Clinton County
Population 42,301 (2025) 409 sq mi
Clinton County has recorded 36 tornadoes since 1950, 4th most of 88 counties in Ohio; 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 since 195036
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger3
At a glance
The record for Clinton County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Strongest tornado
F4
April 23, 1968, 24.1 mile path
Tornadoes
About one every 2.1 years since 1950, 2 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 23, 1968
F4, 24.1 mile path
300 yards wide; 1 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
April 25, 1961
2 killed, F2
4 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
EF0, 9.1 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF0 | 9.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 2025 | EF0 | 7.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2024 | EF1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 2024 | EF0 | 1.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF0 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 8, 2020 | EF0 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 23, 2012 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 2011 | EF0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 26, 2010 | EF0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 2009 | EF0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 2009 | EF0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 30, 2009 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 2008 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 2008 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2006 | F0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 9, 2002 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2001 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1998 | F1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| May 14, 1997 | F1 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 28, 1994 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1993 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1993 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 30, 1993 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 28, 1993 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 14, 1990 | F2 | 35.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 10, 1986 | F2 | 6.0 | 10 | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1976 | F0 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 12, 1970 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| May 10, 1969 | F3 | 54.5 | 25 | 0 |
| Apr 23, 1968 | F4 | 24.1 | 33 | 1 |
| Apr 25, 1961 | F2 | 25.0 | 4 | 2 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Clinton County: 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
3 tropical cyclones passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.
Most recent
October 5, 1995
Opal, Post-tropical
30.1 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: 55 days
Heavy smoke on 13 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
16.4 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 38 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
16 federal flood insurance claims since 1979, with $206,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 45169 | 9 | $70,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood49
- Flash Flood28
- Heavy Rain3
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 121 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 17 months.
121
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
57
Months in extreme drought
8%
Share of all months, severe or worse
2
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
March 1931
−6.82, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
17 months
January 1901 to May 1902.
Latest month
September 2026
+2.90, moderately wet
Last severe month: November 2024.
- 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
10 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1989; none reached magnitude 4.
0
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
3
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
February 19, 1995
Magnitude 3.6
8 km SSE of Rocky Fork Point, Ohio; 19.0 miles away, 6.2 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
December 12, 2021
Magnitude 3.0
2 km E of Manchester, Ohio; 38.8 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
752 events in the National Weather Service record, 685 of them since 1996.
62
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
4
Hail, 2 inches or larger
282
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
152
Winter weather events since 1996
6
Heat events since 1996
4
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
May 13, 1998
2.75 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
February 25, 1956
115 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 2 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Clinton$5.1 million
National Weather Service narrative
Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. A gust to 77 mph was recorded north of Wilmington, while the ASOS recorded a gust to 74 mph. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines, to significant crop losses and structural damage.
- Apr 9, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
The same storm that produced tornadoes to the southwest of the county moved to the Pansy road area southwest of Clarksville. Three homes and a business were destroyed by the storm and 20 other properties were damaged.
- Jan 6, 1996Winter Storm, Clinton$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…
- Apr 19, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A dozen homes sustained wind and/or hail damage in the vicinity of Farmers Rd. and State Route 350. There was also a roof ripped off a house on the west side of New Vienna.
- Jul 2, 1997Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
A roof was blown off an antique store, over another building , and into a parking lot. Numerous trees were downed of which several fell on vehicles.
- Jun 11, 1996Lightning$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Lightning struck a home causing extensive damage.
- Mar 14, 2019Thunderstorm Wind$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Multiple power poles and power lines were downed across the county. Several barns were also damaged throughout the county.
- May 13, 1998Hail$100,000
National Weather Service narrative
Hail as large as baseballs occurred around Wilmington. Extensive damage occurred ranging from broken car windows to 4 airplanes at Airborne Express, which is located at the Wilmington Airport.
- Apr 3, 2025Tornado$75,000
National Weather Service narrative
The tornado developed near Reed Road and State Route 72, where a few power poles were knocked down. Two barns on Rhonemus Road had their roofs removed, and a silo was also destroyed. On Hornbeam Road, one barn was destroyed, and multiple trees were snapped. Some roof and gutter damage was also observed on a single family home. Debris was thrown in multiple directions in the field directly east of Hornbeam Road. Farther east, power poles were downed on State Route 729. Additional debris was noted in a field near Greenfield-Sabina Road. The tornado crossed into Fayette County just east of Greenfield-Sabina Road at 0032EST. The tornado continued to move east-northeast across western…
- Sep 7, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$70,000
National Weather Service narrative
A new barn was destroyed on Spencer Road due to damaging thunderstorm winds. In addition to the new barn damage, four roofs were blown off barns, 15 large trees were down, siding was damaged on a home, and a grain bin buckled.
- 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, 1.3 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1949.
- All-time high
- 101°F2 times, most recently Jul 7, 2012
- All-time low
- −14°F2 times, most recently Jan 31, 2026
- Warmest night
- 77°FJul 30, 1999
- Coldest day
- 3°FJan 30, 1966
- Wettest day
- 4.24 inAug 14, 1968
- Snowiest day
- 11.0 inMar 22, 1968
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 56.9°F
- Coldest year
- 1958mean 49.8°F
- Wettest year
- 195758.11 in
- Driest year
- 199926.43 in
Station Cincinnati (USW00013841), 1,170 ft elevation, 1.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1949 to October 26, 2026; 94.7% 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
10 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, March 31, 2020.
| 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 |
| Apr 24, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3286-OH |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3250-OH |
| Sep 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1556-OH |
| Jan 26, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3055-OH |
| Feb 2, 1977 | Snowstorm | EM-3029-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.
How this compares
Where Clinton County stands among 88 counties in Ohio and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 36 | 4 / 88 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 2 | 18 / 88 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 16 | 85 / 88 |
| Flood insurance paid | $206,000 | 82 / 88 |
| Disaster declarations | 10 | 81 / 88 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 80 | 39 / 88 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 416 | 17 / 88 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 152 | 4 / 88 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $9.4 million | 69 / 88 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 0 | — |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 121 | 33 / 88 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 16.4 | 49 / 88 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 0 | — |
Neighbouring counties
| Brown County | 27 | 2 |
| Clermont County | 26 | 1 |
| Fayette County | 18 | 0 |
| Greene County | 25 | 0 |
| Highland County | 25 | 1 |
| Warren County | 35 | 0 |
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 USW00013841.
- 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.