Ottawa County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39123 · population 40,343 · 255 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 533 records for Ottawa County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 375 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (242 records). The most damaging was the June 24, 1998 tornado ($45.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1969, 11 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
- 533on 375 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 045 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $169Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Ottawa County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 242 since 1956. 48% 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 | 242 | 180 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 5 | $13M | 2 of 88 |
| Hail | 114 | 77 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.3M | 3 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 54 | 49 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 16 | $9.3M | 2 of 88 |
| Floods | 38 | 34 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $36M | 32 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 4 | $10.0M | 52 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 13 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 17 | $85M | 14 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $103K | 12 of 88 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 6 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | 2 of 88 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 1996-1999 | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | 12 of 88 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1998-2000 | 0 | 0 | $177K | 7 of 88 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1997-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 88 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 88 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 57 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 Ottawa County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Ottawa County from 1959 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 17 injuries recorded in the county. That is 14th 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Ottawa County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 7 people, 0 of them in Ottawa County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-06-05 21:20, as SPC files it | Walbridge to Clay Center | EF4 | 8.8 mi | 7 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Ottawa County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-18 | Oak Harbor, Ottawa County | EF0 2.93 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $49K |
| 2025-06-18 | Elliston, Ottawa County | EF0 0.54 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $85K |
| 2023-08-24 | Elmore, Ottawa County | EF1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2023-06-15 | Strongs Ridge, Ottawa County | EF2 3.44 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $247K |
| 2013-11-17 | Elmore Haar Field Airport, Ottawa County | EF1 0.76 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $63K |
| 2011-04-19 | Lacarne, Ottawa County | EF0 1.53 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2010-06-05 | Clay Center, Ottawa County | EF3 2.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 2003-10-14 | Oak Harbor, Ottawa County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $40K |
| 2002-11-10 | Port Clinton, Ottawa County | F2 10 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $22M |
| 1998-06-24 | Port Clinton, Ottawa County | F2 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 13 | $45M |
| 1992-07-12 | Ottawa County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-12 | Ottawa County | F2 10 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1986-06-10 | Ottawa County | F1 18 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1974-05-11 | Ottawa County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-05-11 | Ottawa County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Ottawa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMartin, Ottawa County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPut In Bay, Ottawa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindPut In Bay, Ottawa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLakeside, Ottawa County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLakeside, Ottawa County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindLakeside, Ottawa County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindMartin, Ottawa County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindMartin, Ottawa County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-26 | HailTrowbridge, Ottawa County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindClay Center, Ottawa County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-18 | TornadoOak Harbor, Ottawa County | EF0 2.93 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $49K |
| 2025-06-18 | TornadoElliston, Ottawa County | EF0 0.54 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $85K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-06-29 | High WindOttawa County · forecast zone Ottawa Winds were kicking up waves averaging 3 to 5 feet on western Lake Erie when a local ferry, enroute from Port Clinton to Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island, was struck by a 10 foot wave. The wave crashed through a window in the main passenger cabin. Fifteen people were injured by flying glass and two were admitted to a ... | 0 | 15 | $5K | |
| 1998-06-24 | TornadoPort Clinton, Ottawa County A tornado touched down approximately 10 miles west of Port Clinton and just west of the Davis Bessie power plant. Winds were between 113 and 157 miles per hour. Considerable damage occurred, with some barns completely destroyed and an apartment complex heavily damaged. Sixty three homes were destroyed, 63 sustained ... | F2 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 13 | $45M |
| 2011-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindPort Clinton, Ottawa County Damaging thunderstorm winds hit the area during the Annual Walleye Festival. Thunderstorm winds downed a large entertainment tent in Port Clinton. Between 25 and 30 people were trapped beneath the collapsed tent. The incident resulted in a total of five people sustaining minor injuries. Three individuals were ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 5 | $26K |
| 2002-11-10 | TornadoPort Clinton, Ottawa County A tornado touched down south of Port Clinton and then moved northeast entering the city just west of the intersection of Wilcox Road and Fulton Road. The tornado moved through the heart of the city reaching Lake Erie at Lakeview Park. From there, the tornado moved northeast over Lake Erie to Catawba Island where it ... | F2 10 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $22M |
| 1987-06-19 | HailOttawa County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | – |
| 1999-01-02 | Winter StormOttawa County · forecast zone Ottawa Snow changed to freezing rain and sleet, with a brief change to rain as temperatures rose slightly above freezing, and then back to snow. Temperatures dropped quickly into the teens causing the wet snow and ice to refreeze and creating significant ice on the ground, roads and sidewalks. Snow accumulations generally ... | 0 | 2 | $27K | |
| 1998-01-13 | Winter WeatherCountywide, Ottawa 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 | 2 | – | |
| 2001-10-25 | High WindOttawa County · forecast zone Ottawa Damaging westerly winds occurred in northern Ohio behind a strong cold front. The strongest winds occurred during the late afternoon and evening hours. The peak recorded wind was a 69 mph gust at Louisville in Stark County with a 57 mph gust measured on a bridge over Sandusky Bay (Erie County). Hundreds of trees were ... | 0 | 1 | $58K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-06-24 | TornadoPort Clinton, Ottawa County | F2 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 13 | $45M |
| 2002-11-10 | TornadoPort Clinton, Ottawa County | F2 10 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $22M |
| 2006-06-21 | FloodCountywide, Ottawa County | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 1998-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Ottawa County | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | |
| 1998-04-09 | Storm Surge/TidePort Clinton, Ottawa County | 0 | 0 | $3.6M | |
| 2011-08-19 | FloodPort Clinton, Ottawa County | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2010-06-05 | TornadoClay Center, Ottawa County | EF3 2.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 2009-05-27 | Flash FloodPort Clinton, Ottawa County | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
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: June 10, 1986 (tornado, Ottawa County); July 12, 1992 (tornado, Ottawa 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 Ottawa 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 | 10 | 21 | 43 | 59 | 52 | 44 |
| Hail | 1 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 41 | 42 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 25 | 15 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 5 | 12 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 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 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 28 · Mar 42 · Apr 25 · May 77 · Jun 114 · Jul 86 · Aug 68 · Sep 17 · Oct 13 · Nov 20 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Ottawa County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Ottawa County: 9 major disasters, 4 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 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3250 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-19 | DR-1556 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2002-11-18 | DR-1444 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1227 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1992-08-04 | DR-951 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & 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 |
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 Ottawa County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Ottawa County from 1996 to 2023, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Ottawa County ranks 259th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9.5 million on 1,384 claims filed in Ottawa County; the most in one year was 351 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 103 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 351 · 1983: 15 · 1984: 30 · 1985: 130 · 1986: 55 · 1987: 131 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 10 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 8 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 43 · 1998: 283 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 10 · 2007: 5 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 8 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 29 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 33 · 2019: 28 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 24 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 1 · 2026: 6; 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 Ottawa County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ottawa County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $187K | 8.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $300K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.9M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $15M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $595K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $88K | once in about 66 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $562K | 4.2 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 Ottawa 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 Ottawa CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Ottawa County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis