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Ohio · County tornado history

Madison County, Ohio tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 16 tornadoes in Madison County, Ohio from 1950 through 2024, about one every 4.7 years. That ranks it 50 of 88 counties in Ohio with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on February 28, 2024.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
16
Since 2000
8
Strongest
F3, May 10, 1973
Most recent
EF1, February 28, 2024
Peak month
April (4)
Per 1,000 sq mi
34
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Low

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Madison County

April has brought the most, 4 of 16. About 75% touched down between 1 pm and 7 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 5
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 7
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 3
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 1
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Madison County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
May 10, 1973 F3 89.6 mi 300 yd 8
March 10, 1986 F2 28 mi 100 yd 1 10
February 28, 2024 EF2 21.1 mi 500 yd 3
April 3, 1974 F2 15.7 mi 180 yd
April 3, 1982 F1 3 mi 50 yd 1
November 16, 1965 F1 0.1 mi 50 yd
April 19, 1978 F1 9.5 mi 10 yd
May 31, 1985 F1 0.5 mi 50 yd
June 10, 1986 F1 15 mi 73 yd
November 5, 2017 EF1 6.6 mi 200 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Madison County was an F2 on March 10, 1986. It killed 1 person and injured 10 along its 28-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
February 28, 2024 EF1 12.3 mi 250 yd
February 28, 2024 EF2 21.1 mi 500 yd 3
September 28, 2023 EF0 0 mi 25 yd
May 18, 2020 EF0 1.9 mi 75 yd
April 3, 2018 EF0 0.2 mi 50 yd
November 5, 2017 EF1 6.6 mi 200 yd
May 11, 2008 EF0 1.8 mi 20 yd
July 11, 2006 F0 1 mi 20 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Madison County as relatively low, with a score of 44 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.30 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $1,332,319 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Madison County had?

16 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 8 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Madison County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on February 28, 2024. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Madison County?

An F3 on May 10, 1973, with a 89.6-mile path.

When is tornado season in Madison County?

April has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.