Sandusky County, Ohio
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 39143 · population 58,813 · 408 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 497 records for Sandusky County, Ohio from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 352 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (221 records). The deadliest single record is the December 23, 2022 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Sandusky, which covers the county: 4 deaths and 73 injuries. 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
- 497on 352 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 4109 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $202Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F4
- 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 Sandusky County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 221 since 1958. 57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 221 | 167 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 5 | $16M | 31 of 88 |
| Hail | 106 | 69 | 1967-2021 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 25 of 88 |
| Floods | 51 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $23M | 55 of 88 |
| High wind and dust storms | 44 | 44 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 3 | $8.9M | 9 of 88 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2025 | 4 | 80 | $11M | 71 of 88 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 11 | 1953-2023 | 0 | 21 | $125M | 54 of 88 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $185K | 17 of 88 |
| Drought | 5 | 5 | 1996-1999 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 28 of 88 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 1997-1998 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 4 of 88 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 88 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 74 of 88 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 50 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 Sandusky County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Sandusky County from 1953 to 2023, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 21 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Sandusky County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 17 people, 0 of them in Sandusky County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-06-08 18:00, as SPC files it | Cleveland | F4 | 118 mi | 17 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Ohio.
Every tornado record filed for Sandusky County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-24 | Lindsey, Sandusky County | EF1 0.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-06-15 | Bellevue, Sandusky County | EF0 0.93 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2023-06-15 | Vickery, Sandusky County | EF0 0.33 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2023-06-15 | Kingsway, Sandusky County | EF1 0.15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2021-10-15 | Sandusky County | EF0 3.82 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-11-05 | Vickery Warner Airport, Sandusky County | EF1 1.34 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2013-07-10 | Bellevue, Sandusky County | EF0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $317K |
| 2010-05-11 | Ballville, Sandusky County | EF0 4.62 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2002-11-10 | Fremont, Sandusky County | F1 3.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 1992-07-12 | Sandusky County | F1 11 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-30 | Sandusky County | F1 3.3 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 18 | $25M step |
| 1972-08-17 | Sandusky County | F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-06-08 | Sandusky County | F4 32.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Sandusky County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 31, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($6,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindClyde, Sandusky County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | FloodLakeshore, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-10 | Flash FloodLakeshore, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-10 | FloodErlin, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-10 | FloodLindsey, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-09 | Flash FloodErlin, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-09 | Flash FloodLindsey, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindBallville, Sandusky County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2025-02-12 | Ice StormSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-08-24 | TornadoLindsey, Sandusky County | EF1 0.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2023-06-15 | TornadoBellevue, Sandusky County | EF0 0.93 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2023-06-15 | TornadoVickery, Sandusky County | EF0 0.33 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-12-23 | BlizzardSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky An Arctic cold front swept through the area shortly before midnight December 23rd. Low pressure along this front tracked over Lake Erie early in the morning on December 23rd and rapidly intensified through the day while slowly lifting northeast across Ontario. With the frontal passage rain changed to snow with ... | 4 | 73 | – | |
| 1977-06-30 | TornadoSandusky County | F1 3.3 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 18 | $25M step |
| 2002-03-09 | High WindSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky 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 | 3 | $656K | |
| 1998-01-13 | Winter WeatherCountywide, Sandusky 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 | 3 | – | |
| 1992-07-12 | TornadoSandusky County | F1 11 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1999-01-14 | Heavy SnowSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky During a 24 hour period, snow, while not reaching the threshold for heavy snow, continued to pile up. The cover of snow and ice that had accumulated since late December now averaged 14 to 18 inches. The weight of the snow and ice caused structures to collapse and damage to trees. Damage was mostly confined to ... | 0 | 2 | $89K | |
| 1999-01-02 | Winter StormSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky 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 | |
| 1986-05-06 | Thunderstorm WindSandusky County | 0 | 2 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-06-22 | FloodCountywide, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 1998-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 2006-06-22 | Flash FloodCountywide, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2013-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindGibsonburg, Sandusky County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.3M |
| 2005-01-01 | FloodSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2002-11-10 | TornadoFremont, Sandusky County | F1 3.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 2009-05-27 | Flash FloodSlager Airport, Sandusky County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2005-01-05 | Ice StormSandusky County · forecast zone Sandusky | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 30, 1977 (tornado, Sandusky 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 Sandusky 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 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 42 | 58 | 58 | 21 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 30 | 43 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 23 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 21 | 9 | 1 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 27 · Mar 37 · Apr 33 · May 75 · Jun 112 · Jul 78 · Aug 44 · Sep 15 · Oct 13 · Nov 16 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sandusky County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Sandusky County: 8 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (5) 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 |
| 2006-07-02 | DR-1651 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2002-11-18 | DR-1444 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1998-06-30 | DR-1227 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 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 Sandusky County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 51 flood or flash flood records for Sandusky County from 1996 to 2026, on 41 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sandusky County ranks 1107th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $826,000 on 145 claims filed in Sandusky County; the most in one year was 14 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 6 · 1980: 6 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 14 · 1984: 11 · 1985: 5 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1990: 4 · 1992: 4 · 1994: 2 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 5 · 1998: 11 · 1999: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 11 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 12 · 2009: 7 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 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 Sandusky County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sandusky County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.0 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 | $965K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $446K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $202K | 9.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $539K | once in about 861 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $286K | 39 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 Sandusky 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 Sandusky CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sandusky County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis