922,130 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$111,00084 / 922,335 / 3,143
Disaster declarations1929 / 921,704 / 3,143
Flood events since 19963262 / 922,017 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 19967292 / 922,918 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19966340 / 921,651 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$2.7 million82 / 922,660 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189512369 / 921,664 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years16.287 / 921,442 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Boone County KY161039
Dearborn County1700113
Ripley County26016,46620
Switzerland County1010110

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.