Warren County

Population 257,181 (2025) 401 sq mi

Property owners in Warren County have filed 209 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 34th most of 88 counties in Ohio.

Hazard fingerprint for Warren County Tornado: 92th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 94th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 81th 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 195035
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger3
  • Major flood years since 19781

At a glance

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

Flood insurance claims

209

34th of 88 in Ohio

$2.2 million paid since 1978

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

35

7th of 88 in Ohio

2.1 times the typical Ohio county

Details

Tropical cyclones within 100 mi

3

None within 50 miles since 1851

Details

Strongest tornado

F4

June 2, 1990, 33.0 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

13

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

101°F

Reached 2 times, most recently July 7, 2012

Details

Record low

−14°F

Reached 2 times, most recently January 31, 2026

Details

Costliest event since 1996

$23.7M

High Wind, September 14, 2008

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 2.2 years since 1950, 4 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

June 2, 1990

F4, 33.0 mile path

1,350 yards wide.

Deadliest

April 9, 1999

4 killed, F4

65 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

EF0, 8.5 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 2 2 1960s: 1 1 1970s: 6 6 1980s: 0 1990s: 7 7 2000s: 3 3 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 11 11 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 4 A: 7 M: 11 11 J: 4 J: 4 A: 3 S: 1 O: 1 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Warren County since 1950
Apr 2, 2025EF08.520000
Apr 2, 2025EF03.020000
Mar 30, 2025EF03.015000
Mar 30, 2025EF011.720000
Jul 29, 2024EF18.020000
May 7, 2024EF00.515000
May 7, 2024EF12.735000
May 7, 2024EF00.45000
May 7, 2024EF12.615000
May 7, 2024EF00.310000
Mar 23, 2022EF01.75000
May 24, 2017EF00.22500
Jun 23, 2016EF120.725000
May 1, 2012EF00.05000
May 1, 2012EF00.01000
Mar 23, 2012EF00.45000
Jul 11, 2006F00.32500
Jul 11, 2006F14.05000
Aug 30, 2005F02.030000
Aug 24, 1999F010.050000
Apr 9, 1999F21.510000
Apr 9, 1999F410.0270654
Jul 12, 1992F10.120000
Aug 20, 1991F00.12000
Sep 14, 1990F235.020060
Jun 2, 1990F433.01,350370
Oct 1, 1977F00.35000
Jun 24, 1976F010.11000
Apr 2, 1975F21.05030
May 18, 1974F13.34000
Apr 3, 1974F29.817790
Apr 3, 1974F419.8350392
May 10, 1969F354.5400250
May 22, 1959F00.11000
Jun 26, 1956F12.05000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Warren 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

3 tropical cyclones passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.

Most recent

October 5, 1995

Opal, Post-tropical

47.9 miles at closest approach.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Opal199547.9Post-tropical46Category 4
Frederic197997.0Tropical storm40Category 4
Audrey195793.2Tropical storm44Category 3
Unnamed191548.8Post-tropical40Category 4
Unnamed190283.9Post-tropical40Category 1
Unnamed18925.4Post-tropical52Tropical storm
Unnamed188858.2Tropical 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: 56 days

Heavy smoke on 12 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

17.6 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

12 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 38 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 5 2013: 3 2014: 6 2015: 7 2016: 2 2017: 6 2018: 6 2019: 9 2020: 15 2021: 35 2022: 16 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

209 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $2.2 million paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1979: 6 1995: 15 1996: 8 1998: 21 2001: 12 2004: 7 2005: 11 2008: 30 30 2013: 6 2014: 6 2017: 8 2018: 13 2021: 6 2022: 5 197920042017
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2008: 30 claims

$289,000 paid.

2nd most

1998: 21 claims

$135,000 paid.

3rd most

1995: 15 claims

$71,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
4506540$512,000
4500537$179,000
4515232$138,000
4503626$489,000
4504020$88,000
4506615$340,000
4514012$56,000
4506811$56,000
450506$243,000
450396$49,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood103
  • Flash Flood66
  • Heavy Rain6

3 deaths 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.

