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Tornado in Van Wert County, Ohio
42 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.
Van Wert County, Ohio, has 42 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 21 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 13 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.7% of the 1,565 tornado events recorded in Ohio; its 10.3 per 100 square miles compares with 3.8 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 16 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 3 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 3 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Ohio
| Measure | Van Wert County | Ohio | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 1,565 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.3 | 3.8 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 14.6 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 200 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
2Apr
5May
6Jun
11Jul
2Aug
6Sep
2Oct
3Nov
2Dec
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2022 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2006 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F4 | $30M | — | 2 | 17 | County |
| 20 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1992 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 14 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 4 | County |
| 19 Jul 1950 | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jan 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Van Wert County had?
42 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 Van Wert County?
2 Apr 2025 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Van Wert County?
The tornado of 10 Nov 2002, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $30M; 2 deaths recorded.
How does Van Wert County compare with Ohio for tornado?
10.3 events per 100 square miles against 3.8 statewide; the county holds 42 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.