Ohio, 1996

Flash Flood in Ohio, May 4, 1996

May 4, 1996 · NWS ILN · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Flooding on creeks and streams. One death occurred when an individual got too close to the water and was swept away.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

Flooding on creeks and streams. One death occurred when an individual got too close to the water and was swept away.

The radar

The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:32 UTC.

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Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Ross

When
May 4, 4:30 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where
Ross County, Massieville
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
39.338, -83.057 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Flash Flood, Ross1996-05-0473MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, May 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5558766.