NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Bethesda, OH
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
7 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Bethesda, Ohio since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Isabel in 2003. Since 1950, 21 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 21
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Bethesda
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Bethesda; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, a tropical storm with 51 mph winds when its centre passed 42 miles away. The record near Bethesda begins with an unnamed storm in 1888; the most recent system was Isabel in 2003, a tropical storm 63 miles away. Of the 7 systems, one has come since 2000. Bethesda has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 90% of the 605 Ohio cities on this site. The strongest of the 21 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on May 8, 1969; its path came within 21 miles, and it killed 1 person. The deadliest, an F2 on June 27, 1998, killed 1 person. Of the 21, one had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 7 have come since 2000. June has had the most tornadoes, 6. The most recent tornado was on February 28, 2024. Of the 605 Ohio cities, 97% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Bethesda. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 44 times since 1971, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 605 Ohio cities, 81% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Bethesda.
Compare Bethesda's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Bethesda
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | IsabelSep 19 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 6 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 29 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Bethesda: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Bethesda
By decade
- 2020s5
- 2010s1
- 2000s1
- 1990s6
- 1980s2
- 1970s1
- 1960s4(1 EF3+)
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 1969 | F3 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 14 |
| Jun 27, 1998 | F2 | 22 mi | 0.3 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Feb 28, 2024 | EF2 | 13 mi | 4.05 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF2 | 13 mi | 2.73 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 2000 | F2 | 22 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 13, 1971 | F2 | 18 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 5 |
| Apr 27, 1954 | F2 | 18 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 12, 2023 | EF1 | 10 mi | 1.59 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 21, 2021 | EF1 | 4 mi | 7.86 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 21, 2021 | EF1 | 17 mi | 0.43 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 9, 1998 | F1 | 21 mi | 11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 23, 1990 | F1 | 13 mi | 13 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 21, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Bethesda
The Storm Prediction Center has 44 hail reports within 10 miles of Bethesda since 1971, made on 31 separate days. Of these, 26 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently May 2, 2025. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. May has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Bethesda
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Cadiz, OH, 18 miles north of Bethesda at 1,260 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 82°F and low of 63°F; January is the coolest, at 34°F and 20°F. June is the wettest at 4.6 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.6 inches; the year adds up to 42.7 inches over 87 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 6 days a year, almost all from July to August. Lows fall below freezing on about 121 nights a year. Snowfall averages 25.8 inches a year, most of it in January. That 42.7 inches is more than at 82 of the 129 Ohio stations used on this site (64%). Belmont, 4 miles east, has its own station (Wheeling, WV): 41.9 inches a year, 0.8 less than here, and a July average high of 85°F against 82°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34 | 20 | 3.6 | 8 | 7.9 |
| Feb | 38 | 22 | 2.6 | 6 | 5.8 |
| Mar | 47 | 30 | 3.3 | 8 | 5.1 |
| Apr | 61 | 40 | 3.7 | 9 | 0.4 |
| May | 70 | 51 | 4.1 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 60 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 82 | 63 | 4.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 81 | 62 | 3.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 55 | 4.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 63 | 44 | 3.2 | 5 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 50 | 33 | 3.1 | 7 | 1.3 |
| Dec | 39 | 25 | 3.0 | 6 | 5.2 |
| Year | 60 | 42 | 42.7 | 87 | 25.8 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Cadiz, OH (1,260 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Bethesda
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 117 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Bethesda: 94 thunderstorm wind reports, 13 floods and 10 flash floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on August 4, 2010. July has had the most flash floods, 5 of 10. Of the 597 Ohio cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 231 have had fewer than Bethesda.
January 1, 2005: flood 2 miles from the centre of Bethesda — $250,000 damage.
July 20, 2008: thunderstorm wind 4 miles from the centre of Bethesda — $150,000 damage.
June 5, 2010: flash flood 4 miles from the centre of Bethesda — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Law enforcement reported flash flooding on numerous roads in Belmont and areas south of town. Numerous roads closed with water on property.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Belmont County, which includes Bethesda, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1972, 17 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 severe storms, 7 floods, 2 biological emergencies, 2 snowstorms). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 31, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Belmont County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $29.2 million a year, the 25th highest of 88 Ohio counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $24.8 million (85%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Bethesda
- Belmont, OH4 mi
- Barnesville, OH5 mi
- Flushing, OH10 mi
- Saint Clairsville, OH10 mi
- Jacobsburg, OH11 mi
- Quaker City, OH11 mi
- Freeport, OH16 mi
- Bellaire, OH17 mi
- Bridgeport, OH17 mi
- Powhatan Point, OH17 mi
- Shadyside, OH17 mi
- Cadiz, OH18 mi
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