River crests

Most severe crest

January 22, 1959

Great Miami River at Franklin, 17.60 ft

3.60 feet above the 14.0 ft flood stage; moderate flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

January 22, 1959

Great Miami River at Franklin, 17.60 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Jan 22, 1959Great Miami River at Franklin17.60+3.60Moderate
Feb 18, 2022Little Miami River near South Lebanon23.20+4.20Minor
Jan 22, 1937Great Miami River at Franklin16.70+2.70Minor
Mar 6, 1963Great Miami River at Franklin16.60+2.60Minor
Jun 19, 2021Little Miami River near South Lebanon21.51+2.51Minor
Jan 7, 2005Great Miami River at Franklin16.50+2.50Minor
Dec 22, 2013Great Miami River at Franklin15.59+1.59Minor
Mar 4, 2023Little Miami River near South Lebanon20.52+1.52Minor
Mar 5, 2026Little Miami River near South Lebanon20.48+1.48Minor
Mar 25, 2023Little Miami River near South Lebanon20.11+1.11Minor
Mar 20, 2020Great Miami River at Franklin14.86+0.86Minor
Apr 6, 2025Great Miami River at Franklin14.61+0.61Minor
Apr 5, 2018Great Miami River at Franklin14.50+0.50Minor
Feb 25, 2018Great Miami River at Franklin14.33+0.33Minor
Jul 7, 2022Little Miami River near South Lebanon18.00−1.00Action
Apr 12, 2013Great Miami River at Franklin10.07−3.93Below flood stage

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Great Miami River at Franklin14.017.60 ftJan 22, 19590
Little Miami River near South Lebanon19.023.20 ftFeb 18, 20220
  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.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 116 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 11 months.

116

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

44

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

2

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

March 1931

−6.12, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

11 months

July 1901 to May 1902.

Latest month

September 2026

+3.67, very wet

Last severe month: November 2024.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 6 1896: 4 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 2 1900: 7 1901: 8 8 1902: 5 1903: 1 1904: 2 1905: 3 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 2 1909: 1 1910: 0 1911: 0 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 1 1915: 0 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: 6 1931: 3 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 8 1935: 2 1936: 3 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 3 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 4 1945: 1 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 4 1954: 8 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 2 1964: 5 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: 5 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 1 1992: 4 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 6 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 1 2008: 1 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: 2 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

1 earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles since 1900; the largest was magnitude 4.2 in 1930.

0

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

2

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

1

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

September 30, 1930

Magnitude 4.2

Near Anna, Ohio; 49.2 miles away.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

December 12, 2021

Magnitude 3.0

2 km E of Manchester, Ohio; 45.2 miles away.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

Earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles
Sep 30, 19304.249.2—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

890 events in the National Weather Service record, 816 of them since 1996.

56

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

5

Hail, 2 inches or larger

309

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

141

Winter weather events since 1996

8

Heat events since 1996

4

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

June 30, 1990

4.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

September 27, 2003

90 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning512Jun 12, 2010

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Sep 14, 2008High Wind, Warren$23.7 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. A gust to 78 mph was measured in Lebanon. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines, to significant crop losses and structural damage. One person suffered a spinal injury in Springboro when a branch fell on him.

  2. Sep 27, 2003Thunderstorm Wind$4.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    An intense microburst caused extensive damage to homes and businesses across the southern part of the county. Several buildings sustained major damage along Mason-Montgomery Road. Up to fifty windows were blown out at Kings Junior High School. Portions of the roof were damaged and a wall was blown in at the junior high school as well. Numerous buses near the junior high school were severely damaged by flying debris and a nearby shed was destroyed. The fifty foot marquee at Kings Island Amusement Park was blown down and completely destroyed. 36 homes suffered roof damage in Kings Mills. In South Lebanon, a small church and 75 homes sustained damage, including five that were…

  3. Apr 9, 1999Tornado$3.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The tornado crossed from Hamilton county through southeast Deerfield Township and across the Little Miami River. The tornado damaged several houses, hundreds of mature trees, along with garages and barns.

  4. Apr 19, 2002Hail$2.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Extensive hail damage to homes, cars and businesses occurred across the southern part of the county from Twenty Mile Stand, through Maineville to near Morrow and Pleasant Plain.

