Jackson County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39079 · population 32,646 · 420 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 439 records for Jackson County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 341 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (140 records). The deadliest single record is the January 19, 2019 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Jackson, which covers the county: 1 death and $12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1968, 14 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
- 439on 341 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 14 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $37Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Jackson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 140 since 1965. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 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 | 140 | 104 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 4 | $5.2M | 76 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 67 | 67 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.2M | 49 of 88 |
| Hail | 62 | 43 | 1980-2023 | 0 | 0 | $367K | 68 of 88 |
| Floods | 59 | 56 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $20M | 33 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 33 | 33 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $128K | 5 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 28 | 28 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $186K | 33 of 88 |
| Heat | 18 | 18 | 1997-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 88 |
| Drought | 15 | 15 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 10 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $22K | 5 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1980-2024 | 0 | 0 | $9.8M | 77 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Jackson County from 1980 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Jackson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6: 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 Jackson County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-26 | Jackson County | EF1 3.77 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2024-04-02 | Leo, Jackson County | EF2 1.87 mi x 325 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2018-06-27 | Evans Airport, Jackson County | EF0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $176K |
| 1994-04-15 | Scioto Township, Jackson County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1992-07-26 | Jackson County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-06-02 | Jackson County | F1 2.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Jackson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Flash FloodWellington, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHitchcock, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindGrahamsville, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindChapmans, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-05-24 | FloodWellston, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindRoads, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindJackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindJackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 31 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 41 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-05 | FloodRidgeland, Jackson County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-01-19 | Winter WeatherJackson County · forecast zone Jackson A strong storm system moved through the Ohio River Valley and central Appalachians on the 19th and 20th. Temperatures ahead of this system were warm, so precipitation started as rain. Around one inch of rain fell on the 19th. A cold front moved through late that evening, with temperatures dropping very quickly behind ... | 1 | 0 | $12K | |
| 1994-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindWellston, Jackson County A three story building under contruction was destroyed. Three men of the building crew were injured as the building collapsed on them. | 0 | 3 | $995K | |
| 2012-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindWellington, Jackson County A tree fell onto a car along Route 93. The driver was trapped and injured. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $6K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-10 | Flash FloodRay, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $6.4M | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindJackson County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2003-02-16 | Ice StormJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2015-07-13 | Flash FloodWellington, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $996K | |
| 1994-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindWellston, Jackson County | 0 | 3 | $995K | |
| 1998-06-29 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $815K | |
| 2003-05-10 | FloodJackson County · forecast zone Jackson | 0 | 0 | $401K |
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 2, 1980 (tornado, Jackson 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 Jackson 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 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 26 | 42 | 38 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 15 | 23 | 22 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 15 | 22 | 17 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 11 | 8 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 12 | 5 | 11 |
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 1965 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 48 · Feb 49 · Mar 29 · Apr 42 · May 64 · Jun 64 · Jul 57 · Aug 22 · Sep 18 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jackson County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Jackson County: 12 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) 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 |
| 2018-04-17 | DR-4360 | Flood | Severe Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1453 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Record/Near Record Snow |
| 2000-03-07 | DR-1321 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1227 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1164 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1990-06-06 | DR-870 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 59 flood or flash flood records for Jackson County from 1996 to 2026, on 56 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jackson County ranks 956th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.0 million on 193 claims filed in Jackson County; the most in one year was 44 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 44 · 1998: 33 · 2000: 14 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 5 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2011: 28 · 2012: 17 · 2015: 22 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 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 Jackson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jackson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $143K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $24K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $742K | 3.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.9M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $188K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $458K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $210K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $19K | 8.1 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 Jackson 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 Jackson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jackson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis