Pickaway County, Ohio
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Pickaway County, Ohio has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 51% of US counties. It ranks 51st of 88 counties in Ohio. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and drought. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $315 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2019 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslide). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (70 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $708,000 on 71 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Pickaway County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 66.0 | $12M | ||
| Tornado | 52.9 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 83.4 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 58.5 | $602K | ||
| Strong wind | 46.3 | $546K | ||
| Lightning | 65.4 | $464K | ||
| Hail | 61.2 | $436K | ||
| Earthquake | 54.0 | $376K | ||
| Cold wave | 25.5 | $372K | ||
| Ice storm | 76.9 | $363K | ||
| Winter weather | 62.4 | $109K | ||
| Hurricane | 26.7 | $12K | ||
| Wildfire | 18.6 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 48.6 | $1K |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Pickaway County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 13
Ohio also had 3 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 341 storm reports in Pickaway County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 45 injuries and about $13.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on October 13, 1999 near Circleville.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1999 | F3 | Circleville | 6 / 0 |
| Sep 3, 1970 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 10, 1986 | F2 | – | 10 / 0 |
| May 22, 1958 | F2 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Oct 11, 2006 | F2 | Orient | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1999 | Tornado | Circleville | $4M |
| Mar 10, 1986 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 28, 2019 | Tornado | Stringtown | $2M |
| May 27, 2019 | Tornado | Hayesville | $1M |
| Jun 29, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $500K |
| Aug 28, 2006 | Tornado | Circleville | $260K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 21, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1888, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pickaway County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 50 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 61 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Pickaway County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Pickaway County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 22,981 housing units.
Compare in Ohio
All 88 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | Inland flooding | |
| Cuyahoga County | Inland flooding | |
| Hamilton County | Inland flooding | |
| Summit County | Inland flooding | |
| Montgomery County | Inland flooding | |
| Lucas County | Inland flooding | |
| Butler County | Inland flooding | |
| Stark County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 19 | |
| Fairfield County | 11 | |
| Ross County | 14 | |
| Madison County | 10 | |
| Fayette County | 9 | |
| Hocking County | 16 |
Common questions about Pickaway County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Pickaway County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pickaway County, about $12.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Pickaway County had?
Pickaway County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide in June 2019.
Is Pickaway County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 51st highest of 88 in Ohio. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Pickaway County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Pickaway County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Pickaway County had?
NOAA records list 27 tornadoes in Pickaway County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on October 13, 1999 near Circleville. The weather service has also logged 66 hail reports and 64 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Pickaway County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Pickaway County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 50 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.