Columbiana County, Ohio

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39029 · population 101,872 · 532 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 735 records for Columbiana County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 429 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (392 records). The deadliest single record is the November 22, 2014 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Columbiana, which covers the county: 3 deaths. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1977, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide” on June 18, 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
735on 429 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
330 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$108Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
22strongest F3
FEMA declarations
18latest 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 Columbiana County most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 392 since 1969. 52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 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.

Columbiana County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind 392 224 1969-2026 0 3 $7.4M 27 of 88
Hail 138 89 1983-2026 0 0 $2.4M 26 of 88
Floods 77 54 1996-2023 0 0 $9.9M 54 of 88
Winter storms 68 68 1999-2026 3 0 $12K 60 of 88
Tornadoes 22 19 1955-2026 0 27 $87M 38 of 88
High wind and dust storms 18 18 2000-2024 0 0 $1.9M 67 of 88
Extreme cold 14 14 2009-2026 0 0 – 19 of 88
Drought 2 2 1999-1999 0 0 – 75 of 88
Heavy rain 2 2 2018-2022 0 0 – 59 of 88
Lightning 1 1 1998-1998 0 0 $18K 68 of 88
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 1 1 1996-1996 0 0 – 44 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 Columbiana County had?

NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Columbiana County from 1955 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 27 injuries recorded in the county. That is 38th of 88 Ohio 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Columbiana County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: 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.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Columbiana County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1978-10-12 17:25, as SPC files itSalemF37.3 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.

Every tornado record filed for Columbiana County (22)
Every tornado recorded in Columbiana County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-14 New Middleton, Columbiana County EF1 10.82 mi x 450 yd 0 0 $32K
2020-06-10 Washingtonville, Columbiana County EF0 0.75 mi x 75 yd 0 0 $23K
2020-06-10 Hanoverton, Columbiana County EF0 2.43 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $57K
2020-04-07 Union Ridge, Columbiana County EF0 2.96 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2020-04-07 Glenmoor, Columbiana County EF1 5.48 mi x 250 yd 0 0 –
2017-11-05 Calcutta, Columbiana County EF1 0.75 mi x 176 yd 0 0 $12K
2013-07-23 Summitville, Columbiana County EF0 1.01 mi x 75 yd 0 0 $6K
1995-06-21 Lisbon, Columbiana County 0 0 $4K
1993-04-15 Lacroft, Columbiana County F0 2 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $1.0M
1992-09-21 Columbiana County F1 2.5 mi x 20 yd 0 0 $250K step
1992-07-12 Columbiana County F0 6 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $3K step
1990-07-22 Columbiana County F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1990-07-22 Columbiana County F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $25K step
1987-08-09 Columbiana County F1 1.5 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $25K step
1985-05-31 Columbiana County F2 15 mi x 220 yd 0 20 $25M step
1981-06-21 Columbiana County F0 1 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $3K step
1978-10-12 Columbiana County F3 7.3 mi x 250 yd 0 4 $2.5M step
1973-07-26 Columbiana County F1 1 mi x 17 yd 0 1 $25K step
1973-06-03 Columbiana County F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $250 step
1967-07-24 Columbiana County F2 6.5 mi x 277 yd 0 2 $250K step
1967-06-13 Columbiana County F1 0 0 $3K step
1955-03-11 Columbiana County F2 1 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $250K 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 Columbiana County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 25, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Columbiana County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-25 Thunderstorm WindHanoverton, Columbiana County 50 kt wind 0 0 $2K
2026-06-25 HailLisbon, Columbiana County 1.75 in hail 0 0 –
2026-06-14 Thunderstorm WindEast Palestine, Columbiana County 58 kt wind 0 0 $7K
2026-06-14 Thunderstorm WindFranklin Square, Columbiana County 56 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-06-14 Thunderstorm WindLeetonia, Columbiana County 56 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-06-14 Thunderstorm WindWashingtonville, Columbiana County 56 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-06-14 Thunderstorm WindSalem, Columbiana County 56 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-06-14 TornadoNew Middleton, Columbiana County EF1 10.82 mi x 450 yd 0 0 $32K
2026-05-05 Thunderstorm WindMiddleton, Columbiana County 50 kt wind 0 0 $9K
2026-03-16 Winter WeatherColumbiana County · forecast zone Columbiana 0 0 –
2026-03-07 Thunderstorm WindWest Pt, Columbiana County 50 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-01-30 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillColumbiana County · forecast zone Columbiana 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Columbiana County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2014-11-22 Winter WeatherColumbiana County · forecast zone Columbiana Three teenagers were killed when their car collided with a school bus Saturday morning. The bus driver sustained only minor injuries and no other students on the bus were hurt. 3 0 –
1985-05-31 TornadoColumbiana County F2 15 mi x 220 yd 0 20 $25M step
1978-10-12 TornadoColumbiana County F3 7.3 mi x 250 yd 0 4 $2.5M step
2013-07-23 Thunderstorm WindEast Liverpool, Columbiana County An NWS storm survey found a downburst occurred in Thompson Park in East Liverpool. Widespread wind damage was found with trees snapped or uprooted, some falling on houses. Maximum wind gusts were estimated at 80-90 MPH. Two minor injuries were reported, one when a tree fell on a car, and another when a vehicle drove ... 74 kt wind 0 2 $127K
1967-07-24 TornadoColumbiana County F2 6.5 mi x 277 yd 0 2 $250K step
2017-06-18 Thunderstorm WindEast Palestine, Columbiana County State official reported several trees down on a house causing roof damage. A lady was struck in the head by a falling tree. 50 kt wind 0 1 –
1973-07-26 TornadoColumbiana County F1 1 mi x 17 yd 0 1 $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.

The costliest records in Columbiana County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2004-08-27 Flash FloodWinona, Columbiana County 0 0 $5.0M
2008-09-14 High WindColumbiana County · forecast zone Columbiana 50 kt wind 0 0 $1.4M
1993-04-15 TornadoLacroft, Columbiana County F0 2 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $1.0M
2024-10-06 Thunderstorm WindEast Rochester, Columbiana County 50 kt wind 0 0 $941K
1996-01-19 FloodColumbiana County · forecast zone Columbiana 0 0 $828K
2004-09-17 FloodColumbiana County · forecast zone Columbiana 0 0 $742K
2007-08-09 Thunderstorm WindSalem, Columbiana County 75 kt wind 0 0 $712K
2023-07-01 Flash FloodEast Liverpool, Columbiana County 0 0 $484K

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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 31, 1985 (tornado, Columbiana 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 Columbiana 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).

Columbiana County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind02829687811691
Hail00053836527
Floods––––1631282
Winter storms––––4132427
Tornadoes12336025
High wind and dust storms––––01044

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

52% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 39 · Feb 34 · Mar 40 · Apr 66 · May 81 · Jun 170 · Jul 143 · Aug 73 · Sep 35 · Oct 10 · Nov 21 · Dec 23 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Columbiana County

FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Columbiana County: 13 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and tornado (3).

Declarations including Columbiana County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2020-03-31DR-4507BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3457BiologicalCovid-19
2019-06-18DR-4447TornadoSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide
2018-04-17DR-4360FloodSevere Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides
2012-06-30EM-3346Severe StormSevere Storms
2005-09-13EM-3250HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2005-02-15DR-1580Severe StormSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides
2004-09-19DR-1556Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2004-06-03DR-1519Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2003-08-01DR-1484TornadoTornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds
2003-07-15DR-1478Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
1996-01-27DR-1097FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
1992-08-04DR-951Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1990-06-06DR-870Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1985-06-03DR-738TornadoSevere Storms & Tornadoes
1980-08-23DR-630FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1978-01-26EM-3055SnowstormBlizzards & Snowstorms
1977-02-02EM-3029SnowstormSnowstorms

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 Columbiana County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 77 flood or flash flood records for Columbiana County from 1996 to 2023, on 54 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Columbiana County ranks 1227th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $892,000 on 116 claims filed in Columbiana County; the most in one year was 39 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 21 · 1981: 1 · 1985: 6 · 1990: 8 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 4 · 2000: 1 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 39 · 2005: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 2 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2026: 4; 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 Columbiana County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Columbiana County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $25.1 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Columbiana County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
HailRelatively Moderate$1.0M4.5 a year (modeled)
Riverine FloodingRelatively Moderate$19M1.9 a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively Moderate$528K40 a year (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Moderate$2.3Monce in about 4 years (modeled)
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$169Konce in about 2 years (modeled)
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$105K10 a year (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$558K2.6 a year (modeled)
LandslideRelatively Low$9Konce in about 2 years (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Columbiana County

  1. Beaver County, PA 978
  2. Stark County 813
  3. Columbiana County 735
  4. Lawrence County, PA 714
  5. Mahoning County 552
  6. Carroll County 482
  7. Jefferson County 454
  8. Hancock County, WV 311

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

Next