National Storms

Lima, OH tornado history

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of the center of Lima, OH from 1950 through 2025, according to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, ranking 104th of 360 Ohio cities with a tornado on record. 2 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger by the National Weather Service. The most recent was on March 31, 2023 (EF0, 0.2-mile path); the strongest, on April 11, 1965, was rated F4. The deadliest, on April 11, 1965, killed 13 along its path.

18tornadoes since 1950
32016–2025
F4/EF4strongest rating
13deaths
135injuries
Mar 31, 2023most recent
Rating: 012345 unknown or preliminaryLines run from the start to the end point of each path; dots mark where each tornado touched down.

Dashed circle: 10 miles from the city's Census center point. A tornado counts when its recorded path passes inside the circle. Paths run straight from start to end point, as SPC records them.

1950s: 11960s: 21970s: 31980s: 31990s: 12000s: 22010s: 32020s: 31950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020smax 3
Tornadoes within 10 miles of the center of Lima, OH, by decade

Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.

Every tornado within 10 miles of the center of Lima, OH

DateRatingPath lengthDeaths / injuriesStarted inClosest to center
Mar 31, 2023EF00.2 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH8.6 mi
Mar 31, 2023EF00.6 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH8.0 mi
Mar 31, 2023EF00.8 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH6.8 mi
Apr 19, 2011EF10.7 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH8.2 mi
Oct 26, 2010EF23.9 mi0 / 0Auglaize County, OH5.0 mi
Jun 11, 2010EF00.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH1.0 mi
Aug 26, 2003F00.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH2.9 mi
Sep 20, 2002F10.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH8.7 mi
Jul 19, 1998F00.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH0.9 mi
Apr 8, 1980F10.5 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH5.2 mi
Apr 8, 1980F11.0 mi0 / 1Allen County, OH5.3 mi
Apr 3, 1980F11.0 mi0 / 0Auglaize County, OH8.9 mi
Jul 30, 1979F00.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH4.1 mi
Jun 26, 1973F00.2 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH4.8 mi
Aug 22, 1970F10.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH5.9 mi
May 26, 1965F10.1 mi0 / 0Allen County, OH3.4 mi
Apr 11, 1965F432.5 mi13 / 104Allen County, OH5.3 mi
Jul 19, 1950F39.7 mi0 / 30Allen County, OH2.2 mi

More: Allen County tornadoes · Ohio tornado history · Lima hail history · Ohio damaging wind

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Severe Weather Database (SVRGIS) tornado file, 1950–2025, and SPC preliminary storm reports for 2026 (data through November 6, 2026). Ratings are the ones the National Weather Service assigned: Fujita (F) scale before Feb 1, 2007, Enhanced Fujita (EF) after. Paths are drawn as straight lines from the start to the end point SPC records; real paths curve. City and county boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NWS Damage Survey Paths Near Lima

The National Weather Service mapped the path of 4 tornadoes within 10 miles of Lima in damage surveys (1 EF1, 3 EF0). On the map, those paths follow the survey, colored by the EF rating of each stretch, instead of a straight line from start to end.

DateRatingPeak windPath lengthMax widthDeaths / injuriesOn the groundSurveyed by
Mar 31, 2023EF075 mph0.2 mi–0 / 005:04–05:05 UTCNWS Northern Indiana
Mar 31, 2023EF075 mph0.6 mi50 yd0 / 005:03–05:04 UTCNWS Northern Indiana
Mar 31, 2023EF085 mph0.8 mi75 yd0 / 005:02–05:06 UTCNWS Northern Indiana
Mar 31, 2023EF1110 mph17.2 mi300 yd0 / 704:54–05:07 UTCNWS ILN,

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT): the tornado paths and EF-rating zones NWS survey teams mapped after each storm. Survey data are preliminary and can be revised; NOAA's official record is Storm Data (NCEI). Paths are simplified to about 30 m. Times are when the tornado was on the ground, in UTC.