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Tornado in Fayette County, Ohio

18 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.

18 events · 1 deaths recorded · peak month May · county share of state 1.2%

2025-04-03: Tornado2025-03-30: Tornado2019-05-27: Tornado2017-05-24: Tornado2016-06-23: Tornado2011-05-26: Tornado2011-05-26: Tornado2010-10-26: Tornado2010-10-26: Tornado2004-05-27: Tornado1999-10-13: Tornado1997-05-14: Tornado1990-09-14: Tornado1986-03-10: Tornado1983-05-02: Tornado1971-02-22: Tornado1965-11-16: Tornado
Tornado event locations in and around Fayette County. Dots: Tornado event locations in the kept record. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

Fayette County, Ohio, has 18 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 14 different years.

May is the busiest month, with 8 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 9 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.2% of the 1,565 tornado events recorded in Ohio; its 4.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.

NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.

By rating: 9 at (E)F0, 5 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.

Compared with Ohio

MeasureFayette CountyOhioUS
Tornado events since 1950181,56581,281
Per 100 square miles4.43.82.3
Per 10,000 residents6.21.32.4
Deaths recorded12006,410
Busiest monthMayJuneMay

By year

195019882026
Tornado events recorded in Fayette County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
0
Feb
1
Mar
2
Apr
1
May
8
Jun
1
Jul
0
Aug
0
Sep
1
Oct
3
Nov
1
Dec
0
Tornado events in Fayette County by month of occurrence, all years.

Magnitude distribution

EF0/F09
EF1/F15
EF2/F23
EF3/F31
EF4/F40
EF5/F50
Unrated0
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
EF0/F0
65–85 mph (EF0)
EF1/F1
86–110 mph (EF1)
EF2/F2
111–135 mph (EF2)
EF3/F3
136–165 mph (EF3)
EF4/F4
166–200 mph (EF4)
EF5/F5
over 200 mph (EF5)
Unrated
no rating recorded

Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).

Recorded events

All 18 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
3 Apr 2025TornadoEF0$15K———County
30 Mar 2025TornadoEF1$250K———County
27 May 2019TornadoEF0$3K———County
24 May 2017TornadoEF0————County
23 Jun 2016TornadoEF1$110K$10K——County
26 May 2011TornadoEF0$35K———County
26 May 2011TornadoEF0$50K———County
26 Oct 2010TornadoEF0$75K———County
26 Oct 2010TornadoEF0————County
27 May 2004TornadoF0————County
27 May 2004TornadoF1$50K——1County
13 Oct 1999TornadoF0$30K———County
14 May 1997TornadoF1$30K———County
14 Sep 1990TornadoF2$2.5M———County
10 Mar 1986TornadoF2$2.5M—1—County
2 May 1983TornadoF1$250K———County
22 Feb 1971TornadoF2$25K———County
16 Nov 1965TornadoF3$250K——4County

Questions and answers

How many tornado events has Fayette County had?

18 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded tornado event in Fayette County?

3 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Fayette County?

The tornado of 10 Mar 1986, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M; 1 death recorded.

How does Fayette County compare with Ohio for tornado?

4.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 18 of the state's 1,565 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.