Belmont County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39013 · population 66,461 · 532 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 583 records for Belmont County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 347 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (245 records). The deadliest day on its record was June 28, 1998: flash flood and lightning records filed for Belmont County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides” on April 8, 2019.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 583on 347 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 47 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $65Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Belmont County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 245 since 1968. 58% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Ohio's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 245 | 147 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 2 | $4.2M | 69 of 88 |
| Floods | 147 | 98 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $60M | 12 of 88 |
| Hail | 96 | 63 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 50 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 53 | 53 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 69 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $471K | 69 of 88 |
| Drought | 8 | 8 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1985-2023 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 84 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 80 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2015-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 88 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1998-2010 | 2 | 5 | – | 39 of 88 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 88 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Belmont County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Belmont County from 1985 to 2023, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 6 tornadoes whose track touched Belmont County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Belmont County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-12 | Fairpoint, Belmont County | EF1 1.59 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $295K |
| 2021-10-21 | Lamira, Belmont County | EF1 7.86 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $572K |
| 2016-08-14 | Crescent, Belmont County | EFU 0.53 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-06-29 | Belmont County | F0 6 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-06-22 | Belmont County | F1 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Belmont County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindFlushing, Belmont County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | HailBarnesville, Belmont County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBethesda, Belmont County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindKey, Belmont County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLafferty, Belmont County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLafferty, Belmont County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSomerton, Belmont County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSpeidel, Belmont County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindShadyside, Belmont County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHunter, Belmont County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-01 | HailTemperanceville, Belmont County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherBelmont County · forecast zone Belmont | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-05-31 | LightningSt Clairsville, Belmont County An inmate was killed and five others injured after a lightning strike at the Belmont County Correctional Facility while prisoners were in the recreational yard. Three of the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment. | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodBelmont County · forecast zone Belmont At 11 AM EDT on 17th, CR 4 flooded near Neffs. By noon, roads were flooded in Bridgeport and St Clairsville. As of 9 AM on 18th, a few roads were still flooded but water was receding. A total of 521 structures damaged or destroyed. State Rte 7 was closed by multiple mud slides. 200 ft of Rte 40 washed away between ... | 1 | 0 | $21M | |
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodCountywide, Belmont County Additional thunderstorm rains on the 28th produced flash flooding across the entire county, forcing the closure of several county and state roads across the area. Some of the harder hit areas included Powhatan Point, Shadyside, Barton, and the Colerain area where several evacuations and rescues were necessary starting ... | 1 | 0 | $18M | |
| 1998-06-28 | LightningSomerton, Belmont County A 16-year-old boy was killed while setting up a tent. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1987-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindBelmont County | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-17 | FloodBelmont County · forecast zone Belmont | 1 | 0 | $21M | |
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodCountywide, Belmont County | 1 | 0 | $18M | |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodBelmont County · forecast zone Belmont | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodBelmont County · forecast zone Belmont | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | |
| 2004-09-08 | FloodBelmont County · forecast zone Belmont | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2011-06-19 | Flash FloodEcho, Belmont County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 1993-09-02 | Thunderstorm WindPowhatten Point, Belmont County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2021-10-21 | TornadoLamira, Belmont County | EF1 7.86 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $572K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 22, 1985 (tornado, Belmont County); June 29, 1987 (tornado, Belmont County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Belmont County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 58 | 52 | 61 | 60 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 35 | 44 | 47 | 21 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 17 | 24 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 9 | 16 | 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
58% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 50 · Feb 34 · Mar 29 · Apr 47 · May 58 · Jun 136 · Jul 100 · Aug 61 · Sep 26 · Oct 9 · Nov 14 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Belmont County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Belmont County: 17 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4507 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3457 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-04-08 | DR-4424 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2018-04-17 | DR-4360 | Flood | Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-08-20 | DR-4077 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3346 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2011-07-13 | DR-4002 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-15 | DR-1580 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-01-26 | DR-1507 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1453 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1227 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-06-24 | DR-1122 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1996-01-27 | DR-1097 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-08-04 | DR-951 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1990-06-06 | DR-870 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1980-08-23 | DR-630 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3029 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1975-09-11 | DR-480 | Flood | Winds, Tornadoes, Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-07-19 | DR-345 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Belmont County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 147 flood or flash flood records for Belmont County from 1996 to 2025, on 98 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Belmont County ranks 433rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.8 million on 653 claims filed in Belmont County; the most in one year was 260 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 53 · 1979: 13 · 1980: 48 · 1981: 37 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 3 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 17 · 1991: 4 · 1994: 6 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 54 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 10 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 260 · 2005: 38 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 5 · 2011: 37 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 26 · 2019: 7 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 11 · 2025: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Belmont County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Belmont County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $29.2 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.2M | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $44K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $25M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $156K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $313K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $454K | 2.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $189K | 6 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Belmont County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in OhioEvery Ohio tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in OhioThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Ohio recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Belmont CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Belmont County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis