Lucas County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39095 · population 431,225 · 340 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 724 records for Lucas County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 436 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (336 records). The deadliest single record is the April 11, 1965 tornado: 16 deaths and 207 injuries. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1965, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms” on June 30, 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
- 724on 436 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 24230 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $413Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F4
- 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 Lucas County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 336 since 1956. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 336 | 223 | 1956-2026 | 8 | 5 | $6.9M | 5 of 88 |
| Hail | 201 | 95 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 5 of 88 |
| Floods | 53 | 51 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $108M | 23 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 45 | 45 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 14 | $18M | 56 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 44 | 41 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $17M | 8 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 11 | 1965-2023 | 16 | 210 | $251M | 42 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $291K | 15 of 88 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 3 of 88 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 1996-1999 | 0 | 0 | $7.1M | 20 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 3 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 88 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $154K | 34 of 88 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 1 | $266K | 29 of 88 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 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 Lucas County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Lucas County from 1965 to 2023, the strongest rated F4, with 16 deaths and 210 injuries recorded in the county. That is 42nd 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Lucas County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 18 people, 16 of them in Lucas County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-04-11 20:30, as SPC files it | ToledoCrossed MI, OH | F4 | 5.6 mi | 18 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Lucas County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06-15 | Niles Beach, Lucas County | EF0 0.24 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-06-15 | National Airport, Lucas County | EF2 3.81 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $170K |
| 2018-07-31 | Booth, Lucas County | EF1 6.78 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $176K |
| 2013-11-17 | Booth, Lucas County | EF2 4.24 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2011-04-19 | South Shr Park, Lucas County | EF0 0.78 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $262K |
| 2010-06-05 | Whitehouse, Lucas County | EF1 3.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2008-04-11 | Curtice, Lucas County | EF1 5.25 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $274K |
| 2000-05-09 | Sylvania, Lucas County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $257K |
| 1992-07-12 | Lucas County | F2 5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1981-04-17 | Lucas County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-04-08 | Lucas County | F2 0.8 mi x 127 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1965-04-11 | Lucas County | F4 5.6 mi x 200 yd | 16 | 207 | $25M 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 Lucas County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSylvania, Lucas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSylvania, Lucas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindMidway, Lucas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindHolland, Lucas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindLakeshore, Lucas County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindBailey, Lucas County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2026-03-26 | HailToledo, Lucas County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailIronville, Lucas County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailNeapolis, Lucas County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailToledo, Lucas County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailSylvania, Lucas County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailCentennial, Lucas County | 1.00 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-04-11 | TornadoLucas County | F4 5.6 mi x 200 yd | 16 | 207 | $25M step |
| 1990-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindLucas County | 3 | 1 | – | |
| 2019-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindCrestview, Lucas County There was significant tree damage reported. Heavy industrial parts and storage containers were lifted and tossed in the air. A man in the town of Holland was killed when an uprooted tree fell on the car while he was sitting in the vehicle. | 70 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $6K |
| 2012-07-05 | Thunderstorm WindSylvania, Lucas County Thunderstorm downburst winds of more than 70 mph caused considerable damage in Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Holland, Springfield Township and the west and south sides of Toledo. A mesonet site in Springfield Township recorded an 89 mph gust. Hundreds of trees were downed by the strong winds. Many homes and buildings ... | 77 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $964K |
| 1999-10-13 | Thunderstorm WindToledo, Lucas County Thunderstorm winds estimated at 50 to 55 mph toppled a crane hoisting a 5,000 pound bucket of concrete onto the roof a building in downtown Toledo. A 50 year old male worker on the roof was crushed by the falling bucket of concrete. | 1 | 0 | $177K | |
| 1995-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindToledo, Lucas County Large limbs were downed. A 28-year-old man was killed after he unknowningly touched a vehicle which was in contact with a live electric line which had been downed after tree limbs were blown down across the wires. M28VE | 1 | 0 | $6K | |
| 1992-09-09 | Thunderstorm WindLucas County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-01-13 | Winter WeatherCountywide, Lucas County A combination of occasional rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow, particularly on Tuesday the 13th, caused icy roads, bridges, sidewalks and other exposed surfaces. Many schools were closed. Hospital emergency rooms treated numerous ice related injuries (mostly from slips and falls). Even salt trucks had trouble ... | 0 | 12 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-21 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $61M | |
| 2019-07-01 | FloodToledo, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2015-06-26 | FloodBerkey, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 0 | 0 | $7.1M | |
| 2000-07-29 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | |
| 2008-07-02 | Flash FloodMaumee, Lucas County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 2002-01-30 | Ice StormLucas County · forecast zone Lucas | 0 | 0 | $2.0M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 11, 1965 (tornado, Lucas County, 16 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 Lucas 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 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 58 | 84 | 82 | 67 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 69 | 66 | 16 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 22 | 14 | 6 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 23 | 11 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 23 | 10 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
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 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 30 · Mar 51 · Apr 55 · May 107 · Jun 166 · Jul 124 · Aug 85 · Sep 23 · Oct 15 · Nov 21 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lucas County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Lucas County: 10 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4507 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3457 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2012-06-30 | EM-3346 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 2006-07-02 | DR-1651 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-09-23 | EM-3187 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2000-08-21 | DR-1339 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-08-04 | DR-951 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3029 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1974-05-31 | DR-436 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-377 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-11-24 | DR-362 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-07-15 | DR-266 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Lucas County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 53 flood or flash flood records for Lucas County from 1996 to 2024, on 51 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lucas County ranks 287th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.7 million on 1,201 claims filed in Lucas County; the most in one year was 161 in 2006. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 60 · 1979: 7 · 1980: 101 · 1981: 98 · 1982: 82 · 1983: 21 · 1984: 17 · 1985: 94 · 1986: 20 · 1987: 6 · 1989: 17 · 1990: 15 · 1991: 4 · 1992: 5 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 24 · 1998: 49 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 108 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 12 · 2003: 3 · 2004: 3 · 2005: 10 · 2006: 161 · 2007: 4 · 2008: 43 · 2009: 43 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 28 · 2013: 12 · 2014: 20 · 2015: 77 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 8; 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 Lucas County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lucas County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $111 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 | Very High | $1.7M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $18M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively High | $3.2M | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $71M | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.7M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $7.5M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $284K | 9.2 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 Lucas 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 Lucas CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lucas County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis