Huron County, OH Environment & Hazard Risk

• LightningRelatively High$1.2M/yr expected annual loss, about 40 events a year
• HailRelatively Moderate$810K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.7 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$172K/yr expected annual loss, about 9.6 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$1.1M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.3 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$195K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• TornadoRelatively Moderate$2.3M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years
• EarthquakeVery Low$320K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 941 years
• LandslideVery Low$1,321/yr expected annual loss, about once every 11 years
• Cold waveRelatively Low$940K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.3 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$48.4K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 83 years
• Heat waveVery Low$168K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.5 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$5,524/yr expected annual loss, about once every 47,663 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, drought, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

60 of 22,767 (0.3%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

185

Insured in high-risk zones

34 (18%)

Flood claims since 1978

71

Claims paid since 1978

$801K

• Thunderstorm Wind226
• Hail99
• High Wind41
• Flash Flood31 · 1 death
• Winter Storm29
• Tornado21
• Extreme Cold/Wind Chill9
• Flood9
• Drought5
• Heavy Snow5

• Flood06/22/2006

  Countywide, Huron County

  $19M damage

  What happened

  Flooding continued to worsen in Huron County on June 22nd even after the heavy rains had ended. The City of Norwalk was especially hard hit as flooding from Norwalk Creek affected much of the city. Flood waters on Water and Elm Streets rose to as much as 12 feet in depth on the 22nd. Evacuations continued throughout the day as water levels climbed. Additional rainfall during the aftenoon further aggravated conditions. Water levels finally receded on the 23rd revealing the devastation the flooding caused throughout the county. Over a dozen homes in the county were classified as being destroyed with another 35 to 40 with major damage. Close to 200 homes were classified as having minor damage with another 600 to 700 sustaining damage from basement or nuisance flooding. Most of these homes were in the Norwalk area, although there were around 100 homes damaged in New London from mostly basement flooding. Seven business along Water Street in Norwalk were heavily damaged with another 20 to 25 businesses in the area sustaining lesser damages. Damages to the businesses along Water Street alone topped $1 million. At the peak of the flooding, most of streets in the southern...

• Drought09/01/1999

  Huron

  $15M damage

  What happened

  Drought conditions continued across most of northern Ohio during September. Widespread heavy rain occurred on the 29th but did little to help crop conditions. For the month, only 1.63 inches of rain fell in Mansfield making it the 9th driest September on record. Of the 1.63 inches, 1.14 inches fell on the 29th. Even with an inch of rain on the 29th, both Toledo and Cleveland finished with below two inches of rain for the month. Losses from reduced crop yields are estimated at $200 million for northern Ohio alone.

• Lightning06/26/2008

  Wakeman, Huron County

  1 death, 1 injured

  What happened

  A married couple was struck by lightning while standing outside of their rural Huron County home. The husband was temporarily knocked unconscious and sustained burns to his ankle. His 51 year old wife was also knocked unconscious. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died early the next day. Witnesses stated that it had just quit raining and that the sun had just come out at the time of the lightning strike.

• Lightning06/12/1999

  Wakeman, Huron County

  1 death

  What happened

  A 59 year old man man was struck by lightning bolt that traveled through a nearby tree. The man had been camping and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

• Flash Flood02/28/2011

  Norwalk, Huron County

  1 death

  What happened

  A motorist on South Norwalk Road entered flooded waters of a tributary of the Huron River, Cole Creek, in the town of Norwalk. The car was washed into the creek where the driver was killed. Witness report water depths of 2 to 3 feet over the bridge at time of incident.

• Flash Flood06/22/2006

  Countywide, Huron County

  $8M damage

  What happened

  Thunderstorms dumped torrential rains on Huron County during the late evening hours of June 21st and early morning hours of the 22nd. Widespread and devastating flash flooding occurred as a result of this rain. Damage in the county was the worst since the storms of July 4th, 1969. Between 5 and 9 inches of rain fell on much of the county. Cooperative observers in Norwalk measured a storm total of 5.70 inches with a spotter report just south of town of 6.66 inches. Other reports included 6.0 inches in New London and 4.20 inches in Fitchville. Most of this rain fell in a three to four hour period. Runoff from this rain caused area streams and rivers to quickly rise. By 3 a.m. evacuations were under way in Norwalk where flood waters around two feet deep were already being reported on the ground floors of several homes. Evacuations were also conducted near Clarksfield around the same time. Many of these evacuations were conducted by boat. Water levels continued to rise as daybreak approached. Dozens of roads in the county were washed out or flooded with water in some areas several feet deep. Dozens of vehicles became stranded in the flood waters and many motorists...

• Northern Ohio Rural WaterServes 18,224 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Norwalk City PwsServes 17,466 · Surface water · PrivateNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• Bellevue CityServes 8,236 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• Willard CityServes 7,099 · Surface water · Local government1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
• Northern Ohio Rural Water-South DistrictServes 5,226 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• New London Village PwsServes 3,226 · Surface water · Local government1 health violation
• Greenwich Village PwsServes 1,476 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+5 monitoring or reporting
• Monroeville VillageServes 1,400 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations