Ohio cold wave risk
Cuyahoga County has the highest cold wave risk in Ohio, scoring 99.7 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuyahoga County | 99.7 | Very High |
| 2 | Franklin County | 99.2 | Very High |
| 3 | Hamilton County | 97.4 | Relatively High |
| 4 | Butler County | 96.2 | Relatively High |
| 5 | Montgomery County | 95 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Lucas County | 92 | Relatively High |
| 7 | Greene County | 91.9 | Relatively High |
| 8 | Marion County | 85.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 9 | Lorain County | 85.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 10 | Stark County | 84.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 11 | Clermont County | 81.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 12 | Warren County | 81.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Summit County | 75.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Clark County | 67.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Lake County | 61.6 | Relatively Low |
| 16 | Knox County | 58.1 | Relatively Low |
| 17 | Miami County | 57.2 | Relatively Low |
| 18 | Crawford County | 54.6 | Relatively Low |
| 19 | Logan County | 54.1 | Relatively Low |
| 20 | Wayne County | 52.4 | Relatively Low |
| 21 | Wood County | 51.7 | Relatively Low |
| 22 | Seneca County | 51.5 | Relatively Low |
| 23 | Huron County | 49.4 | Relatively Low |
| 24 | Erie County | 49.2 | Relatively Low |
| 25 | Sandusky County | 49 | Relatively Low |
| 26 | Hancock County | 47.6 | Relatively Low |
| 27 | Preble County | 47.5 | Relatively Low |
| 28 | Williams County | 47.4 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Brown County | 47.1 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Medina County | 46.3 | Relatively Low |
| 31 | Holmes County | 45.4 | Relatively Low |
| 32 | Shelby County | 44.7 | Relatively Low |
| 33 | Hardin County | 44.4 | Relatively Low |
| 34 | Richland County | 43.9 | Relatively Low |
| 35 | Portage County | 43.4 | Relatively Low |
| 36 | Ashland County | 41.9 | Relatively Low |
| 37 | Delaware County | 40.9 | Relatively Low |
| 38 | Fulton County | 40.3 | Relatively Low |
| 39 | Allen County | 39 | Relatively Low |
| 40 | Auglaize County | 38.6 | Relatively Low |
| 41 | Champaign County | 38.6 | Relatively Low |
| 42 | Clinton County | 38.2 | Relatively Low |
| 43 | Fairfield County | 38 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Licking County | 37.3 | Relatively Low |
| 45 | Wyandot County | 36.1 | Relatively Low |
| 46 | Ottawa County | 35 | Relatively Low |
| 47 | Ashtabula County | 34.4 | Relatively Low |
| 48 | Darke County | 34.4 | Relatively Low |
| 49 | Highland County | 33.8 | Relatively Low |
| 50 | Trumbull County | 33.8 | Relatively Low |
| 51 | Defiance County | 31.6 | Relatively Low |
| 52 | Mahoning County | 31.5 | Relatively Low |
| 53 | Mercer County | 30.4 | Relatively Low |
| 54 | Henry County | 28.8 | Relatively Low |
| 55 | Madison County | 28.3 | Relatively Low |
| 56 | Tuscarawas County | 28.1 | Relatively Low |
| 57 | Putnam County | 26.7 | Relatively Low |
| 58 | Muskingum County | 26.2 | Relatively Low |
| 59 | Ross County | 26 | Relatively Low |
| 60 | Pickaway County | 25.5 | Relatively Low |
| 61 | Geauga County | 23.7 | Very Low |
| 62 | Coshocton County | 23.5 | Very Low |
| 63 | Van Wert County | 23.5 | Very Low |
| 64 | Scioto County | 22.7 | Very Low |
| 65 | Fayette County | 21.9 | Very Low |
| 66 | Union County | 21.8 | Very Low |
| 67 | Paulding County | 21.1 | Very Low |
| 68 | Adams County | 20.5 | Very Low |
| 69 | Lawrence County | 19.8 | Very Low |
| 70 | Athens County | 19.2 | Very Low |
| 71 | Columbiana County | 17.8 | Very Low |
| 72 | Meigs County | 17.8 | Very Low |
| 73 | Monroe County | 17.1 | Very Low |
| 74 | Morrow County | 17 | Very Low |
| 75 | Washington County | 16.6 | Very Low |
| 76 | Hocking County | 14.8 | Very Low |
| 77 | Noble County | 14.2 | Very Low |
| 78 | Jackson County | 13.9 | Very Low |
| 79 | Guernsey County | 13.3 | Very Low |
| 80 | Gallia County | 13.1 | Very Low |
| 81 | Pike County | 12.9 | Very Low |
| 82 | Carroll County | 11.4 | Very Low |
| 83 | Morgan County | 10.9 | Very Low |
| 84 | Perry County | 10.7 | Very Low |
| 85 | Vinton County | 10.2 | Very Low |
| 86 | Belmont County | 9.2 | Very Low |
| 87 | Jefferson County | 7.9 | Very Low |
| 88 | Harrison County | 7.8 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Ohio:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Ohio?
Cuyahoga County, OH has the highest cold wave risk in Ohio, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.7 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Ohio are rated Very High for cold wave risk?
2 of 88 scored Ohio counties are rated "Very High" for cold wave risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes cold wave risk in Ohio?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.