Ross County, Ohio: hazard risk
FEMA rates Ross County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 62.9 of 100, higher than 62% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 590 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.0 | $1.4M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.4 | $88K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 77.3 | $316K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | $15M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 68.9 | $460K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 57.9 | $641K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.0 | $1.3M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 59.7 | $350K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.5 | $83K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 56.3 | $1.4M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.0 | $322K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.8 | $313K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 48.5 | $41K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 35.5 | $20K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 217 | 0 | $2.2M | 78th of 88 | 1197th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 119 | 0 | $943K | 44th of 88 | 832nd of 3,077 |
| Floods | 118 | 2 | $4.4M | 47th of 88 | 628th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 89 | 0 | $341K | 77th of 88 | 1969th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 0 | $12M | 84th of 88 | 1650th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 0 | $14M | 68th of 88 | 2018th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 5 | 0 | – | 44th of 88 | 1686th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 0 | $806K | 85th of 88 | 2192nd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 4 | 2 | $145K | 30th of 88 | 1115th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 2 | 0 | – | 82nd of 88 | 2333rd of 3,063 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Ross County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.