  5. Apr 9, 1999Tornado$2.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado touched down in eastern Hamilton Township causing heavy damage to a farmstead. The roof of the house and an extension to a barn were destroyed. Further down the path, a house was skewed from its foundation.

  6. Apr 16, 1998Flash Flood$2.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Persistent heavy rainfall caused county creeks and streams to flood across roads. A section of State Route 350 was washed out by the high water. One hundred fifty people were evacuated from the banks of Turtle Creek while a total of 210 were evacuated across the county. Seventy homes received minor damage and 5 had major damage.

  7. Jan 21, 2013Winter Weather, Warren$1.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Snow squalls in the region caused whiteout conditions, resulting in a 52 car pileup on I-75 between Cincinnati and Dayton. The accident occurred between the Middletown and Monroe exits and injured 10 people.

  8. Jun 1, 1997Flood, Warren$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A closed upper low pressure system remained across the Ohio valley from late on May 31st until June 2nd and dropped very heavy rainfall across central and southern Ohio. Several rivers rose out of their banks as a result of the heavy rainfall. The Scioto River flooded from Columbus to the Ohio river. At Frank Road in Columbus, the river crested at 24.19 feet around noon est on the 2nd. At Circleville, the river crested at 20.91 feet around 1100 am est on the 4th. Flood stage is 14.0 feet. At Chillicothe, the river crested at 16.25 feet around midnight est on the 5th. Flood stage is 16.0 feet. At Piketon, the river crested at 21.0 feet around 500 am est on the 6th.The Little Miami…

  9. Jul 17, 2001Flash Flood$604,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    One hundred homes sustained damage with two destroyed from high water. A resident lost six cars when water flooded his garage. Several roads across county sustained minor damage. Total estimate of public assistance is 603,916.

  10. May 7, 2024Tornado$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The tornado began in the Little Miami River Valley, within the village of Morrow where tree damage and minor structure damage was observed. Extensive tree damage occurred along the northern hillside rising up out of the valley. More sporadic tree damage was noted along the hillside rising up from the southern side of the river. Several homes along Mason Morrow Millgrove Road received structural damage. One home had a total removal of its second story while an adjacent home had partial removal of its roof. Winds at this location were estimated to be at 95 mph, or EF-1.||The tornado continued northeast along the Little Miami River, with more damage found near the intersection of…

  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, 22.6 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
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Cincinnati 32°F 37° 21° 2.9 Jan 41° 24° 3.0 Feb 52° 33° 3.9 Mar 64° 42° 4.3 Apr 73° 53° 4.3 May 82° 61° 4.5 Jun 84° 64° 4.3 Jul 83° 62° 3.2 Aug 78° 55° 3.0 Sep 66° 45° 3.2 Oct 53° 34° 2.9 Nov 42° 27° 3.3 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 1999: 117 2000: 122 2001: 111 2002: 110 2003: 111 2004: 107 2005: 109 2006: 92 2007: 105 2008: 119 2009: 106 2010: 113 2011: 98 2012: 102 2013: 131 131 2014: 120 2015: 96 2016: 105 2017: 96 2018: 122 2019: 108 2020: 104 2021: 113 2022: 106 2023: 80 2024: 74 2025: 110 199920092019
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 106.9.

Station Cincinnati (USW00013841), 1,170 ft elevation, 22.6 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

13 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
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
Jun 10, 1989FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-831-OH
Jan 26, 1978SnowstormBlizzards & SnowstormsEmergencyEM-3055-OH
Jul 11, 1974FloodHeavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-445-OH
Apr 4, 1974TornadoTornadoesMajor disasterDR-421-OH
Jun 5, 1968FloodHeavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-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 Warren County stands among 88 counties in Ohio and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 1950357 / 88796 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger44 / 88387 / 3,143
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims20934 / 88900 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$2.2 million42 / 881,121 / 3,143
Disaster declarations1350 / 882,537 / 3,143
Flood events since 19961754 / 88210 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199646411 / 88539 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19961416 / 88565 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$48.2 million30 / 88860 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189511641 / 881,872 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years17.629 / 881,275 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900149 / 881,397 / 3,143
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Butler County2400474
Clermont County2610623
Clinton County360016
Greene County2500156
Hamilton County18001,950
Montgomery County2200347

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.