Ohio's Storm Season, March Into September, in Data

By StormAuditor Editorial Team · Published 2026-09-30 · Updated 2026-09-30

Based on public NOAA and National Weather Service records, published under StormAuditor's methodology and data-source standards. Radar-derived hail sizes are estimates unless attributed to a ground report.

Damage-threshold ranges in this article are general guidance synthesized from industry and federal research — IBHS building-performance research, NWS severe criteria, and product standards such as UL 2218 (hail impact resistance) and ASTM D3161/D7158 (shingle wind ratings). Actual performance depends on product rating, age, installation quality, exposure, and impact characteristics — thresholds describe when damage becomes possible, not when it occurs.

In the 12 months through September 24, 2026, StormAuditor's public-record tally logged 9,785 storm events in Ohio across all 88 counties. The season opened with 483 events on March 22 and peaked with 672 on August 11, 2026.

On March 22, 2026, StormAuditor's public-record tally logged 483 hail and wind events across Ohio in a single day. It was the first big date of a storm season that did not let up until well into September. Five months later, August 11, 2026 set the high mark with 672 events spanning flood, hail, tornado, and wind.

Across the 12 months through September 24, 2026, the tally counted 9,785 storm events in Ohio, reaching all 88 counties. This recap follows that season in order, from the March outbreaks through the late-summer peak and into September, then looks at where the events concentrated.

March through May: the season opens

March set the tone. After the 483-event day on March 22, March 26, 2026 brought 345 events that included tornado entries, with 2.0-inch ground hail reports at Hamler and Holgate. March 13 was a wind day: an ASOS/AWOS station measured an 85.2 mph gust, Mesonet sensors logged 77 mph 2 miles west of Middle Point and 73 mph near Arcadia, and the NOAA gridded analysis peaked at 73 mph. March 31 added a 75 mph Mesonet reading 2 miles west-southwest of Cleveland and a 74 mph trained-spotter report in North Ridgeville.

April 15, 2026 drew the most ground hail reports of any top radar day. NOAA MRMS MESH radar peaked at 2.81 inches, and 48 ground hail reports came in, the largest at 2.0 inches around Bedford, North Randall, Seven Hills, and Bristolville, and near Bainbridge and West Farmington. A week later, April 22 showed 2.21 inches on radar with 26 ground reports up to 1.5 inches. The NWS severe criterion for hail is 1.00 inch.

May's standout was radar hail. May 14, 2026 produced the largest radar hail value in the 12 months through September 24, 2026, 3.94 inches, a radar estimate with no ground reports that day.

NCEI Storm Events records, which lag by months, show the same spring rise. In NCEI records available through June 2026, Ohio has 220 events in March, 124 in April, and 64 in May. Months missing from that file are unpublished in this dataset, not quiet.

June through August: the biggest days

Summer carried the highest counts. June 6, 2026 logged 257 events, with radar hail to 2.23 inches and 18 ground reports reaching 1.75 inches. June 14 produced the strongest measured gust report of the 12 months through September 24, 2026, 90 mph from a member of the public 4 miles south of Maple Ridge. NCEI records show 232 Ohio events in June, the highest month in that file.

July added wind. July 18, 2026 carried an 80 mph analysis gust, with a 63 mph measured report and a 63.3 mph station reading. July 3 reached 76 mph in the analysis and 66 mph measured, and on July 5 a trained spotter 1 mile northwest of Poland reported 77 mph. July 21 logged 332 events across all four hazard types.

August brought the peak. August 10, 2026 recorded 416 events, a 73 mph analysis gust, and a 59 mph measured report. The next day, August 11, set the high mark for the 12 months through September 24, 2026, at 672 events. Its 81 mph analysis gust lined up with an 82 mph measured report and an 81.7 mph station reading. August 12 added a 2.0-inch ground hail report in Lima. August 16 (274 events) and August 22 (269) kept the month busy.

The NWS severe criterion for wind is a gust of 58 mph or more. The analysis gust is a gridded NOAA estimate; measured gusts come from ground reports and stations, and the two do not always agree.

September kept going

Activity did not stop with August. September 3, 2026 logged 288 events and September 20 logged 265, both spanning flood, hail, tornado, and wind. September 16 showed a 74 mph analysis gust, but the strongest measured report that day was 47 mph and the top station reading 47.2 mph. Treat that date as an analysis signal worth checking, not a measured wind event.

Where the events concentrated

Southeast Ohio dominates the county table. In the 12 months through September 24, 2026, Washington County led with 276 events. Athens followed with 225, Franklin with 212, Meigs with 203, and Licking with 195. Morgan (188), Perry (181), Gallia (176), Vinton (174), Cuyahoga (168), Noble (161), and Montgomery (157) complete the top twelve. Eight of those twelve counties sit in the southeast: Washington, Athens, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Gallia, Vinton, and Noble.

NCEI's list, available through June 2026, ranks differently. Cuyahoga leads with 34 events, with Franklin, Trumbull, Lorain, and Washington at 19 each.

By type, in the 12 months through September 24, 2026, 4,120 events in the tally carried a wind tag, 3,249 hail, 2,124 flood, and 292 tornado. By evidence label, 7,969 carry the warning label, 1,102 reported, 360 observed, and 354 official backfill. A warning covers an area and a time window, so a property inside a warning polygon was under a warning but did not necessarily see the peak conditions.

Where StormAuditor fits

A season this long leaves many candidate dates for one roof. The Ohio storm data page keeps the statewide counts current, and the Address Lookup brings NWS warnings, ground reports, and NOAA station observations down to a single property, free with an account. The Storm Calendar, a Pro feature, lays storm days out date by date, which helps when comparing a March hail day with an August wind day.

StormAuditor screens addresses at 45 mph estimated wind and 0.75-inch estimated hail, both screening thresholds set below the NWS criteria. When one date needs a closer look, the Audit Report shows the evidence and arithmetic behind a single estimate. The date-of-loss weather research workflow ties those steps together.

Limitations

Every figure here is an estimate or a count drawn from the public weather record, not a finding about any structure. MRMS MESH can under-estimate wet hail and over-estimate in very high reflectivity cores. Station observations under-sample small, intense wind bursts, so the peak between stations can exceed reported values. Statewide and county numbers do not describe conditions at a single property. Nothing here establishes damage or predicts an insurance outcome; policies differ, and the policy and insurer control.

FAQ

What was Ohio's busiest storm day in the 12 months through September 24, 2026?

August 11, 2026, with 672 events in StormAuditor's tally spanning flood, hail, tornado, and wind. March 22, 2026 was second with 483 hail and wind events.

When does Ohio's storm season start?

The first large days in the 12 months through September 24, 2026 arrived in March 2026, with 483 events on March 22 and 345 on March 26. Busy days continued through September 20, 2026.

What was the largest hail reported on the ground in Ohio?

Ground reports topped out at 2.0 inches in the 12 months through September 24, 2026, most of them on April 15, 2026 around Bedford, North Randall, and Seven Hills. Hamler and Holgate reported 2.0 inches on March 26, and Lima on August 12.

Which Ohio county had the most storm events?

Washington County led in the 12 months through September 24, 2026, with 276 events. Athens was second with 225 and Franklin third with 212.

What was Ohio's strongest measured wind gust?

In the 12 months through September 24, 2026, the top measured gust report was 90 mph south of Maple Ridge on June 14, 2026, from a member of the public. The highest station reading among the top wind days was 85.2 mph on March 13, 2026.