Flash Flooding in Ohio, June 1 to 2, 1997

Name: Flash Flooding in Ohio, June 1 to 2, 1997
Start: 1997-06-01T00:00
End: 1997-06-02T23:00
Location: Ohio

June 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS ILN · 26 events in 21 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 26 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $4.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 26

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.

A cut-off low pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere remained across the Ohio valley from late on May 31st through June 2nd. Heavy showers fell across Southern and Central Ohio from the 31st through the morning hours of the 1st. In the afternoon of both the 1st and 2nd, additional heavy rainfall occurred with afternoon thunderstorm development mainly over Central and South-Central parts of the state. A few areas around Columbus received nearly 10 inches of rain over the 3 day period.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

26 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Adams

When: June 1, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 AM EST
Where: Adams County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.846, -83.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rainfall continued from late on May 31st causing many roads to be flooded.

Flash Flood, Brown

When: June 1, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 AM EST
Where: Brown County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.934, -83.867 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rainfall continued from late on May 31st causing many roads to be flooded from area creeks and streams.

Flash Flood, Highland

When: June 1, 12:00 AM EST to 3:00 AM EST
Where: Highland County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 39.185, -83.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rainfall continued from late on May 31st causing area creeks and streams to flood mainly in the western parts of the county.

Flash Flood, Clermont

When: June 1, 12:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Clermont County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.047, -84.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Roads were flooded by persistent heavy rainfall. One person was trapped in a car in Miami Township.

Flash Flood, Warren

When: June 1, 2:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where: Warren County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.428, -84.167 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous roads closed due to high water.

Flash Flood, Butler

When: June 1, 3:30 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where: Butler County, Countywide
Property damage: $450,000
Coordinates: 39.439, -84.576 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Many county roads were flooded by persistent heavy rainfall. The New London Road bridge was washed out.

Flash Flood, Hamilton

When: June 1, 3:30 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Hamilton County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.196, -84.543 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several roads closed due to flooding.

Flash Flood, Putnam

When: June 1, 11:00 AM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 41.022, -84.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several roads flooded due to persistent heavy rainfall.

Flash Flood, Auglaize

When: June 1, 12:30 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Auglaize County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 40.561, -84.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several roads were flooded due to heavy rainfall.

Flash Flood, Mercer

When: June 1, 12:30 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where: Mercer County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 40.540, -84.629 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous roads flooded due to heavy rainfall.

Flash Flood, Clark

When: June 1, 5:00 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Clark County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.917, -83.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms with extremely heavy rainfall fell on already saturated ground causing water to flood across many county roads.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: June 1, 7:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Franklin County, Countywide
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 39.970, -83.009 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall fell on an already saturated ground. Numerous roads were closed.

Flash Flood, Champaign

When: June 1, 7:30 PM EST to 8:30 PM EST
Where: Champaign County, Countywide
Property damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 40.138, -83.769 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall fell on already saturated ground causing water to overflow from ditches, sewers, and creeks. Roads were flooded across the county, but the hardest hit area was in the eastern part of the county. In North Lewisburg, 40 people were evacuated from an apartment complex and some roads were washed out. Overall, in less than 24 hours, nearly 5 inches of rain fell on parts of the county.

Flash Flood, Madison

When: June 1, 7:45 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Madison County, Countywide
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 39.894, -83.400 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms trained across the same areas with the northern part of the county being hit the hardest. Many area creeks and streams rose out of their banks and numerous roads were closed due to flooding.

Flash Flood, Logan

When: June 1, 7:55 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Logan County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 40.388, -83.766 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous roads closed due to torrential rains from thunderstorms.

Flash Flood, Union

When: June 1, 8:00 PM EST to 10:15 PM EST
Where: Union County, Countywide
Property damage: $3.0 million
Coordinates: 40.299, -83.372 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms moved repeatedly over the same areas causing most creeks and streams to overflow their banks and flood county roads. Several residents were evacuated as up to 7.5 inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours.

Flash Flood, Delaware

When: June 1, 9:00 PM EST to 10:30 PM EST
Where: Delaware County, Countywide
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 40.278, -83.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

From 4-7 inches of rain fell from late on May 31st until the night of June 1st, with flooding occurring as thunderstorms trained across the county during the evening. Numerous roads were flooded especially in the southern half of the county.

Flash Flood, Licking

When: June 2, 5:50 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Licking County, Buckeye Lake
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 40.092, -82.483 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous roads flooded due to heavy rainfall moving over already saturated ground.

Flash Flood, Scioto

When: June 2, 6:00 PM EST to 8:30 PM EST
Where: Scioto County, Countywide
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 38.804, -82.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms with torrential rainfall caused area creeks and streams to flood county roads. One family was evacuated due to high water, and several vehicles were swept away in Minford.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: June 2, 6:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Franklin County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.970, -83.009 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm rains brought area creeks and streams out of their banks.

Flash Flood, Fairfield

When: June 2, 6:30 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Fairfield County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 39.752, -82.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms which fell on already saturated ground caused county roads to be flooded.

Flash Flood, Pike

When: June 2, 7:30 PM EST to 8:30 PM EST
Where: Pike County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 39.077, -83.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy thunderstorm rains flooded county roads, with the northern part of the county being affected the most.

Flash Flood, Madison

When: June 2, 7:45 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Madison County, Countywide
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 39.894, -83.400 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rainfall fell for the third day in a row causing most county creeks and streams to rise further out of their banks. Numerous roads were closed due to the flooding.

Flash Flood, Adams

When: June 2, 8:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Adams County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 38.846, -83.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms which fell on already saturated ground caused county creeks and streams to rise out of their banks.

Flash Flood, Clark

When: June 2, 8:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Clark County, South Vienna
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 39.917, -83.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous roads flooded from torrential thunderstorm rains.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: June 2, 8:50 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where: Franklin County, Countywide
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 39.970, -83.009 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

All rainfall had stopped by this time in Franklin county, but area creeks and streams in the western part of the county continued to rise from very heavy rainfall that was still occurring in Madison county and then flowing into Franklin county.

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

Every storm in Ohio in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, June 1997

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: 5607414, 5607415, 5607416, 5607417, 5607420, 5607418, 5607419, 5607423, 5607421, 5607422, 5607424, 5607426, 5607425, 5607428, 5607429, 5607427, 5607497, 5607498, 5607499, 5607500, 5607501, 5607502, 5607504, 5607503, 5607505, 5607506.