Jefferson County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39081 · population 65,187 · 408 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 454 records for Jefferson County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 320 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (229 records). The deadliest single record is the June 13, 2008 thunderstorm wind: 1 death, 1 injury and $21,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1972, 20 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
- 454on 320 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $26Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Jefferson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 229 since 1958. 57% 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 | 229 | 163 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 2 | $3.6M | 33 of 88 |
| Hail | 77 | 51 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 54 | 53 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 57 of 88 |
| Floods | 48 | 40 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $17M | 59 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 20 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 44 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1954-2024 | 0 | 1 | $3.7M | 74 of 88 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2018-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 49 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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Jefferson County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Jefferson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Jefferson County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-07 | Irondale, Jefferson County | EF2 7.9 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-10-21 | Emerson, Jefferson County | EF1 0.43 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $163K |
| 2021-07-29 | Bergholz, Jefferson County | EF1 2.17 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 2021-07-29 | Reeds Mills, Jefferson County | EF1 2.31 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $272K |
| 2010-06-02 | Pravo, Jefferson County | EF1 2.35 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2000-05-23 | Bloomingdale, Jefferson County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1980-06-06 | Jefferson County | F1 0.8 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1954-04-27 | Jefferson County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Jefferson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindToronto, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindWarrenton, Jefferson County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRayland, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindSteubenville, Jefferson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-26 | HailGould, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailMingo Jct, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailBrentwood Estates, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailCreswell, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailCreswell, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailUnionport, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailBergholz, Jefferson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindBradley, Jefferson County The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported a large tree branch fell onto a car travelling north on Jefferson 17, four tenths of a mile south of Jefferson 15 in Smithfield Township. The large branch fell from very high in the tree, striking the vehicle longways and creating a deep V shape down the vehicles roof. The ... | 55 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $21K |
| 2017-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindSteubenville, Jefferson County Broadcast media reported trees down on Highland Avenue and one tree landed on a house prompting a hospital visit for a mother and her two children. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $12K |
| 1954-04-27 | TornadoJefferson County | F2 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-29 | Flash FloodCountywide, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2014-08-20 | Flash FloodWarrenton, Jefferson County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 2010-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindReeds Mills, Jefferson County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2004-01-04 | FloodJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $625K | |
| 2005-01-05 | FloodJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | $514K |
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: April 27, 1954 (tornado, Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 43 | 58 | 66 | 49 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 21 | 29 | 15 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 12 | 14 | 23 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 21 | 14 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 2 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% 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 33 · Feb 22 · Mar 29 · Apr 50 · May 46 · Jun 92 · Jul 77 · Aug 52 · Sep 17 · Oct 4 · Nov 9 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jefferson County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Jefferson County: 17 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (7).
| 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 |
| 2012-06-30 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 2003-08-01 | DR-1484 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1227 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-06-24 | DR-1122 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1996-01-27 | DR-1097 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-08-04 | DR-951 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1990-06-06 | DR-870 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1980-08-23 | DR-630 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3029 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1975-09-11 | DR-480 | Flood | Winds, Tornadoes, Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1972-07-19 | DR-345 | Flood | Tropical Storm Agnes |
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 Jefferson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 48 flood or flash flood records for Jefferson County from 1996 to 2024, on 40 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jefferson County ranks 606th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.0 million on 397 claims filed in Jefferson County; the most in one year was 202 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1979: 12 · 1980: 30 · 1981: 2 · 1985: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 16 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 29 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 202 · 2005: 13 · 2008: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 36 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 7 · 2024: 4 · 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 Jefferson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jefferson County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $18M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $597K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $505K | 42 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $759K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $146K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $19K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $178K | once in about 49 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $347K | 1.8 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jefferson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis