Erie County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39043 · population 75,596 · 251 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 561 records for Erie County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 385 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (236 records). The deadliest single record is the June 8, 1953 tornado: 2 deaths and 23 injuries. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1969, 11 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
- 561on 385 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 240 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $114Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Erie County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 236 since 1968. 53% 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 | 236 | 164 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 3 | $11M | 6 of 88 |
| Hail | 108 | 69 | 1974-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 6 of 88 |
| Floods | 72 | 60 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $53M | 3 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 49 | 48 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 3 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 10 | $12M | 50 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 15 | 1953-2023 | 2 | 26 | $7.8M | 9 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $360K | 11 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 8 | 1996-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 88 |
| Lightning | 7 | 6 | 1996-1998 | 0 | 1 | $839K | 3 of 88 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 1 of 88 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 1996-1999 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 11 of 88 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 22 of 88 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 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 Erie County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Erie County from 1953 to 2023, the strongest rated F4, with 2 deaths and 26 injuries recorded in the county. That is 9th 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Erie County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 17 people, 2 of them in Erie County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-06-08 18:00, as SPC files it | Cleveland | F4 | 118 mi | 17 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Erie County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-24 | Beulah Beach, Erie County | EF1 0.28 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2017-11-05 | Prout, Erie County | EF1 1.24 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2002-11-10 | Kimball, Erie County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $820K |
| 2000-09-20 | Milan, Erie County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $317K |
| 1998-06-30 | Sandusky, Erie County | F0 0.1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-12 | Bellevue, Erie County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-12 | Erie County | F2 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-03-28 | Erie County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-30 | Erie County | F1 0.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1970-09-26 | Erie County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1961-04-05 | Erie County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1959-08-22 | Erie County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1954-08-30 | Erie County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-08-12 | Erie County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-06-08 | Erie County | F4 26 mi x 33 yd | 2 | 23 | – |
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 Erie County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindAxtel, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindShinrock, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindHuron, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindWilmer, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindSoldiers Home, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindBirmingham, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSandusky, Erie County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindOgontz, Erie County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindSoldiers Home, Erie County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindWilmer, Erie County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-28 | Flash FloodAxtel, Erie County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMilan, Erie County | 55 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-06-08 | TornadoErie County | F4 26 mi x 33 yd | 2 | 23 | – |
| 1998-01-13 | Winter WeatherCountywide, Erie County A combination of occasional rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow, particularly on Tuesday the 13th, caused icy roads, bridges, sidewalks and other exposed surfaces. Many schools were closed. Hospital emergency rooms treated numerous ice related injuries (mostly from slips and falls). Even salt trucks had trouble ... | 0 | 8 | – | |
| 1977-06-30 | TornadoErie County | F1 0.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 2023-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindSandusky, Erie County Large tree downed onto house and injured two inhabitants in Sandusky. Multiple large tree limbs downed elsewhere in Sandusky. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1999-01-02 | Winter StormErie County · forecast zone Erie Snow changed to freezing rain and sleet, with a brief change to rain as temperatures rose slightly above freezing, and then back to snow. Temperatures dropped quickly into the teens causing the wet snow and ice to refreeze and creating significant ice on the ground, roads and sidewalks. Snow accumulations generally ... | 0 | 2 | $27K | |
| 2012-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindSandusky, Erie County Thunderstorm winds toppled a tree in Sandusky. The tree landed on a car injuring at least one person. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $19K |
| 1998-04-09 | LightningBerlin Hgts, Erie County A man was struck by lightning and was taken to the hospital. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-22 | FloodCountywide, Erie County | 0 | 0 | $43M | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindErie County · forecast zone Erie | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.5M |
| 2006-06-21 | Flash FloodCountywide, Erie County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2016-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindSandusky, Erie County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 2023-08-23 | Flash FloodHuron, Erie County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 1998-04-09 | Storm Surge/TideBay View, Erie County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1998-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindMilan, Erie County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2005-09-22 | Thunderstorm WindSandusky, Erie County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
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, 1992 (tornado, Erie 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 Erie 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 | 2 | 7 | 29 | 46 | 60 | 53 | 39 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 36 | 39 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 34 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 25 | 8 | 2 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 20 | 7 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
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 1968 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 30 · Mar 31 · Apr 47 · May 64 · Jun 123 · Jul 85 · Aug 65 · Sep 28 · Oct 14 · Nov 21 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Erie County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Erie County: 8 major disasters, 6 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 |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3346 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2006-07-02 | DR-1651 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-01-11 | EM-3198 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-09-23 | EM-3187 | Other | Power Outage |
| 1995-08-25 | DR-1065 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-08-04 | DR-951 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-377 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-11-24 | DR-362 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-07-15 | DR-266 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Erie County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 72 flood or flash flood records for Erie County from 1996 to 2025, on 60 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Erie County ranks 309th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.3 million on 1,103 claims filed in Erie County; the most in one year was 178 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 25 · 1979: 60 · 1980: 28 · 1981: 9 · 1982: 157 · 1983: 14 · 1984: 57 · 1985: 178 · 1986: 10 · 1987: 106 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 4 · 1994: 33 · 1995: 7 · 1996: 50 · 1997: 16 · 1998: 85 · 1999: 3 · 2000: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2005: 7 · 2006: 63 · 2007: 8 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 21 · 2012: 6 · 2013: 11 · 2014: 16 · 2015: 15 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 19 · 2019: 24 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 19 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 23; 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 Erie County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Erie County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $21.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $236K | 9.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $917K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $363K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $900K | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $13M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $490K | once in about 989 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $874K | 4.3 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 Erie 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 Erie CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Erie County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis