Clark County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39023 · population 135,980 · 396 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 663 records for Clark County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 465 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (278 records). The deadliest single record is the May 7, 1998 flash flood: 1 death and $91,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1974, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds” on August 20, 2012.
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
- 663on 465 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 121 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $48Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 33strongest F5
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 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 Clark County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 278 since 1964. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 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 | 278 | 194 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 4 | $1.8M | 14 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 130 | 130 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $990K | 7 of 88 |
| Floods | 94 | 63 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $643K | 21 of 88 |
| Hail | 87 | 65 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $159K | 28 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 27 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 14 | $21M | 2 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 18 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $23M | 48 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 2011-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 88 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $806K | 57 of 88 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2003 | 0 | 3 | – | 16 of 88 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 50 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 Clark County had?
NOAA records 33 tornadoes in Clark County from 1962 to 2025, the strongest rated F5, with 0 deaths and 14 injuries recorded in the county. That is 2nd of 88 Ohio counties and 210th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 34 tornadoes whose track touched Clark County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 33: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 36 people, 0 of them in Clark County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 13:30, as SPC files it | Xenia | F5 | 31.3 mi | 36 |
| 1973-05-10 16:49, as SPC files it | Columbus | F3 | 89.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Clark County (33)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-19 | Villa, Clark County | EF1 2.8 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $200K |
| 2025-07-19 | North Hampton, Clark County | EF0 0.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2024-02-28 | Pitchin, Clark County | EF2 13.12 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 3 | $941K |
| 2023-02-27 | New Carlisle Airport, Clark County | EF1 2.31 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $242K |
| 2022-06-08 | North Hampton, Clark County | EF1 16.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $504K |
| 2019-04-14 | Eagle City, Clark County | EF0 2.68 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $52K |
| 2019-04-12 | Plattsburg, Clark County | EFU 0.96 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-12 | Royal, Clark County | EF0 0.75 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2019-02-07 | Pitchin, Clark County | EF0 7.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 2018-04-03 | Cortville, Clark County | EF1 4.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2017-11-05 | South Vienna, Clark County | EF1 4.55 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2017-05-24 | Crystal Lakes, Clark County | EF0 1.13 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2017-05-24 | Park Layne, Clark County | EF1 0.4 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2017-04-05 | Rock Way, Clark County | EF0 0.11 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-04-05 | Enon, Clark County | EF0 0.08 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2015-04-02 | New Carlisle Airport, Clark County | EF0 0.13 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2011-05-23 | Villa, Clark County | EF1 0.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2011-04-27 | New Carlisle, Clark County | EF0 1.31 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2008-05-08 | Selma, Clark County | EF0 0.16 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2007-05-15 | Springfield, Clark County | EF0 0.15 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 1996-05-08 | Bethel Twp, Clark County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1992-06-18 | Clark County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-18 | Clark County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-04-20 | Clark County | F1 3.5 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1976-01-13 | Clark County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-08-03 | Clark County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Clark County | F2 15.7 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Clark County | F5 10.9 mi x 533 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-05-10 | Clark County | F3 8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 4 | $3K step |
| 1971-02-26 | Clark County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1968-05-26 | Clark County | F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-03-17 | Clark County | F1 5.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-07-20 | Clark County | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Clark County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | FloodDurbin, Clark County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-28 | Flash FloodBeatty, Clark County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindLimecrest, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindMaitland, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Charleston, Clark County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindMaitland, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $250 |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Hampton, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindCrystal Lakes, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Charleston, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBrighton, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSpringfield, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindVilla, Clark County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-07 | Flash FloodCountywide, Clark County From 2.5 to 5 inches of rain fell across Clark county with much of it falling in only a few hours. Numerous roads were flooded and people were rescued from their vehicles. A man was swept into Buck Creek and killed. The creek was 9 feet higher than normal. | 1 | 0 | $91K | |
| 1986-04-20 | TornadoClark County | F1 3.5 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-10 | TornadoClark County | F3 8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 4 | $3K step |
| 2024-02-28 | TornadoPitchin, Clark County The first known damage from this tornado was in a stand of trees southwest of Selma Pike. Additional tree damage was found on Selma Pike south of Shawnee High School, where several trees were snapped. The tornado then strengthened and broadened as it moved east-northeast, eventually reaching EF2 intensity as it ... | EF2 13.12 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 3 | $941K |
| 1996-05-10 | LightningSpringfield, Clark County Two individuals were outside when a thunderstorm rapidly approached. Both people were struck by a single lightning bolt. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1989-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindClark County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2003-08-04 | LightningSouth Vienna, Clark County A 41 year old man doing construction along State Route 54 complained of tingling in his legs after lightning struck a nearby metal guardrail. He was treated for his injuries at a nearby hospital and released. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1997-01-05 | Thunderstorm WindEnon, Clark County A tractor trailer was blown over on I-70. The driver was treated with minor injuries. Numerous homes received light structural damage. Several trees were downed. | 0 | 1 | $138K |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindClark County · forecast zone Clark | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23M |
| 2022-06-08 | TornadoNorth Hampton, Clark County | EF1 16.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $504K |
| 2017-05-24 | TornadoPark Layne, Clark County | EF1 0.4 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $301K |
| 2023-02-27 | TornadoNew Carlisle Airport, Clark County | EF1 2.31 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $242K |
| 2025-07-19 | TornadoVilla, Clark County | EF1 2.8 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $200K |
| 1997-01-05 | Thunderstorm WindEnon, Clark County | 0 | 1 | $138K | |
| 2017-11-05 | TornadoSouth Vienna, Clark County | EF1 4.55 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2018-04-03 | TornadoCortville, Clark County | EF1 4.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 3, 1974 (tornado, Clark 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 Clark 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 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 37 | 65 | 91 | 50 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 22 | 74 z | 24 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 27 | 38 | 24 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 31 | 27 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 3 | 7 |
Winter storms in the 2010s: 74 records against 22 in the decade before, 74 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Clark County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 55 · Mar 43 · Apr 64 · May 96 · Jun 120 · Jul 103 · Aug 46 · Sep 15 · Oct 6 · Nov 24 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Clark County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Clark County: 6 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4507 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3457 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-08-20 | DR-4077 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3346 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2008-10-24 | DR-1805 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-02-15 | DR-1580 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2005-01-11 | EM-3198 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-421 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Clark County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 94 flood or flash flood records for Clark County from 1996 to 2026, on 63 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Clark County ranks 1149th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.3 million on 136 claims filed in Clark County; the most in one year was 18 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 13 · 1981: 8 · 1982: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 4 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 6 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 13 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 6 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 18 · 2017: 14 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2026: 7; 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 Clark County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clark County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $32.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $645K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.9M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $881K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $202K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $591K | 45 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Clark 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 Clark CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Clark County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis