Madison County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39097 · population 43,789 · 467 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 435 records for Madison County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 359 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (178 records). The deadliest single record is the February 11, 2009 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Madison, which covers the county: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1974, 10 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
- 435on 359 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 221 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest 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 Madison County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 178 since 1957. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 178 | 144 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.5M | 59 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 109 | 108 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $990K | 29 of 88 |
| Hail | 64 | 54 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $171K | 54 of 88 |
| Floods | 38 | 30 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $637K | 74 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 17 | 2000-2026 | 1 | 2 | $6.8M | 63 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 14 | 1965-2024 | 0 | 1 | $18M | 46 of 88 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $806K | 74 of 88 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | $367K | 62 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 15 | $86K | 40 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 Madison County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Madison County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Madison County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: 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, 0 of them in Madison County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-03-10 15:25, as SPC files it | Washington Court House | F2 | 28 mi | 1 |
| 1973-05-10 16:49, as SPC files it | Columbus | F3 | 89.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Madison County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-28 | London, Madison County | EF1 9.17 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2024-02-28 | Summerford, Madison County | EF2 7.99 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2023-09-28 | Amity, Madison County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $969 |
| 2020-05-18 | Lilly Chapel, Madison County | EF0 1.92 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2018-04-03 | Newport, Madison County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2017-11-05 | Summerford, Madison County | EF1 2.07 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2008-05-11 | West Jefferson, Madison County | EF0 1.17 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2006-07-11 | Rosedale, Madison County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 1986-06-10 | Madison County | F1 10 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-03-10 | Madison County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-05-31 | Madison County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-04-03 | Madison County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-04-19 | Madison County | F1 2.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-10 | Madison County | F3 14.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-11-16 | Madison County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Madison County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | HailAmity, Madison County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindPlumwood, Madison County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindResaca, Madison County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-27 | FloodSummerford, Madison County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | FloodLondon, Madison County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-27 | FloodLafayette, Madison County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindSummerford, Madison County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindSummerford, Madison County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-22 | HailPlain City Airport, Madison County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailPlain City Airport, Madison County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Strong WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-02-11 | High WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison A tractor trailer was blown over 2 miles south of Plain City. The trailer was blown onto a pickup truck, whose driver died in the accident. | 61 kt wind | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2015-02-14 | Winter WeatherMadison County · forecast zone Madison One person was killed when they were ejected from a passenger van during an accident that occurred on both the westbound and eastbound sides of interstate 70 near route 142. Six tractor trailers and at least 25 other vehicles were involved, and the freeway was closed for over 8 hours and there was a 13 mile backup at ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-10-26 | Dense FogMadison County · forecast zone Madison Dense fog contributed to the crash of a county sheriff's van hauling prisoners and a TruGreen-Chemlawn truck. Fifteen people were injured, of which one injury was serious. | 0 | 15 | $86K | |
| 2021-08-12 | Thunderstorm WindMadison Lake, Madison County A tree fell onto a vehicle near the intersection of Spring Valley Road and State Route 665, leading to one injury. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $11K |
| 1995-07-13 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Madison County Large trees were downed at several locations. In Mechanicsburg, a wind gust was measured at 60 mph. Two miles southeast of Mechanicsburg, a tree fell onto a car and injured the 16-year-old female driver. | 0 | 1 | $19K | |
| 1994-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindPlain City, Madison County Trees were downed. A 17-year-old was indoors and was injured when a plate glass window shattered during the strong winds. He was treated for lacerations. | 0 | 1 | $10K | |
| 1982-04-03 | TornadoMadison County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6.7M |
| 2024-02-28 | TornadoSummerford, Madison County | EF2 7.99 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2001-05-15 | LightningLondon, Madison County | 0 | 0 | $367K | |
| 2024-02-28 | TornadoLondon, Madison County | EF1 9.17 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $235K |
| 2000-10-26 | Dense FogMadison County · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 15 | $86K | |
| 2018-04-03 | TornadoNewport, Madison County | EF0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2006-07-11 | TornadoRosedale, Madison County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2017-11-05 | TornadoSummerford, Madison County | EF1 2.07 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
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: April 3, 1982 (tornado, Madison County); March 10, 1986 (tornado, Madison 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 Madison 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 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 44 | 32 | 47 | 32 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 19 | 53 | 27 |
| Hail | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 17 | 7 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 54 · Feb 40 · Mar 35 · Apr 34 · May 55 · Jun 73 · Jul 55 · Aug 34 · Sep 14 · Oct 5 · Nov 11 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Madison County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Madison County: 6 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) and snowstorm (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 |
| 2008-10-24 | DR-1805 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2008-04-24 | EM-3286 | Snowstorm | Record Snow and Near Record Snow |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-01-11 | EM-3198 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 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 |
| 1990-06-06 | DR-870 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-421 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Madison County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Madison County from 1997 to 2026, on 30 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Madison County ranks 2061st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $149,000 on 22 claims filed in Madison County; the most in one year was 6 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 5 · 1997: 6 · 1999: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 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 Madison County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Madison County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.1 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 | $277K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $758K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $350K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $72K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $128K | 1.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $243K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.7M | 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 Madison 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 Madison CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Madison County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis