Flash Flood in Ohio
Every flash flood event the National Weather Service has filed in Ohio, year by year, with the most significant episodes. 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.
The most significant on the map
The most significant flash flood episodes in Ohio.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 3,240
- Deaths
- 43
- Injuries
- 14
- Damage
- $1.6 billion
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Ohio, May 27 to 28, 2019Thunderstorms developed during the evening hours along a warm front lifting slowly north across the region. Many of the thunderstorms produced tornadoes, including a few strong to violent tornadoes.
- Flash Flood in Ohio, June 27 to 30, 1998Another round of thunderstorms starting on the evening of the 27th created widespread flash flooding throughout Noble County. These floods caused five deaths during the evening of the 27th and early morning hours of the 28th.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Ohio, July 21 to 24, 2003Thunderstorms dumped two to four inches of rain on portions of Trumbull County during the afternoon hours. The most severe flooding occurred in Warren, Howland, Braceville and Brookfield Townships with many evacuations reported.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Ohio, July 17 to 18, 2001Several trees were blown down throughout town.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, July 18 to 19, 2015Showers and thunderstorms developed during the evening hours across the Ohio Valley in association with an upper level disturbance that was moving through the region. The thunderstorms continued into the early morning hours of July 19th before tapering off.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, June 27 to 30, 1998The second night of thunderstorms hit during Saturday night the 27th, into Sunday morning, the 28th. Portions of Athens, Washington, and Meigs Counties were hit hard by flooding from this round. The third night of thunderstorms was on Sunday the 28th into Monday the 29th.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, February 28, 2011A strong area of low pressure moved northeast across Ohio on February 28th. Heavy rain fell over northern Ohio in association with this low. Rainfall totals of between one and three inches were reported. Up to ten inches of heavy snow was one the ground at daybreak on the 27th.
- Flash Flood in Ohio, March 1 to 2, 1997Estimated rainfall of 6 to 12 inches across the county in less than 36 hours caused area creeks and streams to rise out of their banks. Numerous roads were closed due to high water. Several rescue operations occurred.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Ohio, July 16, 2005Thunderstorms dumped very heavy rains on the City of Lorain. The heaviest rains fell on the northeastern quadrant of the city where extensive flash flooding occurred. As much as three inches of rain fell between 3 and 4:30 pm as thunderstorms trained over the same small area.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Ohio, July 10 to 12, 2013A hot and humid airmass over the Ohio Valley was broken up on the 10th by a shortwave trough and a surface cold front that came moved through during the afternoon hours.
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Ohio, July 4 to 5, 2003Power poles were knocked down.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, June 21 to 23, 2006Thunderstorms dumped two to three inches of rain on eastern Crawford County during the morning of June 21st. Severe flooding occurred in the New Washington and Crestline areas. Several roads including State Routes 602, 598 and 96 were flooded by as much as three feet of water.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Ohio, July 27 to 31, 2006Heavy thunderstorm rains fell on Lake County during the afternoon and evening hours of July 27th. Rainfall rates at times were in excess of three inches per hour. Rainfall totals through 10 p.m. ranged from 4 to 7 inches over much of the county.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Ohio, April 2 to 6, 2024Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms moved across parts of Ohio at the start of the month of April.
- Flash Flood and Flood in Ohio, March 20, 2020A deepening low pressure system crossed the Great Lake region on March 20th and promoted heavy rainfall and isolated thunderstorms. Localized flooding had been anticipated for parts of Ohio since 2 inches of rain already fell 48 hours prior.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Ohio, October 13 to 31, 1999Thunderstorm winds estimated at 50 to 55 mph toppled a crane hoisting a 5,000 pound bucket of concrete onto the roof a building in downtown Toledo. A 50 year old male worker on the roof was crushed by the falling bucket of concrete.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Ohio, November 5 to 6, 2017Thunderstorms overspread the region during the afternoon and evening hours as a slow moving cold front pushed through the Ohio Valley. The storms produced damaging winds, heavy rainfall and isolated tornadoes.
- Flash Flooding in Ohio, January 21 to 22, 1999Heavy rainfall caused roads to be flooded.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Ohio, May 25 to 27, 2011Between May 25th and May 26th heavy rainfall occurred as a warm front lifted north across the area. A strong southerly flow, ahead of a cold front, transported very moist air through Tennessee, Kentucky and into Ohio on the 25th. Surface dew points were in the 60s.
- Flash Flooding in Ohio, July 21 to 22, 2019Low pressure over west central Indiana moved slowly east in Ohio on the afternoon and evening of the 21st. The boundary slowed to a stationary front across central Ohio, becoming a catalyst for storm development.
- Flash Flooding in Ohio, June 26 to 30, 1998Additional thunderstorm rains on the 28th produced flash flooding across the entire county, forcing the closure of several county and state roads across the area.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Ohio, May 14 to 31, 1997A mini supercell spawned a tornado along a warm frontal boundary. Roofs were blown off a grain bin, hog harrowing house, and several farm buildings.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, May 10 to 12, 2011A very unstable airmass was in place south of a warm front in the area. This unstable airmass led to the development of widespread severe weather.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, December 21 to 25, 2013A storm system moved into the Ohio Valley from the plains over the weekend of the 22nd, bringing heavy rain and severe storms to central and northern Ohio.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Ohio, June 29, 2012An anomalously strong ridge centered across the Southeast brought record heat to the Upper Ohio Valley with the area in a zonal flow on the northern edge of the ridge. A weak frontal boundary extended from northern Indiana into western Pennsylvania.
More
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.