Sandusky County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Sandusky 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.

Smoke overhead

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.

Claims by ZIP code

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

River gauges

1. 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.

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.

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jul 10, 2013Thunderstorm Wind$3.4 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A line of thunderstorms producing winds in excess of 70 mph raced east across Seneca County causing significant damage. Thousands of trees and limbs were downed across the county and large swaths of corn were flattened in fields. Nearly every community in the county sustained damage and hundreds of homes and buildings were damaged. Over two dozen farm buildings were leveled in the county. The Bellevue area was especially hard hit with damage reported on nearly every street. At least a half dozen homes in the city were heavily damaged by fallen trees and dozens of others sustained lesser damage, mainly from lost roofing or siding. Businesses on Main Street had windows blown out and…

2. Jun 22, 2006Flash Flood$3.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorms dumped torrential rains on Sandusky County during the evening hours of June 21st and early morning hours of the 22nd. Rainfall rates with the stronger storms approached three inches per hour. Rainfall totals for the event include: 7.5 inches in northeastern Townsend Township; 5.0 inches at Woodville; 4.5 inches north of Fremont; 4 inches in Clyde and 3.5 inches in Lindsey. Widespread flash flooding occurred in the county as a result of this heavy rain. Flooding was reported in Fremont with many streets flooded with 2 to 3 feet of water. Residents of an apartment complex in Fremont were evacuated after flooding occurred on the ground floor of their building. A YMCA…

3. Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Sandusky$2.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   High winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ike began during the late afternoon hours of September 14th and continued through most of the evening. Wind gusts were estimated to be around 60 mph with the strongest winds occurring between 5 and 7 pm. Damage in the county was extensive with thousands of trees and many utility poles downed. Widespread power outages occurred as well with some customers without power for several days. Many homes and buildings were damaged across the county. The damage ranged from a few shingles torn off to significant structural damage caused by fallen trees landing on roofs. Numerous vehicles were damaged by fallen trees and limbs and also from…

4. Jun 22, 2006Flood$2.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Flooding continued in Sandusky County well after the heavy rains that caused flash flooding early on June 22nd ended. Runoff from the heavy rains caused rapid rises in all of the streams and rivers in the county on June 22nd. Both the Sandusky and Portage Rivers went into flood damaging many homes and businesses. Several homes along Riverview Avenue in Woodville were damaged. Homes in Fremont also experienced flooding. However, perhaps the hardest hit part of the county was northern Townsend Township where 7.5 inches of rain fell. Flooding along Pickerel Creek was significant and two adults and a child had to be rescued from their car along U.S. Highway 6 near the creek around…

5. Jun 24, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Large trees, branches and power lines were downed, some on houses and vehicles. A silo was blown onto a house in Vickery, four semi trucks were blown over at Clyde and three barn roofs were blown off in Townsend Township. Straight line winds downed trees and took the roof off of a house in Fremont.

6. Dec 22, 2004Winter Storm, Sandusky$1.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A potent winter storm affected northwestern Ohio on December 22nd and 23rd. Low pressure developed over eastern Texas early on the 22nd and then moved quickly northeast. The low eventually tracked across eastern Ohio during the morning hours of the 23rd after dumping nearly two feet of snow on portions of Ohio. The snow began in the Findlay area around mid morning on the 22nd and spread north into the Toledo area during the evening. The snow intensified during the late evening hours with heavy snow then continuing through daybreak on the 23rd. Snowfall rates of around an inch per hour occurred during the early morning hours of the 23rd with visibilities less than one quarter mile…

7. Jan 1, 2005Flood, Sandusky$1.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rain and runoff from snowmelt caused widespread lowland flooding in Sandusky County during the first half of January. The worst flooding in the county occurred along the Portage and Sandusky Rivers. Flooding along the Portage River at Woodville was the worst since the late 1970s. The river went above the 9 foot flood stage on January 1st and remained in or just below flood into the 16th. Major flooding occurred in Woodville with a crest of 14.25 feet early on January 14th. Significant damage was done to homes along Riverside Drive and Water, South, Erie, Bridge, Cherry and Spring Streets. The Sandusky River went into flood on January 6th and remained either in flood or just…

8. Nov 10, 2002Tornado$1.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado touched down just northwest of Fremont near the intersection of Shade Road and Four Mile House Road. A house was heavily damaged and a motor home destroyed near this location. From the initial touchdown site, the tornado traveled northeast for around three and a half miles and then dissipated east of State Route 19 just to the south of the Ohio Turnpike. A second home was heavily damaged near Booktown Road at State Route 19. Elsewhere along the damage path, a few homes sustained minor damage and seven barns were leveled. One of the barns contained a collection of antique cars which were destroyed. Many trees and power poles were also downed along the damage path which…

9. May 27, 2009Flash Flood$1.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Slow moving training thunderstorms developed across central and eastern portions of Sandusky County between 330pm and 5pm local time. Torrential rainfall of up to 4.5 inches in two hours caused widespread flash flooding in Fremont. Flooding was reported in both the Sheriff Department and Health Department buildings. Many commercial and residential basements in Fremont flooded. High water stranded cars on roadways throughout town, including portions of US Route 20 and State Route 53. Flash Flooding was also reported along Muskellunge Creek just west of Fremont.

10. Jan 5, 2005Ice Storm, Sandusky$1.1 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    For the second time in just over two weeks, a devastating and historic winter storm affected Northern Ohio. Significant ice accumulations occurred over most of the area downing thousands of trees, causing widespread power outages and making travel nearly impossible. Low pressure over Missouri moved rapidly northeast on January 5th. This low moved across eastern Ohio early on January 6th and was responsible for producing a prolonged period of freezing rain. A mixture of rain and snow changed to freezing rain from west to east during the early morning hours of the 5th. Periods of freezing rain then continued for the remainder of the 5th and through the early morning hours of the…

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.

All-time high

110°FJul 24, 1934

All-time low

−20°FJan 19, 1994

Warmest night

80°FAug 12, 1940

Coldest day

−9°FJan 19, 1994

Wettest day

7.95 inJul 5, 1969

Snowiest day

13.0 in2 times, most recently Dec 23, 2004

Hottest year

1953mean 55.7°F

Coldest year

1917mean 46.4°F

Wettest year

201158.10 in

Driest year

196318.86 in

Snowiest season

46.8 in2007-08

Station Fremont (USC00332974), 600 ft elevation, 1.1 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1901 to October 27, 2026; 85.0% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USC00332974.
• 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.