Severe weather over Memorial Day weekend brings another tornado to Ohio. Here's the latest
One tornado touched down in Ohio amid weekend storms that killed five in Kentucky and more than a dozen across multiple states.
Here's the latest.
Tornado confirmed in Jackson County, Ohio
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Jackson County, about 115 miles east of Cincinnati and 80 miles south of Columbus.
The twister was on the ground for 3.77 miles with a maximum wind speed of 90 mph, and cut a path 125 yards wide, according to the NWS Charleston, West Virginia office, which covers a portion of Ohio.
According to NWS surveyors assessing the scene, the tornado ripped a portion of the roof off a Tractor Supply Co. and flipped a semi-trailer in its parking lot. It also caused damage to other buildings as well as trees.
Where did the tornado hit in Kentucky? Twisters kill five in the Bluegrass State, 17 more across the country
Two tornadoes and related severe weather killed at least five people in Kentucky on Sunday, the Louisville Courier Journal reports. Severe storms damaged property and left tens of thousands without power.
The NWS office in Louisville has confirmed two tornadoes -- an EF1 in Meade County and an EF0 in Crawford County. Gov. Andy Beshear issued a state of emergency on Monday, allowing the state to bring in additional resources such as the National Guard.
Additionally, severe weather over Memorial Day weekend killed seven in Texas, eight in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma, USA TODAY reports.
Ohio is inching closer to a record number of tornadoes for the year
The Jackson County tornado is the 58th confirmed twister this year.
The worst year for tornadoes in Ohio was 1992, when 62 twisters touched down, according to Brandon Peloquin, warning coordination meteorologist for NWS Wilmington office.
The strongest that year was an EF4 tornado that hit Van Wert County in Western Ohio on Feb. 18. With wind speeds of 166 to 200 mph, the tornado was on the ground for 2.8 miles and caused six injuries but no fatalities. It destroyed a house, a mobile home and two cars, and damaged nine homes, according to Tornado Talk.
Tornado season in Ohio off to a strong start in 2024
Ohio has endured several strong storms that spawned twisters so far this year, including several that popped up before tornado season officially began in April. Here's a look at some of them:
In February, the National Weather Service confirmed nine tornadoes throughout the state. One damaged a hanger at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton.
In March, tornadoes killed three in Logan County and prompted state of emergency declarations for 11 counties.
In April, the NWS confirmed another eight tornadoes across the state between two separate storms.
And in May, 13 tornadoes -- five in Warren County alone -- were confirmed following strong storms on May 7.
How are tornadoes confirmed?
After suspected tornadoes are spotted, crews from the National Weather Service survey possible tornado damage in person.
The pattern of damage, not how much damage was caused, determines whether it was a tornado, according to the weather service. For tornadoes, with their violently rotating columns of air, damage often has a chaotic appearance, with larger uprooted trees often crossing each other. Weather service surveyors often look at larger uproots of trees to get a true idea of where the wind was blowing from.
How are tornadoes rated?
The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0: Weak, with wind speeds of 65 to 85 mph
EF1: Weak, 86 to 110 mph
EF2: Strong, 111 to 135 mph
EF3: Strong, 136 to 165 mph
EF4: Violent, 166 to 200 mph
EF5: Violent, greater than 200 mph
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: NWS confirms Jackson County, Ohio, tornado as Buckeye State eyes record
