Harrison County, Ohio

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39067 · population 14,475 · 402 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 349 records for Harrison County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 254 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (171 records). The deadliest single record is the November 15, 2020 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1965, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides” on April 17, 2018.

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
349on 254 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
515 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$17Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
4strongest 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 Harrison County most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 171 since 1968. 51% 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.

Harrison County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind 171 121 1968-2026 2 0 $2.4M 63 of 88
Floods 55 41 1996-2026 2 0 $11M 52 of 88
Hail 45 33 1962-2026 0 0 $10K 80 of 88
Winter storms 43 42 1996-2026 0 0 $38K 67 of 88
High wind and dust storms 14 14 1999-2022 0 0 $1.1M 65 of 88
Drought 7 7 1999-2024 0 0 – 16 of 88
Extreme cold 6 6 2014-2026 0 0 – 44 of 88
Tornadoes 4 4 1965-2021 1 15 $2.4M 82 of 88
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 2 2 2023-2023 0 0 – 9 of 88
Rip currents and high surf 1 1 2019-2019 0 0 – 5 of 88
Heavy rain 1 1 2018-2018 0 0 – 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 Harrison County had?

NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Harrison County from 1965 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 15 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Harrison County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Harrison County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1969-05-08 18:35, as SPC files itDeersvilleF32 mi1

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.

Every tornado record filed for Harrison County (4)
Every tornado recorded in Harrison County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2021-07-29 New Athens, Harrison County EF2 2.73 mi x 220 yd 0 0 $218K
2000-05-23 Scio, Harrison County F2 3 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $171K
1969-05-08 Harrison County F3 2 mi x 300 yd 1 14 $250K step
1965-04-12 Harrison County F1 0 1 $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 Harrison County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).

The 12 most recent records kept for Harrison County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindCadiz, Harrison County 50 kt wind 0 0 $2K
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindFreeport, Harrison County 56 kt wind 0 0 $5K
2026-05-24 Flash FloodJewett, Harrison County 0 0 $2K
2026-04-14 HailHopedale, Harrison County 1.25 in hail 0 0 –
2026-04-14 HailHopedale, Harrison County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-03-22 HailCadiz, Harrison County 1.25 in hail 0 0 –
2026-01-30 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHarrison County · forecast zone Harrison 0 0 –
2026-01-24 Winter StormHarrison County · forecast zone Harrison 0 0 –
2025-12-13 Winter StormHarrison County · forecast zone Harrison 0 0 –
2025-07-09 Flash FloodBlairmont, Harrison County 0 0 –
2025-07-09 Flash FloodEast Cadiz, Harrison County 0 0 –
2025-05-02 HailScio, Harrison County 1.25 in hail 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 Harrison County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2020-11-15 Thunderstorm WindClendening, Harrison County More info: https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2020/11/17/bodies-missing-michigan-hunters-found-clendening-lake-ohio/6322047002/ Two men, aged 43 and 60 and residents of south central Michigan, died when an overloaded watercraft, convective wind, and not being prepared for the environmental conditions all played a ... 50 kt wind 2 0 –
2020-03-20 Flash FloodUnionvale, Harrison County Numerous areas experienced flooding across Harrison, Carroll, and Tuscarawas county. One and half to three inches of rain occurred in parts of Eastern Ohio. Two individuals died in flooded cars near swollen creeks. According to a local newspaper: A woman’s body was found in her vehicle Saturday afternoon after it was ... 2 0 $114K
1969-05-08 TornadoHarrison County F3 2 mi x 300 yd 1 14 $250K step
1965-04-12 TornadoHarrison County F1 0 1 $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.

The costliest records in Harrison County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1998-06-28 Flash FloodCountywide, Harrison County 0 0 $9.2M
2004-09-17 FloodHarrison County · forecast zone Harrison 0 0 $945K
2021-07-29 TornadoNew Athens, Harrison County EF2 2.73 mi x 220 yd 0 0 $218K
2000-05-23 TornadoScio, Harrison County F2 3 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $171K
2020-03-20 Flash FloodUnionvale, Harrison County 2 0 $114K
2025-04-29 Thunderstorm WindAsbury, Harrison County 50 kt wind 0 0 $50K
2025-04-29 Thunderstorm WindHopedale, Harrison County 50 kt wind 0 0 $7K
2026-06-06 Thunderstorm WindFreeport, Harrison County 56 kt wind 0 0 $5K

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: May 8, 1969 (tornado, Harrison County, 1 killed).

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 Harrison 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).

Harrison County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind012822555528
Floods––––9191710
Hail010598157
Winter storms––––5111116
High wind and dust storms––––1922

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

What time of year?

51% 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 29 · Feb 26 · Mar 15 · Apr 43 · May 26 · Jun 76 · Jul 47 · Aug 40 · Sep 16 · Oct 6 · Nov 10 · Dec 15 (records).

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

Federal disaster declarations for Harrison County

FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Harrison County: 13 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and biological (2).

Declarations including Harrison County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2020-03-31DR-4507BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3457BiologicalCovid-19
2018-04-17DR-4360FloodSevere Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides
2012-08-20DR-4077Severe StormSevere Storms and Straight-Line Winds
2012-06-30EM-3346Severe StormSevere Storms
2008-10-24DR-1805Severe StormSevere Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike
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
2004-01-26DR-1507Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides
2003-03-14DR-1453Severe StormSevere Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow
1998-06-30DR-1227Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
1990-06-06DR-870Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1978-01-26EM-3055SnowstormBlizzards & Snowstorms
1977-02-02EM-3029SnowstormSnowstorms
1969-07-15DR-266TornadoTornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding
1965-04-14DR-191TornadoTornadoes & Severe Storms

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 Harrison County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Harrison County from 1996 to 2026, on 41 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Harrison County ranks 1360th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $527,000 on 90 claims filed in Harrison County; the most in one year was 30 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 1 · 1979: 6 · 1980: 19 · 1981: 10 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 3 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2004: 30 · 2005: 3 · 2007: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 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 Harrison County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Harrison County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.1 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 Harrison County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$714K2.2 a year (modeled)
LandslideRelatively Low$19Kabout once a year (modeled)
DroughtRelatively Low$226K6.2 modeled event-days a year
HailRelatively Low$133K3.9 a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively Low$117K42 a year (modeled)
HurricaneVery Low$16Konce in about 147 years (modeled)
Riverine FloodingVery Low$2.5M1.4 a year (modeled)
Heat WaveVery Low$87K2.1 modeled event-days a year

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

Counties that share a border with Harrison County

  1. Tuscarawas County 729
  2. Belmont County 583
  3. Guernsey County 510
  4. Carroll County 482
  5. Jefferson County 454
  6. Harrison County 349

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

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