Columbiana County
Population 99,377 (2025) 532 sq mi
Property owners in Columbiana County have filed 116 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 59th most of 88 counties in Ohio.
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 195021
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger4
- Major flood years since 19781
At a glance
The record for Columbiana County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Strongest tornado
F3
October 12, 1978, 7.3 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Hugo, 1989, 5.3 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 3.6 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
October 12, 1978
F3, 7.3 mile path
250 yards wide.
Most recent
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
EF0, 0.8 mile path
6 years ago.
Every recorded tornado
| Jun 10, 2020 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 2020 | EF0 | 2.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2020 | EF0 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2020 | EF1 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 5, 2017 | EF1 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 23, 2013 | EF0 | 3.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1995 | F0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 15, 1993 | F0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 21, 1992 | F1 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 12, 1992 | F0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1990 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1990 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 9, 1987 | F1 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
| May 31, 1985 | F2 | 15.0 | 20 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1981 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 12, 1978 | F3 | 7.3 | 4 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 1973 | F1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 3, 1973 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 24, 1967 | F2 | 6.5 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 13, 1967 | F1 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 11, 1955 | F2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Columbiana 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 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 22, 1989
Hugo, Tropical storm
5.3 miles at closest approach, winds near 43 mph.
Most recent
October 31, 2012
Sandy, Post-tropical
17.9 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
| Sandy | 2012 | 17.9 | Post-tropical |
| Isabel | 2003 | 11.5 | Post-tropical |
| Opal | 1995 | 29.1 | Post-tropical |
| Hugo | 1989 | 5.3 | Tropical storm |
| Frederic | 1979 | 47.6 | Tropical storm |
| Audrey | 1957 | 82.6 | Post-tropical |
| Connie | 1955 | 92.7 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1928 | 89.2 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1915 | 48.5 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1902 | 46.3 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1896 | 89.8 | Post-tropical |
| Unnamed | 1888 | 74.2 | Tropical storm |
| Unnamed | 1878 | 72.7 | Post-tropical |
- 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: 53 days
Heavy smoke on 16 days in 2023, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
15.3 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
16 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 29 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
116 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $892,000 paid.
Most claims in one year
2004: 39 claims
$488,000 paid.
2nd most
1980: 21 claims
$69,000 paid.
3rd most
2003: 8 claims
$36,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 43968 | 40 | $99,000 |
| 44423 | 12 | $98,000 |
| 44413 | 11 | $35,000 |
| 43920 | 9 | $62,000 |
| 44432 | 6 | $20,000 |
| 45745 | 6 | $199,000 |
| 44427 | 5 | $70,000 |
| 44609 | 5 | $81,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flash Flood47
- Flood30
- Heavy Rain2
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.
River crests
Most severe crest
January 20, 1996
Ohio River at Wellsville, 20.90 ft
9.90 feet above the 11.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
April 4, 2024
Ohio River at Wellsville, 14.00 ft
Moderate flooding.
| Jan 20, 1996 | Ohio River at Wellsville | 20.90 | +9.90 |
| Sep 18, 2004 | Ohio River at Wellsville | 20.20 | +9.20 |
| Jan 6, 2005 | Ohio River at Wellsville | 16.70 | +5.70 |
| Apr 4, 2024 | Ohio River at Wellsville | 14.00 | +3.00 |
| Apr 13, 2024 | Ohio River at Wellsville | 10.40 | −0.60 |
River gauges
| Ohio River at Wellsville | 11.0 | 20.90 ft | 3 |
- Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 84 of 1,581 months since 1895 (5%); the longest spell lasted 12 months.
84
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
30
Months in extreme drought
5%
Share of all months, severe or worse
2
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
March 1931
−6.31, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
12 months
October 1953 to September 1954.
Latest month
September 2026
+2.69, moderately wet
Last severe month: February 2026.
- 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 and landslides
2 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 5.2 in 1998.
1
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
5
Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973
2
Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900
1
Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900
Largest within 50 miles
September 25, 1998
The 1998 Pymatuning, Pennsylvania Earthquake; 41.7 miles away, 3.1 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
March 30, 2024
Magnitude 3.0
2 km SSW of Maple Ridge, Ohio; inside the county.
Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
| Dec 31, 2011 | 4.0 | 15.1 |
| Sep 25, 1998 | 5.2 | 41.7 |
- 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.
Mapped landslides
1
Landslides mapped, probable or better
1
With a recorded date
1
Source inventory
Mapped by NASA (1).
- Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.
USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.
Severe weather and other events
745 events in the National Weather Service record, 638 of them since 1996.
62
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
4
Hail, 2 inches or larger
287
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
68
Winter weather events since 1996
0
Heat events since 1996
14
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
June 2, 1998
3.00 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 9, 2007
86 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 1 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Aug 27, 2004Flash Flood$3.2 million
National Weather Service narrative
Flooding began 11 PM EDT, when State Rte 45 flooded in Salem Twp, 4 miles southwest of Leetonia. Rushing waters washed out a bridge and left a hole 65 ft by 125 ft. By 1115 PM EDT, significant flash flooding had spread to Lisbon. Six inches of rain fell, from 10 PM 27th to 4 AM EDT 28th; total rain 7.2 inches. Peak of flash flood was at 1230 to 1 AM EDT 28th. One man was trapped inside his home, when flood waters carried him and the home into Mill Site Creek about 1230 AM. His house broke apart when it was slammed against a bridge. He was later rescued from a tree. These streets flooded: Caldwell, Mill, Pritchard Ave, Moore, McKinley, East Chestnut. By 4 AM EDT 28th, significant…
- Oct 6, 2024Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A tree was reported down along Depot and Winona Road.
- Oct 6, 2024Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
A tree was reported down along Lippincot Road.
- Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Columbiana$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Low pressure from the remains of Hurricane Ike moved across central Ohio to Lake Erie on the evening of September 14th and produced very strong winds into the early morning of September 15th across eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. Widespread damage to trees and power lines was reported across the region with power outages and damage to some structures from falling trees. Power was not restored to some rural areas for one week after the storm. At the peak of the storm more than 2 million homes were without power. For a period of about 8 hours, sustained winds during the storm were from 30 to 50 MPH, with gusts well over 60 MPH. The highest reported…
- Aug 9, 2007Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
An NWS storm survey found a microburst hit Salem with maximum winds estimated at 85 MPH with maximum width about 200 yards. A roof was ripped off a gas station with minor damage to a supermarket. A truck was overturned and a car was pushed on top of another. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down with several large signs damaged.
- Jul 1, 2023Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Extensive home damage in East Liverpool was seen as a result of flood waters.
- Sep 17, 2004Flood, Columbiana$475,000
National Weather Service narrative
At 4 PM EDT on 17th, mud slides and floods closed numerous roads near East Liverpool. 508 PM, Will Creek flooded Rte 518 near Summitville. 119 structures damaged or destroyed. Total rain: 7 inches in southeastern part of county. (IVAN)
- Jan 19, 1996Flood, Columbiana$440,000
National Weather Service narrative
Flood waters from the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers crested in phase at the Point in Pittsburgh. Water from these two mainstem rivers flow into the Ohio River. Major flooding to communities along the Ohio River occurred in Columbiana, Jefferson, Belmont, and Monroe Counties in east-central Ohio. The Ohio River at East Liverpool went above its 14 foot flood stage on the 19th at 10 pm EST. The river crested at 24.8 feet (10.8 feet above flood stage) on the 20th at 7 pm. Crests downstream were not as high, Hannibal, Ohio crested at 39.4 feet (4.4 feet above flood stage) on the 21st at 1 pm. Nonetheless, damages to homes and businesses and their contents, public facilities,…
- Sep 8, 2004Flood, Columbiana$300,000
National Weather Service narrative
By 615 PM EDT, roads were flooded countywide. By 730 PM, Mill Creek began to flood the Lisbon area; and West Point reported 6" of rain. By 915 PM on 8th, Rte 30 from Hanoverton to Kensington was closed by flood; and SR 154 near Elkton is covered by 3 ft of water. Total rain: West Point 8 inches; Union 4.3; Salem 4.1. (FRANCES)
- Jul 1, 2023Flash Flood$250,000
National Weather Service narrative
A road was washed out in the 900 block of Valley Avenue. Dry Run came out of its banks, with multiple homes inundated.
- 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 Youngstown-warren Regional Airport, 32.9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1934.
- All-time high
- 103°FJul 10, 1936
- All-time low
- −22°FJan 19, 1994
- Warmest night
- 81°FAug 17, 1938
- Coldest day
- −6°FJan 19, 1994
- Wettest day
- 4.65 inJul 21, 2003
- Snowiest day
- 17.2 inJan 24, 1948
- Hottest year
- 2024mean 53.4°F
- Coldest year
- 1980mean 46.2°F
- Wettest year
- 201154.01 in
- Driest year
- 196323.79 in
- Snowiest season
- 118.7 in2010-11
Median first snow
November 5
Earliest: October 2, 2003
Median last snow
April 10
Latest: May 16, 1956
0 of 84 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Youngstown-warren Regional Airport (USW00014852), 1,167 ft elevation, 32.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1934 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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
18 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 18, 2019 | Tornado | DR-4447-OH |
| Apr 17, 2018 | Flood | DR-4360-OH |
| Jun 30, 2012 | Severe Storm | EM-3346-OH |
| Sep 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3250-OH |
| Feb 15, 2005 | Severe Storm | DR-1580-OH |
| Sep 19, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1556-OH |
| Jun 3, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1519-OH |
| Aug 1, 2003 | Tornado | DR-1484-OH |
| Jul 15, 2003 | Severe Storm | DR-1478-OH |
| Jan 27, 1996 | Flood | DR-1097-OH |
| Aug 4, 1992 | Severe Storm | DR-951-OH |
| Jun 6, 1990 | Severe Storm | DR-870-OH |
| Jun 3, 1985 | Tornado | DR-738-OH |
| Aug 23, 1980 | Flood | DR-630-OH |
| Jan 26, 1978 | Snowstorm | EM-3055-OH |
| Feb 2, 1977 | Snowstorm | EM-3029-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 Columbiana County stands among 88 counties in Ohio and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 21 | 30 / 88 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 1 | 37 / 88 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 2 | 21 / 88 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 0 | — |
| Flood insurance claims | 116 | 59 / 88 |
| Flood insurance paid | $892,000 | 63 / 88 |
| Disaster declarations | 18 | 15 / 88 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 79 | 40 / 88 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 467 | 10 / 88 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 68 | 50 / 88 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $14.0 million | 60 / 88 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 3 | 28 / 88 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 84 | 88 / 88 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 15.3 | 64 / 88 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 2 | 38 / 88 |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 1 | 15 / 88 |
Neighbouring counties
| Beaver County PA | 24 | 3 |
| Carroll County | 11 | 1 |
| Hancock County WV | 1 | 2 |
| Jefferson County | 8 | 4 |
| Lawrence County PA | 12 | 1 |
| Mahoning County | 18 | 1 |
| Stark County | 18 | 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 USW00014852.
- 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.
- Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
- 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.