Meigs County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39105 · population 22,183 · 430 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 457 records for Meigs County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 376 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (122 records). The deadliest single record is the February 1, 2026 cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Meigs, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1968, 16 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
- 457on 376 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 510 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $35Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 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 Meigs County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 122 since 1996. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 122 | 104 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $22M | 2 of 88 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 101 | 77 | 1976-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | 88 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 64 | 64 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.1M | 53 of 88 |
| Hail | 55 | 38 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 74 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 35 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $160K | 4 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 26 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $155K | 36 of 88 |
| Heat | 18 | 18 | 1997-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 88 |
| Drought | 15 | 15 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 14 | 14 | 1998-2012 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 1 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1967-2017 | 0 | 9 | $4.1M | 79 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 56 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 Meigs County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Meigs County from 1967 to 2017, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 9 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Meigs County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Meigs County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-09-16 18:00, as SPC files it | CoolvilleCrossed OH, WV | EF3 | 9.05 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Meigs County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-07-10 | Chester, Meigs County | EF0 0.44 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 2017-03-01 | Langsville, Meigs County | EF1 0.05 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $96K |
| 2010-09-16 | Joppa, Meigs County | EF3 2.52 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.0M |
| 2001-05-21 | Danville, Meigs County | F1 4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $667K |
| 1993-02-21 | Salem Center, Meigs County | F1 8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 3 | $1.0M |
| 1967-03-13 | Meigs County | F2 | 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 Meigs County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($6,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindLangsville, Meigs County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-05-24 | Flash FloodMt Blanco, Meigs County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | Thunderstorm WindMiddleport, Meigs County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-04 | FloodChester, Meigs County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-04 | FloodHarrisonville, Meigs County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-04 | FloodSalem Center, Meigs County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-02 | Winter WeatherMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | HailRacine, Meigs County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs A period of extremely cold temperatures that began in late January spilled into the first week of February amid a cold airmass dominating the bulk of the country. Daytime temperatures for the start of the month struggled to rise above freezing and plummeting to sub-zero values during the overnight hours. Local ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-01-15 | Cold/Wind ChillMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs An 89 year old man from the town of Shade died on the evening of January 15th when he ventured out of his home in the midst of frigid temperatures. He was found the next day several hundred yards from his home. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-02-06 | FloodMt Blanco, Meigs County Multiple roads were closed due to high water across central and western Meigs County. This included State Route 681 along the West Branch of the Shade River and State Route 124 along Thomas Fork. Leading Creek also flooded, closing parts of Leading Creek Road and State Route 124. A 54 year old man drowned in the flood ... | 1 | 0 | $17K | |
| 2000-02-19 | FloodMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs Rains of 2 to 4 inches fell in about an 18 hour period. A strong frontal zone was in the vicinity, as low pressure moved up the Ohio Valley. Southerly winds pulled low level moisture north from Tennessee and Kentucky . Surface dew points were in the 55 to 60 degree range south of the frontal boundary. Carpenter of ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodNortheast Portion, Meigs County The second night of thunderstorms hit during Saturday night the 27th, into Sunday morning, the 28th. Portions of Athens, Washington, and Meigs Counties were hit hard by flooding from this round. The third night of thunderstorms was on Sunday the 28th into Monday the 29th. The final night was a bit further south and ... | 1 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 2010-09-16 | TornadoJoppa, Meigs County A new rotating supercell formed south of thunderstorm complex that caused the tornado and strong downburst in western Athens County. A new tornado formed. Significant structural damage to farm buildings and a few homes occurred along Eden Ridge Road. This road is also County Route 50. The tornado path then went across ... | EF3 2.52 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.0M |
| 1993-02-21 | TornadoSalem Center, Meigs County The storm touched ground 2 miles southwest of Salem Center and passed over the town and lifted Dexter area. Roofs were torn off of two grain silos and a farmhouse was lifted off its foundation. A portion of the roof on an elementary school was torn off. A woman and two children hid in the bath tub of their mobile home ... | F1 8 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 3 | $1.0M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-28 | Flash FloodNortheast Portion, Meigs County | 1 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 2003-02-16 | Ice StormMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 0 | 0 | $4.0M | |
| 1997-03-02 | FloodMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindDyesville, Meigs County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2005-01-07 | FloodMeigs County · forecast zone Meigs | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2010-09-16 | TornadoJoppa, Meigs County | EF3 2.52 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.0M |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Meigs County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 13, 1967 (tornado, Meigs 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 Meigs 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 16 | 18 | 38 | 50 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 27 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 12 | 24 | 21 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 23 | 18 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Meigs County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 62 · Feb 66 · Mar 42 · Apr 50 · May 31 · Jun 60 · Jul 35 · Aug 31 · Sep 22 · Oct 17 · Nov 12 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Meigs County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Meigs County: 14 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 2005-02-15 | DR-1580 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 1996-06-24 | DR-1122 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1996-01-27 | DR-1097 | Flood | Severe Storms and 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 Meigs County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 122 flood or flash flood records for Meigs County from 1996 to 2026, on 104 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Meigs County ranks 796th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.5 million on 273 claims filed in Meigs County; the most in one year was 45 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 36 · 1979: 35 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1991: 5 · 1992: 1 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 10 · 1996: 17 · 1997: 38 · 1998: 4 · 2000: 28 · 2001: 3 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 45 · 2005: 12 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 6 · 2011: 5 · 2012: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 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 Meigs County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Meigs County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $34K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $190K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $9.8M | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $511K | 3.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $92K | 5.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $143K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $209K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $85K | once in about 38 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Meigs 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
- Floods in OhioThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 Meigs CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Meigs County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis