It's been one year since the start of 2024's historic severe weather season. On February 28, 2024, several early morning tornadoes touched down, marking the start of a record setting year of tornadoes — 74 to be exact.

Last year's total tornado count broke the record set in 1992, when Ohio had 62 tornadoes. The Buckeye State tied that number in June 2024.

What You Need To Know

  • Feb. 28 marks one year since the first tornadoes hit last year

  • Last year would end up being a record setting year, with 74 tornadoes hitting Ohio

  • The record had previously been 62, set back in 1992

  • Check out our heat map to see how many tornadoes hit your county last year

The first set of nine tornadoes hit the final day of February last year, causing damage across central Ohio.

Many homes and businesses in areas like Riverside in Montgomery County and Hilliard in Franklin County were damaged.

Just two weeks later, another tornado outbreak tore through the state killing three people and injuring at least 20 on March 14. Logan County near Indian Lake reported extensive damage. Amber Fagan, president and chief executive of the Indian Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, said Lakeview was “completely demolished.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted joined state and local officials at a press conference, where they expressed their sympathy for the community and praised its resilience.

In May, former President Joe Biden had declared a major disaster for Ohio, making federal funds available to Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Richland and Union counties.

Then came April 2, when another round of tornadoes struck parts of central and southern Ohio.

The storms tore up trees, damaged cars and buildings and resulted in flooding.

Parts of northern and central Ohio were hit by a grouping of tornadoes a couple weeks later, on April 17. These storms saw downed power lines and fallen trees. A tornado managed to move a house off of its foundation. A roof collapsed onto a convenience store in downtown Bucyrus with roof damage also done to the post office.

A significant patch of tornadoes smacked several counties in west-central and southern Ohio, as well as Jefferson County near the Pennsylvania line on May 7.

Damage from the tornadoes included uprooted trees, torn off roofs and more.

A few more occurred in between, but another round of major tornadoes struck northeast Ohio on Aug. 6.

One hit the Bedford/Valley View area, another one stretched from Avon Lake to Rocky River, the third went from Brecksville to Peninsula, the fourth landed in the Kirtland-Chesterland area and the fifth hit Bay Village to West Lake.

These tornadoes resulted in 470,000 power outages.

Ohio had a tornado to end the year, hitting Union County on Dec. 29. The EF0 tornado had peak winds of 70 mph and traveled 0.35 miles.

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