Defiance County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39039 · population 38,229 · 411 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 333 records for Defiance County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 251 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (142 records). The most damaging was the May 21, 2010 flash flood ($338,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1977, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms” on June 30, 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
- 333on 251 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.6Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 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 Defiance County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 142 since 1957. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 142 | 105 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 74 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 77 | 77 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $43K | 38 of 88 |
| Hail | 63 | 38 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 0 | $113K | 71 of 88 |
| Floods | 16 | 15 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $911K | 84 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 15 | 2002-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 62 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 12 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.4M | 50 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2014-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2005-2013 | 0 | 0 | $151K | 11 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 Defiance County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Defiance County from 1960 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Defiance County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people, 0 of them in Defiance County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-11-10 14:15, as SPC files it | Van Wert | F4 | 52.8 mi | 4 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Defiance County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-04 | Sherwood, Defiance County | EF1 4.08 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-29 | Hicksville, Defiance County | EF1 0.71 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $53K |
| 2023-07-01 | The Bend, Defiance County | EF0 0.22 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-08-24 | Brunersburg, Defiance County | EF2 2.64 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-08-24 | Mark Center, Defiance County | EF2 1.62 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-03-08 | Mark Center, Defiance County | EF0 5.06 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2002-11-10 | Ayersville, Defiance County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-05 | Defiance County | F0 1.3 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1986-07-12 | Defiance County | F2 3.3 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-06-26 | Defiance County | F0 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1971-08-10 | Defiance County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-07-19 | Defiance County | F0 0.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-04-16 | Defiance County | F0 0.8 mi x 77 yd | 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 Defiance County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 15, 2026 hail ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindAyersville, Defiance County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | HailDefiance County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-15 | HailHicksville, Defiance County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-15 | FloodHicksville, Defiance County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-04 | TornadoSherwood, Defiance County | EF1 4.08 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindDefiance County · forecast zone Defiance | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormDefiance County · forecast zone Defiance | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-14 | Winter WeatherDefiance County · forecast zone Defiance | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormDefiance County · forecast zone Defiance | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-02 | HailDefiance Meml Airport, Defiance County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-03-30 | HailFarmer, Defiance County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2025-02-12 | Winter WeatherDefiance County · forecast zone Defiance | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-05-21 | Flash FloodHicksville, Defiance County | 0 | 0 | $338K | |
| 2011-05-25 | Flash FloodHicksville, Defiance County | 0 | 0 | $328K | |
| 2009-03-08 | TornadoMark Center, Defiance County | EF0 5.06 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2023-07-29 | TornadoHicksville, Defiance County | EF1 0.71 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $53K |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindDefiance County · forecast zone Defiance | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2026-04-15 | HailHicksville, Defiance County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-03-30 | HailFarmer, Defiance County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $500 |
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: July 12, 1986 (tornado, Defiance 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 Defiance 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 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 28 | 29 | 38 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 18 | 40 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 22 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 32 · Mar 13 · Apr 18 · May 43 · Jun 56 · Jul 55 · Aug 37 · Sep 7 · Oct 6 · Nov 15 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Defiance County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Defiance County: 3 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4507 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3457 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3346 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1982-03-26 | DR-653 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3029 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
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 Defiance County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 16 flood or flash flood records for Defiance County from 1997 to 2026, on 15 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Defiance County ranks 700th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.4 million on 330 claims filed in Defiance County; the most in one year was 63 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 24 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 22 · 1982: 63 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 62 · 1986: 3 · 1990: 26 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 3 · 2003: 2 · 2005: 20 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 46 · 2009: 16 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 18 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 7 · 2018: 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 Defiance County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Defiance County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $730K | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $537K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $2.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $11M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $125K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $544K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $136K | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $37K | 10 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 Defiance 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 Defiance CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Defiance County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis