Hardin County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39065 · population 30,690 · 470 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 364 records for Hardin County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 294 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (136 records). The deadliest single record is the June 25, 2005 lightning: 1 death. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1977, 10 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
- 364on 294 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 20 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.9Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Hardin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 136 since 1962. 53% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1962 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 | 136 | 106 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 82 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 90 | 90 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $94K | 37 of 88 |
| Hail | 51 | 36 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 81 of 88 |
| Floods | 49 | 39 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $174K | 66 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 13 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 0 | $5.3M | 76 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 62 of 88 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $806K | 75 of 88 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 71 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2011-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 1 | 0 | – | 63 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Hardin County from 1963 to 2026, the strongest rated EF1, 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Hardin 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 Hardin County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-26 | Kenton, Hardin County | EF1 0.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $65K |
| 2023-08-12 | Kenton, Hardin County | EF1 2.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $242K |
| 2021-12-11 | Alger, Hardin County | EF1 1.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $327K |
| 2019-05-27 | Yelverton, Hardin County | EF0 2.03 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2011-05-25 | Dunkirk, Hardin County | EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-12 | Hardin County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-02-15 | Hardin County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-03-10 | Hardin County | F1 6 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-07-04 | Hardin County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-25 | Hardin County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1963-04-19 | Hardin County | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Hardin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 26, 2026 tornado ($65,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The first tornadic damage was observed at the Hardin County Fairgrounds, just south of County Road 140, where minor roof damage occurred. Several wooden power poles were damaged and snapped in half. On the northern side of the fairgrounds, a hardwood tree was snapped and a building sustained a major loss of its metal roofing panels. An additional building had its concrete block siding blown out, which caused a partial roof collapse. An open-ended barn structure was lifted, causing the support poles to be lifted and shifted. The final damage associated with this tornado was on the eastern side of the fairgrounds, where additional power poles were snapped and minor roof damage was observed to fairground buildings.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1319799)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-23 | FloodMt Victory, Hardin County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-26 | TornadoKenton, Hardin County | EF1 0.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $65K |
| 2026-03-26 | Thunderstorm WindForaker, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-26 | Thunderstorm WindMt Victory, Hardin County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2026-03-26 | Thunderstorm WindMc Guffey, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-26 | Thunderstorm WindKenton, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-26 | Thunderstorm WindAlger, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-22 | HailJumbo, Hardin County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindKenton Hardin Co Arp, Hardin County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | Winter StormHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06-25 | LightningKenton, Hardin County An Amish boy was killed when lightning struck the tree he was leaning against. He had taken shelter under the tree from the thunderstorm. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-03-09 | High WindHardin County · forecast zone Hardin A widespread area of high winds blew down trees, power poles, and various other smaller structures and signs. At one time, approximately 100,000 people were without power. One man was killed when his semi tractor overturned, and several others were injured in automobile accidents, and when trees fell on the buildings ... | 57 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $57K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindHardin County · forecast zone Hardin | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.2M |
| 2021-12-11 | TornadoAlger, Hardin County | EF1 1.6 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $327K |
| 2013-11-17 | Thunderstorm WindHepburn, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $253K |
| 2023-08-12 | TornadoKenton, Hardin County | EF1 2.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $242K |
| 2026-03-26 | TornadoKenton, Hardin County | EF1 0.13 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $65K |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindKenton, Hardin County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 2019-05-27 | TornadoYelverton, Hardin County | EF0 2.03 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2025-04-19 | Thunderstorm WindAda, Hardin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 10, 1986 (tornado, Hardin County); February 15, 1992 (tornado, Hardin 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 Hardin 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 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 22 | 26 | 30 | 26 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 28 | 46 | 9 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 15 | 28 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
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 1962 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 30 · Mar 36 · Apr 19 · May 37 · Jun 66 · Jul 66 · Aug 28 · Sep 5 · Oct 4 · Nov 12 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hardin County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Hardin County: 5 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and snowstorm (4).
| 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 |
| 2008-04-24 | EM-3286 | Snowstorm | Record Snow and Near Record Snow |
| 2007-08-27 | DR-1720 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 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 Hardin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 49 flood or flash flood records for Hardin County from 1998 to 2026, on 39 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hardin County ranks 2155th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $330,000 on 17 claims filed in Hardin County; the most in one year was 7 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 4 · 2011: 7 · 2013: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 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 Hardin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hardin County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.6 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 | $524K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $820K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $462K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $77K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $86K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $981K | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.2M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $930K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hardin 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 Hardin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hardin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis