Ottawa storm history
Storm events recorded in Ottawa, Ohio between 1950 and 2025.
518
Total events
15
Tornadoes
113
Hail
37
Floods
0
Deaths
$85.5M
Property damage
Most significant events
Strongest tornadoes, deadliest events, and biggest damage in this county. Up to 50 shown.
A strong tornado moved into western Ottawa County from Wood County during the late evening hours of June 5th. The tornado entered the county at 11:30 pm EDT as a weak EF3 or strong EF2 tornado. A couple homes on Trowbridge Road just east of the county line were heavily damaged. T…
Winds were kicking up waves averaging 3 to 5 feet on western Lake Erie when a local ferry, enroute from Port Clinton to Put-In-Bay on South Bass Island, was struck by a 10 foot wave. The wave crashed through a window in the main passenger cabin. Fifteen people were injured by fly…
A tornado touched down approximately 10 miles west of Port Clinton and just west of the Davis Bessie power plant. Winds were between 113 and 157 miles per hour. Considerable damage occurred, with some barns completely destroyed and an apartment complex heavily damaged. Sixty thre…
The mean level of Lake Erie rose 4 inches from May to June to a level of 574.61 ft. This monthly mean level broke the record high June level and it is the lake's highest recorded monthly level mean since 1918, the beginning of its period of record. Lake Erie's monthly mean level …
Three rounds of torrential rain moved across Ottawa County on the evening of June 12th between 8 pm and midnight. The heaviest rain occurred around 1030 pm with rainfall rates estimated at over 5 inches per hour lasting for 45 minutes. Unofficial rain gauges in the area reported …
An official NWS observer measured 6.58 inches over Port Clinton on the 14th. Emergency Management estimates at least half the town experienced some form of flooding as storm sewer systems were overwhelmed. The H.B. Magruder Hospital was inundated with ankle deep flood waters. Man…
Slow moving, training thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall in Port Clinton, flooding nearly every street in town. Basement flooding was common due to the high water in the streets. The hospital lobby experienced flooding starting around 2:33pm local time, with water one to …
High winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ike began during the early evening hours of September 14th and continued through late evening. Peak wind gusts were estimated to be around 60 mph with the strongest winds occurring between 6 and 8 pm. Damage in the county was e…
Thunderstorms dumped very heavy rains on Ottawa County during the evening hours of June 21st. The rain began around 7 pm with rainfall rates later in the evening exceeding three inches per hour. Rainfall totals from the storm ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the Port Clinton area wit…
A tornado touched down south of Port Clinton and then moved northeast entering the city just west of the intersection of Wilcox Road and Fulton Road. The tornado moved through the heart of the city reaching Lake Erie at Lakeview Park. From there, the tornado moved northeast over …
Most of the damage in Ottawa County was caused by straight line winds. A gust of 92 miles per hour was measured in Erie Township. Sustained winds of 70 miles per hour were measured at Port Clinton. Many trees and power lines were downed, blocking several roads. Mobile homes were …
Tornado EF0 Tornado
An EF0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 80-mph impacted the Elmore area and moved east-northeastward during its lifespan. The tornado began near the northwest corner of OH Route 163 and Elliston Trowbridge Road before damaging a metal outbuilding and destroying a grain silo. …
Tornado EF0 Tornado
An EF0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 70-mph impacted the Rocky Ridge area and moved east-northeastward during its lifespan. This tornado began west of Toussaint Portage Road and produced minor tree damage, including one tree downed onto a house. Another home on Toussaint P…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured peak straight-line convective wind gust of 59-mph from line of thunderstorms.
Ice Storm Ice Storm
Weak low pressure tracked through the Ohio Valley and into the eastern Great Lakes February 12th into February 13th. A mix of primarily freezing rain along with some light sleet and snow occurred across Northwest Ohio as the low pressure moved through the region with temperatures…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power pole broken along OH-105 on north side of Elmore.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree limbs downed along West Elmore Eastern Road in Elmore.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Power pole broken at corner of Billman and Walbridge Roads in Clay Center area. Damage was caused by outflow-dominant and approaching thunderstorms.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed about four-miles east of Woodmore High School in Elmore. Straight-line convective wind damage was caused by rain showers.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed in Elmore.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Reports of widespread flash flooding in Port Clinton. Multiple flooded and impassable roadways reported along with widespread basement flooding. Radar estimated around 4 inches of rainfall in just under a 3 hour period ending 300 AM EDT on August 24, 2023, with total rainfall of …
Tornado EF1 Tornado
The tornado began near the intersection of South Nissen and Deno Roads, about 1.5 miles north of Elmore, where several tree limbs were snapped. As this tornado moved southeastward, it damaged a nursery greenhouse before crossing the Portage River, where it downed several trees an…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Windows blown-out at multiple houses in Rocky Ridge.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several large trees downed in Put-in-Bay.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Widespread roadway and basement flooding across Catawba Island. One water rescue was reported at a campground in Catawba Island. Radar estimated 5.5 to 6 inches of rainfall in a four hour period ending around 400 AM EDT on August 24, 2023, with a bulk of the rain falling in rough…
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Extensive flash flooding on South Bass Island, with widespread street flooding and widespread basement flooding. Flooding of airport runway on the island. Radar estimated 6.5 to 7 inches of rainfall in a 4.5 hour period ending around 400 AM EDT on August 24, 2023, with 4 to 4.5 i…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed in Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island. Straight-line wind damage was caused by nearby outflow-dominant thunderstorms.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed along Sand Road on the ENE side of Port Clinton. Straight-line wind damage was caused by nearby outflow-dominant thunderstorms.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed in Martin.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured peak wind gust of 67 mph from thunderstorm in Martin.
Hail Hail
Hail up to quarter-size about two-miles east of Genoa.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed about two-miles WNW of Port Clinton.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed in Lakeside.
Hail Hail
Hail up to half dollar-size about seven-miles NNE of Oak Harbor.
Tornado EF2 Tornado
A tornado began about three miles south of Oak Harbor and tracked east-northeastward before ending about three miles east-southeast of Oak Harbor. Five homes were damaged along the tornado's path and several of these homes lost their roofs. The tornado also destroyed seven barns …
Hail Hail
Hail up to half dollar-size in Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, between Reno Beach and the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant.
Hail Hail
Hail up to quarter-size in Oak Harbor.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Utility pole snapped in Genoa.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trained spotter's personal weather station recorded a peak wind gust of 66 mph from passing showers and thunderstorms about two-miles WNW of Elliston.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A personal weather station recorded a peak convective gust of 79 mph in Martin and numerous trees were reported down in the area by Ottawa County Sheriff Dispatch.
Blizzard Blizzard
An Arctic cold front swept through the area around midnight December 23rd. Low pressure along this front tracked over Lake Erie early in the morning on December 23rd and rapidly intensified through the day while slowly lifting northeast across Ontario. With the frontal passage ra…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills plunged below 0 by 4 AM December 23rd and did not rise above 0 until the early morning hours of December 26th. The lowest wind chill observed in the county was -37F on a weather station in Martin at 11:39 AM. Port Clinton Airport recorded a minimum wind chill of -36F …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees and power poles downed, and a shed was damaged in Oak Harbor.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several trees downed in Put-in-Bay.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A prolonged winter storm occurred from late February 2nd through early February 4th, 2022 as multiple waves of low pressure tracked along a slow moving cold front. Rain changed to snow in the early evening hours on February 2nd as temperatures fell below freezing. Snow continued …
High Wind High Wind
An AWOS in Port Clinton measured a 61 mph wind gust at 12:55 PM. A trained spotter east of Clay Center measured a 60 mph wind gust around Noon.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees downed in Genoa.
Events by year
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 |
| 2023 | 20 | 2 |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 |
| 2020 | 20 | 0 |
| 2019 | 23 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 10 | 0 |
| 2014 | 10 | 0 |
| 2013 | 10 | 1 |
| 2012 | 27 | 0 |
| 2011 | 23 | 1 |
| 2010 | 28 | 1 |
| 2009 | 12 | 0 |
| 2008 | 22 | 0 |
| 2007 | 18 | 0 |
| 2006 | 15 | 0 |
| 2005 | 13 | 0 |
| 2004 | 15 | 0 |
| 2003 | 14 | 1 |
| 2002 | 21 | 1 |
| 2001 | 9 | 0 |
| 2000 | 14 | 0 |
| 1999 | 20 | 0 |
| 1998 | 28 | 1 |
| 1997 | 11 | 0 |
| 1996 | 17 | 0 |
| 1995 | 11 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 5 | 2 |
| 1991 | 3 | 0 |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 | 3 | 1 |
| 1985 | 6 | 0 |
| 1983 | 7 | 0 |
| 1982 | 6 | 0 |
| 1980 | 3 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1975 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | 7 | 0 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 4 | 0 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966 | 3 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1962 | 2 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | 3 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |