NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Forest, 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
4 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Forest, Ohio since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Opal in 1995. Since 1950, 51 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 5 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 4
- Tornadoes
- 51
- EF3 or stronger
- 5
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
13 deaths in all
What the records show for Forest
None of the 4 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Forest; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1892, a tropical storm with 55 mph winds when its centre passed 3 miles away. The record near Forest begins with an unnamed storm in 1892; the most recent system was Opal in 1995, a tropical storm 67 miles away. None of the 4 systems has come since 2000. Of the 605 Ohio cities on this site, 53% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Forest. The strongest of the 51 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on April 11, 1965; its path came within 12 miles, and it killed 13 people. Of the 51, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 15 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 11. The most recent tornado was on March 14, 2024. Of the 605 Ohio cities, 80% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Forest. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 41 times since 1959, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 605 Ohio cities, 84% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Forest.
Compare Forest's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Forest
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 21 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 29 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Forest: 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 Forest
By decade
- 2020s8
- 2010s2
- 2000s5(1 EF3+)
- 1990s6
- 1980s9
- 1970s9(2 EF3+)
- 1960s9(1 EF3+)
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 1965 | F4 | 12 mi | 32.5 mi | 13 / 104 |
| Nov 10, 2002 | F3 | 25 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 2, 1971 | F3 | 16 mi | 39.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1971 | F3 | 10 mi | 31.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1950 | F3 | 23 mi | 9.7 mi | 0 / 30 |
| May 30, 2008 | EF2 | 22 mi | 8.31 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Nov 10, 2002 | F2 | 23 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 13, 1992 | F2 | 21 mi | 16 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 9, 1980 | F2 | 18 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 10, 1975 | F2 | 8 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 10, 1973 | F2 | 2 mi | 58.2 mi | 0 / 14 |
| May 6, 1971 | F2 | 25 mi | 7.4 mi | 0 / 3 |
The strongest 12 of 51, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Forest
The Storm Prediction Center has 41 hail reports within 10 miles of Forest since 1959, made on 33 separate days. Of these, 21 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 5 days, most recently March 28, 2020. The most recent report is from August 11, 2021. May has the most reports, 13.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Forest
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Kenton, OH, 10 miles southwest of Forest at 997 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 33°F and 18°F. Highs reach 90°F on about 16 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 124 nights a year. Snowfall averages 25.8 inches a year, most of it in January. That 37.7 inches is more than at 20 of the 129 Ohio stations used on this site (16%). Arlington, 10 miles northwest, has its own station (Findlay Airport, OH): 33.8 inches a year, 3.9 less than here, and a July average high of 85°F against 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33 | 18 | 2.6 | 6 | 9.3 |
| Feb | 36 | 21 | 2.6 | 5 | 7.4 |
| Mar | 47 | 29 | 2.8 | 7 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 60 | 39 | 3.7 | 9 | 0.3 |
| May | 72 | 50 | 3.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 81 | 60 | 3.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 84 | 64 | 3.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 83 | 62 | 3.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 77 | 54 | 3.1 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 64 | 43 | 2.6 | 5 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 50 | 33 | 2.9 | 6 | 0.7 |
| Dec | 38 | 24 | 2.8 | 5 | 3.5 |
| Year | 60 | 41 | 37.7 | 75 | 25.8 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Kenton, OH (997 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 Forest
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 83 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Forest: 58 thunderstorm wind reports, 17 floods, 6 flash floods and 2 heavy rain events. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on June 29, 2012. July has had the most flash floods, 3 of 6. Of the 597 Ohio cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 110 have had fewer than Forest.
June 29, 2012: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Forest — $1.3 million damage.
NWS: “An intense line of thunderstorms or Derecho moved across Wyandot County during the afternoon of June 29th causing extensive damage. Winds were estimated to be as much as 80 mph.”
November 17, 2013: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Forest — $200,000 damage.
May 31, 2008: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Forest — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Thunderstorm winds damaged several barn roofs in the Wharton area.”
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
Hardin County, which includes Forest, has been named in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 5 of them major disasters (by incident: 5 severe storms, 4 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 hurricane). The latest major disaster declaration was Covid-19 Pandemic, on March 31, 2020. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Hardin County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail and inland flooding; Very Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $10.6 million a year, the 72nd highest of 88 Ohio counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $6.2 million (59%), 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 Forest
- Arlington, OH10 mi
- Kenton, OH11 mi
- Upper Sandusky, OH12 mi
- Carey, OH14 mi
- Ada, OH15 mi
- Mount Victory, OH16 mi
- Findlay, OH19 mi
- Bluffton, OH20 mi
- Nevada, OH21 mi
- Harrod, OH22 mi
- Belle Center, OH23 mi
- Sycamore, OH23 mi
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