Lightning Risk in Ohio
All Ohio counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index lightning score
Lightning risk — electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties — is rated for 88 of 88 Ohio counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Hamilton County carries the state's highest lightning score at 96.7, with $2M in expected annual lightning losses.
17 Ohio counties are rated High or Very High for lightning, and expected annual losses from lightning total roughly $48M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Lightning
| # | County | Lightning Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamilton County | Very High | 50.24 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Summit County | High | 41.46 / yr | $2M | |
| 3 | Franklin County | High | 46.45 / yr | $2M | |
| 4 | Butler County | High | 48.91 / yr | $2M | |
| 5 | Montgomery County | High | 46.91 / yr | $1M | |
| 6 | Stark County | High | 40.92 / yr | $2M | |
| 7 | Cuyahoga County | High | 39.96 / yr | $1M | |
| 8 | Ross County | High | 47.01 / yr | $1M | |
| 9 | Belmont County | High | 42.83 / yr | $1M | |
| 10 | Mahoning County | High | 40.36 / yr | $1M | |
| 11 | Lucas County | High | 38.58 / yr | $1M | |
| 12 | Huron County | High | 39.82 / yr | $1M | |
| 13 | Clermont County | High | 49.81 / yr | $1M | |
| 14 | Licking County | High | 43.76 / yr | $1M | |
| 15 | Trumbull County | High | 40.06 / yr | $747K | |
| 16 | Warren County | High | 48.78 / yr | $1M | |
| 17 | Fairfield County | High | 45.98 / yr | $994K | |
| 18 | Tuscarawas County | Medium | 41.40 / yr | $574K | |
| 19 | Coshocton County | Medium | 42.10 / yr | $494K | |
| 20 | Monroe County | Medium | 43.74 / yr | $516K | |
| 21 | Delaware County | Medium | 43.66 / yr | $1M | |
| 22 | Clark County | Medium | 45.39 / yr | $591K | |
| 23 | Lorain County | Medium | 40.85 / yr | $698K | |
| 24 | Wayne County | Medium | 40.61 / yr | $566K | |
| 25 | Brown County | Medium | 49.52 / yr | $472K | |
| 26 | Shelby County | Medium | 43.59 / yr | $561K | |
| 27 | Greene County | Medium | 47.51 / yr | $708K | |
| 28 | Columbiana County | Medium | 40.49 / yr | $528K | |
| 29 | Jefferson County | Medium | 42.04 / yr | $505K | |
| 30 | Miami County | Medium | 45.89 / yr | $710K | |
| 31 | Hocking County | Medium | 46.14 / yr | $494K | |
| 32 | Scioto County | Medium | 46.94 / yr | $481K | |
| 33 | Muskingum County | Medium | 43.79 / yr | $499K | |
| 34 | Athens County | Medium | 45.77 / yr | $449K | |
| 35 | Holmes County | Medium | 40.69 / yr | $260K | |
| 36 | Richland County | Medium | 40.65 / yr | $470K | |
| 37 | Portage County | Medium | 40.45 / yr | $538K | |
| 38 | Medina County | Medium | 41.44 / yr | $544K | |
| 39 | Pickaway County | Medium | 47.28 / yr | $464K | |
| 40 | Hardin County | Medium | 41.64 / yr | $524K | |
| 41 | Knox County | Medium | 41.99 / yr | $347K | |
| 42 | Washington County | Medium | 46.34 / yr | $361K | |
| 43 | Perry County | Medium | 44.70 / yr | $355K | |
| 44 | Ashtabula County | Medium | 38.65 / yr | $315K | |
| 45 | Lake County | Medium | 38.00 / yr | $405K | |
| 46 | Lawrence County | Medium | 47.82 / yr | $317K | |
| 47 | Carroll County | Medium | 41.71 / yr | $295K | |
| 48 | Guernsey County | Medium | 43.15 / yr | $263K | |
| 49 | Highland County | Medium | 47.65 / yr | $302K | |
| 50 | Marion County | Medium | 42.29 / yr | $272K | |
| 51 | Ashland County | Low | 40.30 / yr | $295K | |
| 52 | Allen County | Low | 41.92 / yr | $291K | |
| 53 | Sandusky County | Low | 38.69 / yr | $286K | |
| 54 | Seneca County | Low | 40.16 / yr | $293K | |
| 55 | Jackson County | Low | 46.43 / yr | $188K | |
| 56 | Geauga County | Low | 39.73 / yr | $234K | |
| 57 | Pike County | Low | 46.85 / yr | $197K | |
| 58 | Clinton County | Low | 47.96 / yr | $259K | |
| 59 | Crawford County | Low | 41.42 / yr | $255K | |
| 60 | Adams County | Low | 48.54 / yr | $204K | |
| 61 | Meigs County | Low | 46.42 / yr | $143K | |
| 62 | Wyandot County | Low | 41.37 / yr | $272K | |
| 63 | Wood County | Low | 39.49 / yr | $358K | |
| 64 | Erie County | Low | 38.96 / yr | $187K | |
| 65 | Williams County | Low | 38.34 / yr | $171K | |
| 66 | Auglaize County | Low | 42.55 / yr | $216K | |
| 67 | Madison County | Low | 45.55 / yr | $243K | |
| 68 | Gallia County | Low | 46.61 / yr | $138K | |
| 69 | Logan County | Low | 44.39 / yr | $198K | |
| 70 | Darke County | Low | 44.67 / yr | $214K | |
| 71 | Champaign County | Low | 45.00 / yr | $205K | |
| 72 | Fayette County | Low | 46.81 / yr | $190K | |
| 73 | Noble County | Low | 44.22 / yr | $136K | |
| 74 | Hancock County | Low | 40.94 / yr | $265K | |
| 75 | Morrow County | Low | 42.35 / yr | $158K | |
| 76 | Harrison County | Low | 42.05 / yr | $117K | |
| 77 | Preble County | Low | 46.31 / yr | $152K | |
| 78 | Union County | Low | 44.66 / yr | $255K | |
| 79 | Vinton County | Low | 46.22 / yr | $95K | |
| 80 | Defiance County | Low | 39.20 / yr | $136K | |
| 81 | Putnam County | Low | 40.99 / yr | $146K | |
| 82 | Ottawa County | Low | 37.27 / yr | $115K | |
| 83 | Morgan County | Low | 45.45 / yr | $105K | |
| 84 | Mercer County | Low | 42.85 / yr | $162K | |
| 85 | Henry County | Low | 39.52 / yr | $104K | |
| 86 | Van Wert County | Very Low | 42.16 / yr | $92K | |
| 87 | Fulton County | Very Low | 38.46 / yr | $82K | |
| 88 | Paulding County | Very Low | 40.87 / yr | $66K |
88 Ohio counties with measurable lightning risk. See the national lightning ranking or all Ohio counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Ohio county has the highest lightning risk?
Hamilton County has the highest FEMA lightning risk score in Ohio at 96.7 (Very High), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 50.24 events per year.
How many Ohio counties face significant lightning risk?
88 Ohio counties record measurable lightning risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 17 of them are rated High or Very High.