Muskingum County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39119 · population 86,374 · 665 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 644 records for Muskingum County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 395 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (324 records). The deadliest single record is the March 10, 1986 tornado: 1 death and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1969, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Landslides” on October 2, 2026.
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
- 644on 395 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 334 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $77Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 2026
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 Muskingum County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 324 since 1955. 55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 324 | 201 | 1955-2026 | 1 | 2 | $4.0M | 62 of 88 |
| Hail | 115 | 68 | 1967-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 of 88 |
| Floods | 85 | 59 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $45M | 63 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 50 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $18K | 79 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 20 | 1954-2024 | 1 | 32 | $26M | 45 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 20 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 74 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 2009-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 88 |
| Drought | 8 | 8 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2012-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 88 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1999-2012 | 1 | 0 | $177K | 44 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 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 Muskingum County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Muskingum County from 1954 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death and 32 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Muskingum County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-03-10 17:45, as SPC files it | New Concord | F2 | 5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Muskingum County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-05 | Frayszeburg, Muskingum County | EF2 1.25 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 2024-05-07 | Frayszeburg, Muskingum County | EF1 0.42 mi x 128 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2024-04-02 | Mc Donald, Muskingum County | EF1 0.54 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2024-04-02 | Zanesville Parr Airport, Muskingum County | EF1 8.16 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2024-04-02 | Bloomfield, Muskingum County | EF0 1.21 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $423K |
| 2021-10-16 | Chandlersville, Muskingum County | EF1 1.37 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-24 | Adams Mills, Muskingum County | EF1 0.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2019-06-05 | Frayszeburg, Muskingum County | EF1 2.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-28 | Roseville, Muskingum County | EF1 0.31 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2014-08-11 | Trinway, Muskingum County | EF0 0.16 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1998-06-27 | Zanesville, Muskingum County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 1998-06-27 | Otsego, Muskingum County | F1 2.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $453K |
| 1986-03-10 | Muskingum County | F2 5 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1985-05-31 | Muskingum County | F1 6.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 1981-06-13 | Muskingum County | F1 4.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-06-13 | Muskingum County | F2 2.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1981-04-13 | Muskingum County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1976-07-11 | Muskingum County | F1 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-08-14 | Muskingum County | F2 12.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1970-09-08 | Muskingum County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1968-06-25 | Muskingum County | F2 2.3 mi x 177 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1965-11-16 | Muskingum County | F2 4.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1958-07-22 | Muskingum County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-22 | Muskingum County | F2 12.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | – |
| 1954-06-26 | Muskingum 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 Muskingum County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 6, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-06 | HailDresden, Muskingum County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | HailOtsego, Muskingum County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBlack Run, Muskingum County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFrayszeburg, Muskingum County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindOtsego, Muskingum County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindDresden, Muskingum County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFrayszeburg, Muskingum County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-05-24 | Flash FloodCannelville, Muskingum County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-05-24 | Flash FloodDuncan Falls, Muskingum County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2026-05-24 | Flash FloodGaysport, Muskingum County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2026-03-22 | HailEllis, Muskingum County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherMuskingum County · forecast zone Muskingum | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-03-10 | TornadoMuskingum County | F2 5 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindFreeland, Muskingum County One woman was killed and another man injured when the barn they were in collapsed due to the straight line winds. They were checking on their animals when the barn collapsed. The man was able to escape. The woman was not. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $51K |
| 2012-07-03 | LightningZanesville, Muskingum County A 60 year old man was struck and killed by lightning while standing under a tree. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-06-05 | TornadoFrayszeburg, Muskingum County A strong tornado occurred during the overnight hours of June 6th in a strengthening convective cell as it descended on the west side of Frazeysburg in a cornfield. The tornado then knocked over a phone pole before removing the second story of a home on W 3rd Street and caused one of the load bearing walls to collapse. ... | EF2 1.25 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 1985-05-31 | TornadoMuskingum County | F1 6.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 1968-06-25 | TornadoMuskingum County | F2 2.3 mi x 177 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1965-11-16 | TornadoMuskingum County | F2 4.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1958-07-22 | TornadoMuskingum County | F2 12.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-27 | Flash FloodCountywide, Muskingum County | 0 | 0 | $43M | |
| 2011-04-20 | Thunderstorm WindDuncan Falls, Muskingum County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2024-04-02 | TornadoZanesville Parr Airport, Muskingum County | EF1 8.16 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodMuskingum County · forecast zone Muskingum | 0 | 0 | $547K | |
| 1998-06-27 | TornadoOtsego, Muskingum County | F1 2.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $453K |
| 2024-04-02 | TornadoBloomfield, Muskingum County | EF0 1.21 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $423K |
| 2024-05-07 | TornadoFrayszeburg, Muskingum County | EF1 0.42 mi x 128 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2019-05-28 | TornadoRoseville, Muskingum County | EF1 0.31 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
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: May 31, 1985 (tornado, Muskingum County); June 13, 1981 (tornado, Muskingum 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 Muskingum 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 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 61 | 45 | 72 | 101 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 19 | 39 | 30 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 14 | 35 | 20 | 16 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 8 | 14 | 23 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 5 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 39 · Feb 32 · Mar 36 · Apr 56 · May 77 · Jun 181 · Jul 103 · Aug 59 · Sep 18 · Oct 9 · Nov 12 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Muskingum County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Muskingum County: 13 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-02 | DR-4945 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2020-03-31 | DR-4507 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3457 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-06-18 | DR-4447 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1227 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1969-07-15 | DR-266 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & 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 Muskingum County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 85 flood or flash flood records for Muskingum County from 1996 to 2026, on 59 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Muskingum County ranks 998th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.2 million on 182 claims filed in Muskingum County; the most in one year was 31 in 2005. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 17 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 13 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 3 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 2 · 1990: 5 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 16 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 21 · 2005: 31 · 2008: 13 · 2011: 2 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 10; 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 Muskingum County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Muskingum County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $29.4 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 | $24M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $841K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $250K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $499K | 44 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $452K | 5.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $115K | 9 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $758K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $28K | 1.2 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 Muskingum 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 Muskingum CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Muskingum County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis