Champaign County

Population 38,820 (2025) 429 sq mi

Property owners in Champaign County have filed 38 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 75th most of 88 counties in Ohio.

Hazard fingerprint for Champaign County Tornado: 29th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 65th percentile. Hail & wind: 54th percentile. Heat: 33th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 78th 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 19509
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1

At a glance

The record for Champaign County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Flood insurance claims

38

75th of 88 in Ohio

$252,000 paid since 1979

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

9

70th of 88 in Ohio

Fewer than the typical Ohio county, which has had 17

Details

Tropical cyclones within 100 mi

1

None within 50 miles since 1851

Details

Strongest tornado

F3

May 10, 1973, 89.6 mile path

Largest earthquake within 50 mi

5.4magnitude

March 9, 1937, 19.5 miles away

Details

Federal disaster declarations

11

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

110°F

July 14, 1936

Details

Record low

−26°F

January 20, 1985

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 8.4 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

May 10, 1973

F3, 89.6 mile path

300 yards wide.

Most recent

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

EF0, 3.0 mile path

2 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 1 1 1960s: 1 1 1970s: 1 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 1 2020s: 3 3 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 0 A: 2 M: 1 J: 3 3 J: 2 A: 0 S: 0 O: 0 N: 1 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Champaign County since 1950
Apr 17, 2024EF03.015000
Jun 11, 2023EF00.812500
Jun 8, 2022EF05.715000
Jul 27, 2014EF00.15000
Apr 9, 1999F10.522000
Jul 18, 1993F12.01300
May 10, 1973F389.630080
Nov 16, 1965F20.21040
Jun 13, 1958F25.11000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Champaign 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

1 tropical cyclone passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.

Most recent

September 14, 2008

Ike, Post-tropical

97.7 miles at closest approach.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Ike200897.7Post-tropical58Category 4
Opal199544.9Post-tropical46Category 4
Unnamed191523.5Post-tropical40Category 4
Unnamed190245.3Post-tropical40Category 1
Unnamed18920.0Post-tropical54Tropical storm
Unnamed188894.9Tropical 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: 56 days

Heavy smoke on 15 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

17.1 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

12 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 37 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 3 2013: 4 2014: 9 2015: 11 2016: 1 2017: 6 2018: 7 2019: 8 2020: 13 2021: 36 2022: 13 2023: 56 56 2024: 19 2025: 12 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

38 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $252,000 paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1999: 5 5 1999
Claims per year since 1979. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

1999: 5 claims

$34,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
4307827$184,000
430726$46,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood35
  • Flash Flood12
  • Heavy Rain5

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.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 111 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 18 months.

111

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

50

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

2

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

March 1935

−6.37, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

18 months

December 1900 to May 1902.

Latest month

September 2026

+3.28, very wet

Last severe month: December 1999.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 5 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 4 1900: 8 1901: 12 12 1902: 5 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 2 1909: 1 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 1 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 2 1931: 6 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 10 1935: 4 1936: 0 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 4 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 3 1945: 1 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 3 1954: 8 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 1 1961: 1 1962: 0 1963: 3 1964: 6 1965: 3 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: 2 1988: 7 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 3 1992: 3 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 1 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 2 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: 0 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

5 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.4 in 1937.

0

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

3

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

5

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

2

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

March 9, 1937

Magnitude 5.4

Near Anna, Ohio; 19.5 miles away, 1.9 miles deep.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

April 17, 1990

Magnitude 3.0

8 km NW of Fort Recovery, Ohio; 45.9 miles away.

Earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles, by year 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 0 1977: 1 1 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 1 1987: 0 1988: 0 1989: 0 1990: 1 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 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: 0 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 19731978198319881993199820032008201320182023
Per year, 1973 to 2025.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Jul 12, 19864.526.16.21 km ESE of Saint Marys, Ohio
Mar 9, 19375.419.51.9Near Anna, Ohio
Mar 2, 19375.020.11.2Near Anna, Ohio
Sep 20, 19314.717.23.1Near Anna, Ohio
Sep 30, 19304.215.1—Near Anna, Ohio
  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

445 events in the National Weather Service record, 387 of them since 1996.

33

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

7

Hail, 2 inches or larger

130

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

124

Winter weather events since 1996

5

Heat events since 1996

4

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

August 25, 1998

2.50 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

August 7, 2011

90 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning103May 12, 2002

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Champaign$4.7 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. Wind gusts to 60 mph were common. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines, to significant crop losses and structural damage.

  2. Jan 6, 1996Winter Storm, Champaign$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…

  3. Apr 9, 1999Tornado$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The tornado caused structural damage to houses and mobile homes, as well as downing several trees.

  4. Jun 8, 2022Tornado$150,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Initial EF-0 damage began on West Herr Road near North US Highway 68. Several large tree branches measuring between 3-8 inches were snapped. The adjacent home toward the east had four large hardwood trees downed, several of which were snapped at the trunk. Additionally, this home and unattached garage had siding ripped off. Continuing 1.7 miles northeast, the property at the intersection of Kennard-Kingscreek Road and Game Farm Road received EF-0 damage. At this location, numerous hardwood trees were snapped at the trunk, a metal garage door was bent, a barn door track was ripped from the barn, and a shed was rolled onto its side.||The tornado continued eastward and broke…

  5. Jun 29, 2012Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Roof damage was reported throughout the town due to thunderstorm winds.

  6. Jun 13, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous trees and power lines were downed across mainly the northern half of Champaign County.

  7. Apr 20, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$75,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down countywide, but mainly in the western half of the county. Also, a roof was blown off a Dairy Queen restaurant.

  8. Jun 1, 1997Flash Flood$75,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall fell on already saturated ground causing water to overflow from ditches, sewers, and creeks. Roads were flooded across the county, but the hardest hit area was in the eastern part of the county. In North Lewisburg, 40 people were evacuated from an apartment complex and some roads were washed out. Overall, in less than 24 hours, nearly 5 inches of rain fell on parts of the county.

  9. Aug 7, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$70,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A mobile home was destroyed and debris was blown into the side of a nearby house. This debris damaged the house, including the roof and garage. Widespread tree and power line damage was also reported in the area. A horse trailer was destroyed with debris blown into a farm house. The storm survey concluded that this damage was due to thunderstorm winds.

  10. May 12, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Trees and powerlines were downed in town. Two barns sustained extensive roof 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.

Weather records

From Urbana Wrf, 2 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1895.

All-time high
110°FJul 14, 1936
All-time low
−26°FJan 20, 1985
Warmest night
83°FJul 25, 1934
Coldest day
−11°FDec 25, 1983
Wettest day
4.37 inJul 20, 1946
Snowiest day
14.5 inFeb 17, 1910
Hottest year
1931mean 54.5°F
Coldest year
1904mean 47.8°F
Wettest year
201157.69 in
Driest year
193424.87 in
Snowiest season
55.4 in1925-26
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Urbana Wrf 32°F 35° 19° 3.1 Jan 39° 22° 2.5 Feb 49° 30° 3.5 Mar 62° 40° 4.4 Apr 71° 50° 5.1 May 81° 60° 4.0 Jun 84° 63° 5.1 Jul 83° 61° 3.6 Aug 77° 54° 3.3 Sep 65° 43° 2.8 Oct 51° 33° 3.0 Nov 39° 25° 3.5 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: 149 1977: 122 1978: 146 1979: 128 1980: 139 1981: 110 1982: 128 1983: 153 153 1984: 129 1985: 125 1986: 125 1987: 135 1988: 152 1989: 148 1990: 118 1991: 124 1992: 116 1993: 117 1994: 115 1995: 128 1996: 129 1997: 125 1998: 112 1999: 111 2000: 114 2001: 101 2002: 104 2003: 118 2004: 110 2005: 106 2008: 136 2009: 115 2010: 131 2011: 115 2012: 114 2016: 121 2017: 100 2018: 145 2019: 124 2020: 122 2021: 130 2022: 124 2023: 106 2024: 105 2025: 126 19761986199620082021
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 117.8.
Snowfall by winter 1971: 15.2 in 1972: 21.1 in 21.1 1990: 0.0 in 1997: 0.0 in 1998: 0.0 in 1999: 0.0 in 2000: 0.0 in 2001: 0.0 in 2003: 0.0 in 2004: 0.0 in 2005: 0.0 in 2007: 20.5 in 2008: 1.2 in 2009: 19.8 in 19712005
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 30

Earliest: October 21, 1925

Median last snow

March 23

Latest: May 17, 1916

9 of 35 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Urbana Wrf (USC00338552), 1,019 ft elevation, 2.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1895 to October 26, 2026; 92.9% 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

11 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, March 31, 2020.

Federal disaster declarations
Mar 31, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4507-OH
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3457-OH
Aug 20, 2012Severe StormSevere Storms and Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-4077-OH
Jun 30, 2012Severe StormSevere StormsEmergencyEM-3346-OH
Oct 24, 2008Severe StormSevere Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression IkeMajor disasterDR-1805-OH
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3250-OH
Feb 15, 2005Severe StormSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-1580-OH
Jan 11, 2005SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3198-OH
Sep 19, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1556-OH
Aug 25, 1995Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1065-OH
Jan 26, 1978SnowstormBlizzards & SnowstormsEmergencyEM-3055-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.

How this compares

Where Champaign County stands among 88 counties in Ohio and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 1950970 / 882,326 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger137 / 881,281 / 3,143
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims3875 / 881,780 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$252,00077 / 882,046 / 3,143
Disaster declarations1176 / 882,727 / 3,143
Flood events since 19965262 / 881,361 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199619473 / 882,019 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 199612418 / 88666 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$7.1 million76 / 882,179 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189511154 / 882,023 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years17.136 / 881,338 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 190052 / 88678 / 3,143
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Clark County3400136
Logan County800117
Madison County160022
Miami County3600150
Shelby County80097
Union County120056

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 USC00338552.
  • 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.