Portage County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39133 · population 161,780 · 487 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 664 records for Portage County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 445 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (298 records). The most damaging was the July 21, 2003 flash flood ($32.1 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1977, 9 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
- 664on 445 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 010 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $791Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F5
- 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 Portage County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 298 since 1956. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in July and August. 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 | 298 | 214 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 21 of 88 |
| Hail | 169 | 107 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | 14 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 68 | 68 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | $14M | 55 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 48 | 45 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 4 | $11M | 15 of 88 |
| Floods | 36 | 32 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $46M | 73 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 14 | 1962-2024 | 0 | 2 | $691M | 51 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $315K | 24 of 88 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1996-2000 | 0 | 2 | $323K | 9 of 88 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 1996-1999 | 0 | 0 | $7.1M | 37 of 88 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 52 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 Portage County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Portage County from 1962 to 2024, the strongest rated F5, with 0 deaths and 2 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Portage County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 18 people, 0 of them in Portage County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-31 16:30, as SPC files it | NilesCrossed OH, PA | F5 | 47 mi | 18 |
| 1973-06-03 17:00, as SPC files it | Hudson | F3 | 12.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Portage County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-11 | Brimfield Station, Portage County | EF0 0.31 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2024-04-17 | Windham, Portage County | EF1 3.97 mi x 65 yd | 0 | 0 | $470K |
| 2021-10-21 | Portage County | EF0 0.22 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-16 | Mahoning, Portage County | EF1 1.2 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2014-09-10 | Hiram Rapids, Portage County | EF0 0.76 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2014-09-10 | Ravenna Prtge Co Arp, Portage County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2014-09-10 | Earlville, Portage County | EF0 0.96 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2006-07-04 | Hiram, Portage County | F0 1.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-07-04 | Deerfield, Portage County | F0 1.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $37K |
| 2003-07-07 | Randolph, Portage County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-09 | Windham, Portage County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-12 | Portage County | F1 0.1 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-07-12 | Portage County | F2 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-05-31 | Portage County | F5 6.5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250M step |
| 1981-06-16 | Portage County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-06-03 | Portage County | F3 8.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-25 | Portage County | F1 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1962-05-23 | Portage County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Portage County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 31, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-15 | HailRandolph, Portage County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindSuffield, Portage County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindGarrettsville, Portage County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindHiram, Portage County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Thunderstorm WindMantua, Portage County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindYale, Portage County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-22 | HailRootstown, Portage County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailRootstown, Portage County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-22 | HailBrimfield, Portage County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-27 | Lake-Effect SnowPortage County · forecast zone Portage | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-10 | Flash FloodEarlville, Portage County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2025-07-10 | Flash FloodAugerburg, Portage County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindPortage County · forecast zone Portage High winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ike began during the early evening hours of September 14th and continued through late evening. Peak wind gusts were estimated to be around 60 mph with the strongest winds occurring between 6 and 8 pm. Damage in the county was extensive with thousands of trees and ... | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $6.9M |
| 2002-03-09 | High WindPortage County · forecast zone Portage A strong and very fast moving cold front raced east across northern Ohio during the late afternoon and early evening hours. Damaging winds occurred along and behind this front. A 41 year old male was struck and killed by a falling tree in Lorain (Lorain County). A second fatality occurred in Cuyahoga Falls (Summit ... | 0 | 2 | $205K | |
| 1999-01-02 | Winter StormPortage County · forecast zone Portage 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 | |
| 1996-07-13 | LightningGeauga Lake Park, Portage County Two people were injured when struck by lightning in the park parking lot. Injuries were minor. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1973-06-03 | TornadoPortage County | F3 8.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-25 | TornadoPortage County | F1 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-07-21 | Flash FloodCountywide, Portage County | 0 | 0 | $32M | |
| 2007-06-08 | HailSuffield, Portage County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7.1M |
| 2004-05-22 | Flash FloodCountywide, Portage County | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 2017-11-05 | Thunderstorm WindGeauga Lake, Portage County | 91 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.6M |
| 2013-07-10 | Flash FloodShalersville, Portage County | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2000-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindKent, Portage County | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | |
| 2006-06-22 | Flash FloodNorth Portion, Portage County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2004-05-21 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Portage County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
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 $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 31, 1985 (tornado, Portage 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 Portage 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 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 56 | 74 | 74 | 60 |
| Hail | 1 | 3 | 6 | 18 | 17 | 60 | 53 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 30 | 16 | 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 23 | 7 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 29 · Mar 34 · Apr 55 · May 88 · Jun 104 · Jul 149 · Aug 89 · Sep 29 · Oct 9 · Nov 18 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Portage County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Portage County: 6 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2004-06-03 | DR-1519 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-09-23 | EM-3187 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2003-08-01 | DR-1484 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds |
| 1992-08-04 | DR-951 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1985-06-03 | DR-738 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1978-01-26 | EM-3055 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-02 | EM-3029 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
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 Portage County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 36 flood or flash flood records for Portage County from 1996 to 2025, on 32 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Portage County ranks 1393rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | 2005-08-30 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $863,000 on 85 claims filed in Portage County; the most in one year was 11 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 7 · 1981: 8 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1996: 4 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 8 · 2004: 7 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2011: 6 · 2012: 3 · 2013: 11 · 2014: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2024: 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 Portage County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Portage County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $28.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $554K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $238K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $19M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.0M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $538K | 40 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $865K | 1.8 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Portage 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 Portage CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Portage County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis