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Tornado in Franklin County, Ohio
40 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
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.
NCEI records 40 tornado events in Franklin County, Ohio, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 25 years.
February is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.6% of the 1,565 tornado events recorded in Ohio; its 7.5 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.
By rating: 19 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 7 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Ohio
| Measure | Franklin County | Ohio | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 40 | 1,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.5 | 3.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 200 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | February | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
6Mar
1Apr
6May
5Jun
6Jul
4Aug
4Sep
4Oct
4Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
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 40 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | $85K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2024 | Tornado | EF2 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $50M | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1992 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1986 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1973 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 8 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 2 Apr 1970 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1958 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Franklin County had?
40 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 Franklin County?
30 Mar 2025 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Franklin County?
The tornado of 11 Oct 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50M.
How does Franklin County compare with Ohio for tornado?
7.5 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 40 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.