Highland County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39071 · population 43,282 · 553 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 577 records for Highland County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 395 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (263 records). The most damaging was the July 29, 1994 hail ($995,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1965, 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
- 577on 395 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 07 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $24Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F3
- 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 Highland County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 263 since 1958. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 263 | 168 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 1 | $2.0M | 60 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 116 | 116 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 31 of 88 |
| Floods | 82 | 54 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $821K | 61 of 88 |
| Hail | 63 | 46 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 79 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 18 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 6 | $11M | 41 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 13 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | 83 of 88 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 1997-2014 | 0 | 0 | $738K | 18 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $806K | 86 of 88 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | $47K | 69 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 Highland County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Highland County from 1958 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 41st 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Highland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Highland County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-04-25 16:00, as SPC files it | Blanchester | F2 | 25 mi | 2 |
| 1993-06-30 13:50, as SPC files it | Hillsboro | F3 | 15 mi | 0 |
| 1959-02-10 09:40, as SPC files it | Mowrystown | F3 | 10.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Highland County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-03 | Lynchburg, Highland County | EF0 0.56 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-04-03 | Dodsonville, Highland County | EF0 1.7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2023-03-03 | Willettville, Highland County | EF0 0.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 2023-03-03 | Pricetown, Highland County | EF1 14.16 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 2021-10-16 | Samantha, Highland County | EF1 3.06 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 2021-10-15 | Fairview, Highland County | EF0 1.77 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2017-03-01 | New Market, Highland County | EF1 2.19 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2017-03-01 | Samantha, Highland County | EF0 6.87 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2017-03-01 | New Petersburg, Highland County | EF0 4.53 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2014-07-27 | Hoagland, Highland County | EF0 2.52 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2014-06-04 | Dodsonville, Highland County | EF0 4.11 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $374K |
| 2010-05-21 | Buford, Highland County | EF1 3.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2006-05-10 | Hillsboro, Highland County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 1986-06-10 | Highland County | F1 3.5 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1978-06-07 | Highland County | F1 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-04-02 | Highland County | F0 1 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-04-02 | Highland County | F2 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-04-08 | Highland County | F2 10.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1961-04-25 | Highland County | F2 16.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-06-22 | Highland County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-02-10 | Highland County | F3 10.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1958-07-11 | Highland County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Highland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 flood ($3,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | FloodBoston, Highland County | 0 | 0 | $3K | |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | FloodBoston, Highland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-06 | Winter WeatherHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter StormHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | Winter StormHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-10 | Winter StormHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindSinking Spg, Highland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHoagland, Highland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2025-06-06 | FloodGreenfield, Highland County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-06 | Flash FloodCenterfield, Highland County | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-02-10 | TornadoHighland County | F3 10.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 2011-03-23 | Thunderstorm WindEast Danville, Highland County A greenhouse collapsed due to damaging thunderstorm winds. One woman was injured inside the greenhouse when it collapsed. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $13K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-07-29 | HailHillsboro, Highland County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2023-03-03 | TornadoPricetown, Highland County | EF1 14.16 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 1997-03-02 | Heavy RainRocky Fork Lake, Highland County | 0 | 0 | $735K | |
| 2014-06-04 | TornadoDodsonville, Highland County | EF0 4.11 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $374K |
| 2016-08-17 | Flash FloodBelfast, Highland County | 0 | 0 | $369K | |
| 2004-12-22 | Winter StormHighland County · forecast zone Highland | 0 | 0 | $352K | |
| 2010-05-21 | TornadoBuford, Highland County | EF1 3.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2014-07-27 | TornadoHoagland, Highland County | EF0 2.52 mi x 1,300 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
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: February 10, 1959 (tornado, Highland County); April 25, 1961 (tornado, Highland County); April 8, 1965 (tornado, Highland 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 Highland 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 | 6 | 15 | 33 | 45 | 99 | 62 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 22 | 65 | 18 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 24 | 38 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 12 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 42 · Feb 55 · Mar 39 · Apr 70 · May 70 · Jun 113 · Jul 79 · Aug 39 · Sep 11 · Oct 10 · Nov 17 · Dec 32 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Highland County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Highland County: 7 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4507 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3457 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-08-20 | DR-4077 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3346 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1164 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3029 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1965-04-14 | DR-191 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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 Highland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 82 flood or flash flood records for Highland County from 1996 to 2026, on 54 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Highland County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $12,000 on 2 claims filed in Highland County; the most in one year was 1 in 1994. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1994: 1 · 1995: 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 Highland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Highland County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.1 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $826K | 4 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $239K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $302K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $10K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $675K | 5.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $488K | once in about 569 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.7M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.5M | 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 Highland 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 Highland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Highland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis