Ohio, 1996

Flooding in Ohio, January 23 to 30, 1996

January 23 to 30, 1996 · NWS ILN · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

By the 23rd many tributaries to the Ohio river had already crested and were receding back within their banks. However, a significant rain event occurred on the 23rd bringing over 2 inches of rain to South Central areas with lesser amounts to the north.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$5.1 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS ILN wrote it up.

By the 23rd many tributaries to the Ohio river had already crested and were receding back within their banks. However, a significant rain event occurred on the 23rd bringing over 2 inches of rain to South Central areas with lesser amounts to the north. Many tributaries were pushed back into flood on the 24th, and the flood crest moved downstream on the Ohio river. While most tributaries only experienced minor to moderate flooding, backwater flooding from the Ohio resulted in major flooding along some of the tributaries. The Little Miami river was flooded particularly bad just east of Cincinnati. Evacuations took place near the confluence of the Ohio and Little Miami rivers on the 24th as the Ohio river crest travelled through Cincinnati. Cincinnati eventually crested during the evening of the 24th at 57.3 feet, while flood stage is 52 feet. This was the highest crest in Cincinnati since March, 1979.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Pickaway

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Pickaway forecast zone
Property damage
$30,000
Coordinates
39.642, -83.024 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Ross

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Ross forecast zone
Property damage
$30,000
Coordinates
39.338, -83.057 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hamilton

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Hamilton forecast zone
Property damage
$2.0 million
Coordinates
39.196, -84.543 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clermont

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Clermont forecast zone
Property damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
39.047, -84.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Brown

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Brown forecast zone
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
38.934, -83.867 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Highland

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Highland forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
39.185, -83.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Adams

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
38.846, -83.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Pike

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Pike forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
39.077, -83.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Scioto

When
January 23, 12:00 PM EST to January 30, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Scioto forecast zone
Property damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
38.804, -82.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Ohio in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5569771, 5569772, 5569773, 5569774, 5569775, 5569776, 5569777, 5569778, 5569779.