Defiance, OH Tornado History — 67 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Defiance, OH had?
Defiance has had 67 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 5 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.
When was the most recent tornado near Defiance?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Defiance was an EF1 on April 2, 2025.
When is tornado season in Defiance?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Defiance, with 19 on record. April through June account for 36 of the 67 tornadoes on record near Defiance.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Defiance
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 30 total, averaging 1.5 per year over this window.
Preliminary tornado reports near Defiance since December 29, 2025
These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
A NWS damage assessment determined that an EF-1 rain-wrapped tornado was embedded in a line of severe thunderstorms that went through Defiance during the afternoon of A (IWX)
A brief tornado (EF1)... embedded within a large swath of damaging straight line winds associated with a bookend vortex... touched down southeast of Hicksville... OH. T (IWX)
Within 25 miles of Defiance. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.
What storm spotters reported near Defiance
One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Defiance and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on April 2, 2025 and the most recent on April 2, 2025. It is already counted in the Defiance totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.
A second tornado spun up north of the decaying Van Wert tornado... touching down in far southeast Paulding County. The tornado severely damaged a pole barn as it moved (IWX)
Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Casualties on Record Near Defiance
22 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Defiance since 1950, across 3 events. 415 injuries have been reported across all events. 1953 was the deadliest year on record near Defiance.
The deadliest single event was an F4 on June 8, 1953, which caused 17 fatalities along a 118.0-mile track.
Notable Tornadoes Near Defiance
What the record shows near Defiance
The 2010s were the busiest decade near Defiance, with 19 of the 67 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 9 so far. The Defiance record runs from the 1950s to today.
Of the tornadoes rated near Defiance, 47 reached EF0 or EF1 and 19 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Defiance is rated EF4, of which 2 are logged. A further 1 near Defiance is unrated — events NOAA logged before a damage survey assigned a scale.
Across the last 20 years Defiance has averaged 1.5 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 30 in total. 2016 was the busiest of them with 8, and 11 of those years passed with none at all.