States › Ohio › Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
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. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
The NCEI record lists 1,273 events for Franklin County, Ohio, between 1950 and 2026; damaging wind account for the largest share.
That is 239.1 events per 100 square miles, above the Ohio figure of 126.7, and 9.6 per 10,000 residents against 44.0 statewide.
48 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 7 deaths and 66 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $382M and crop damage at $540K.
FEMA has designated the county in 20 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Covid-19 Pandemic (major disaster, 31 Mar 2020).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 1,399 claims since 1978, of which 965 were paid, totalling $8.4M (about $9K per paid claim). FEMA counts 1,221 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($331M a year across 18 hazards).
3 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Ohio and the United States
| Measure | Franklin County | Ohio | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 1,273 | 51,777 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 239.1 | 126.7 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 9.6 | 44.0 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 48 | 1,442 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 7 | 460 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $382M | $8.4B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 2.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $9K | $17K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 24.4 | 16.2 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 804 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 290 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jun 1984 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | — | — | 1 | 4 | County |
| 29 Jun 2005 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 19 May 2020 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $20K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1985 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2002 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2003 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2025 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | $50K | — | — | 15 | County |
| 14 Sep 2008 | High Wind | Wind | 75 mph | $129M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Oct 2006 | Hail | Hail | 2.00 in | $100M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2003 | Hail | Hail | 1.75 in | $80M | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1971 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 10 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 96 mph | $1.0M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 9 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 60 mph | $50K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 11 Oct 2006 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $50M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2013 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $700K | — | — | 4 | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | $5K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 4 Aug 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | $5K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 14 Apr 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 70 mph | $100K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 10 May 1973 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | 3 | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2020 | DR-4507 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3457 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 20 Aug 2012 | DR-4077 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2012 | EM-3346 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Storms | Public assistance |
| 24 Oct 2008 | DR-1805 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike | Public assistance |
| 24 Apr 2008 | EM-3286 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2005 | EM-3250 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 15 Feb 2005 | DR-1580 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Jan 2005 | EM-3198 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snow | Public assistance |
| 19 Sep 2004 | DR-1556 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | — |
| 26 Jan 2004 | DR-1507 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides | Individual assistance |
| 1 Aug 2003 | DR-1484 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, And High Winds | Individual assistance |
| 14 Mar 2003 | DR-1453 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Record/Near Record Snow | Public assistance |
| 18 Nov 2002 | DR-1444 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual assistance |
| 30 Jun 1998 | DR-1227 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Individual assistance |
| 4 Aug 1992 | DR-951 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 6 Jun 1990 | DR-870 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 10 Jun 1989 | DR-831 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 26 Jan 1978 | EM-3055 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms | Public assistance |
| 4 Apr 1974 | DR-421 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 70 | 29 | $492,809 | $16,993 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | $48,284 | $16,095 |
| 2023 | 7 | 3 | $28,218 | $9,406 |
| 2022 | 36 | 33 | $184,171 | $5,581 |
| 2021 | 17 | 15 | $233,075 | $15,538 |
| 2020 | 131 | 101 | $1,673,219 | $16,567 |
| 2019 | 7 | 2 | $20,825 | $10,413 |
| 2018 | 9 | 7 | $122,830 | $17,547 |
| 2017 | 17 | 9 | $151,558 | $16,840 |
| 2016 | 17 | 12 | $177,870 | $14,822 |
| 2015 | 22 | 9 | $157,534 | $17,504 |
| 2014 | 14 | 13 | $217,664 | $16,743 |
| 2013 | 8 | 5 | $66,852 | $13,370 |
| 2012 | 5 | 3 | $7,204 | $2,401 |
| 2011 | 12 | 7 | $57,538 | $8,220 |
| 2010 | 4 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | $590 | $590 |
| 2008 | 18 | 12 | $155,974 | $12,998 |
| 2007 | 4 | 1 | $986 | $986 |
| 2006 | 5 | 3 | $4,945 | $1,648 |
| 2005 | 56 | 43 | $608,569 | $14,153 |
| 2004 | 69 | 41 | $338,708 | $8,261 |
| 2003 | 42 | 29 | $239,606 | $8,262 |
| 2002 | 10 | 7 | $29,356 | $4,194 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $209,632,518 | |
| Cold wave | $42,739,173 | |
| Tornado | $29,005,557 | |
| Heat wave | $25,244,251 | |
| Earthquake | $9,501,027 | |
| Hail | $8,046,834 | |
| Strong wind | $3,358,928 | |
| Lightning | $1,879,330 | |
| Winter weather | $869,443 | |
| Ice storm | $743,430 | |
| Drought | $244,146 | |
| Hurricane | $73,096 | |
| Wildfire | $13,434 | |
| Landslide | $3,688 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opal | 1995 | 52 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 84 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1892 | 87 mi | 52 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
- 43068 197
- 43213 102
- 43227 95
- 43123 89
- 43232 79
- 43223 77
- 43209 71
- 43214 71
- 43230 68
- 43081 65
- 43085 60
- 43221 39
- 43220 37
- 43119 30
- 43235 29
- 43204 28
- 43228 27
- 43219 26
- 43125 24
- 43229 22
- 43212 21
- 43224 20
- 43017 19
- 43215 18
- 43202 13
- 43110 11
- 43207 11
- 43004 9
- 43231 9
- 43211 8
- 43016 7
- 43026 7
- 43201 7
- 43222 7
- 43146 6
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Franklin County, OH?
NCEI records 286 hail events in Franklin County since 1950, in 58 different years; that is about 3.7 recorded events a year. 32 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Franklin County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 40 tornadoes in Franklin County since 1950, 9 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Franklin County?
31 Mar 2020: Covid-19 Pandemic, a major disaster declaration for biological. The county appears in 20 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Franklin County, and how much was paid?
1,399 NFIP claims since 1978, 965 of them paid, for $8.4M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Franklin County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Low" for social vulnerability and "Relatively High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Franklin County compare with the rest of Ohio?
239.1 recorded events per 100 square miles against 126.7 statewide, and 1.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 2.4. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.