Guernsey County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39059 · population 38,372 · 522 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 510 records for Guernsey County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 326 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (227 records). The most damaging was the June 27, 1998 flash flood ($34.4 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1968, 15 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
- 510on 326 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 015 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $57Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Guernsey County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 227 since 1969. 55% 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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 227 | 155 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 3 | $4.0M | 65 of 88 |
| Hail | 105 | 57 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 88 |
| Floods | 85 | 61 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $35M | 42 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 47 | 47 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 73 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 13 | 2001-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 80 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1968-2024 | 0 | 11 | $17M | 71 of 88 |
| Drought | 8 | 8 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 7 | 2014-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2018-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 88 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2020-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2026-2026 | 0 | 1 | – | 67 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 Guernsey County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Guernsey County from 1968 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 11 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 Guernsey County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: 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 Guernsey County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-02 | Mantua, Guernsey County | EF1 1.29 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $423K |
| 2021-10-16 | Claysville, Guernsey County | EF0 0.31 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-09-12 | Helena, Guernsey County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1998-06-27 | Walhonding, Guernsey County | F0 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 1990-12-23 | Guernsey County | F1 5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-06-13 | Guernsey County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-06-07 | Guernsey County | F2 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-06-15 | Guernsey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-07-13 | Guernsey County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1968-06-25 | Guernsey County | F1 7.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-25 | Guernsey County | F2 6.2 mi x 177 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 Guernsey County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 25, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindCraig, Guernsey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindCassell, Guernsey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-25 | HailCassell, Guernsey County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLondonderry, Guernsey County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | LightningSenecaville, Guernsey County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSenecaville, Guernsey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCassell, Guernsey County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-22 | HailGuernsey County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | Thunderstorm WindCraig, Guernsey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-06-07 | TornadoGuernsey County | F2 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-07-13 | TornadoGuernsey County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1998-08-25 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County An intense thunderstorm gust known as a macroburst raked across central Guernsey County, wind gusts were estimated between 80 and 90 mph. The thunderstorm formed in northeast Guernsey County about 430 pm just ahead of another very intense thunderstorm moving through Muskingum County. It then moved southeast at nearly ... | 0 | 3 | $724K | |
| 2026-06-06 | LightningSenecaville, Guernsey County A person was struck by lightning near Senecaville. | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Guernsey County | 0 | 0 | $34M | |
| 1998-08-25 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 0 | 3 | $724K | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $643K |
| 2004-01-04 | FloodGuernsey County · forecast zone Guernsey | 0 | 0 | $312K | |
| 1998-06-27 | TornadoWalhonding, Guernsey County | F0 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 2006-04-21 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $81K |
| 1998-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindCambridge, Guernsey County | 0 | 0 | $9K | |
| 2013-09-12 | TornadoHelena, Guernsey County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
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: June 7, 1978 (tornado, Guernsey 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 Guernsey 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 | 10 | 12 | 35 | 44 | 66 | 58 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 23 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 20 | 28 | 16 | 21 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 10 | 9 | 23 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% 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 38 · Feb 32 · Mar 28 · Apr 61 · May 58 · Jun 130 · Jul 65 · Aug 45 · Sep 17 · Oct 6 · Nov 13 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Guernsey County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Guernsey County: 13 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (3).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2004-06-03 | DR-1519 | 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 |
| 1980-08-23 | DR-630 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1968-06-05 | DR-243 | Flood | Heavy Rains & 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 Guernsey County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 85 flood or flash flood records for Guernsey County from 1996 to 2024, on 61 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Guernsey County ranks 635th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.4 million on 373 claims filed in Guernsey County; the most in one year was 155 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 8 · 1979: 15 · 1980: 27 · 1981: 10 · 1985: 13 · 1990: 3 · 1994: 12 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 96 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 155 · 2005: 9 · 2007: 1 · 2010: 7 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2026: 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 Guernsey County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Guernsey County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.3 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 Moderate | $263K | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $30K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $331K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $256K | 6 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.9M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $90K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $265K | 2.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $39K | 9.1 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 Guernsey 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 Guernsey CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Guernsey County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis