We're right off the heels of the anniversary of the 2019 Memorial Day outbreak of tornadoes in Ohio, which killed one person in his Celina home. 

While tornadoes have touched down in every month in our state, June is the most common month for tornadoes to occur. December and January have very low totals for tornado reports, each with fewer than 10 since 1950.

As warmer air arrives in the spring and summer, stronger thunderstorms develop more frequently. When enough low-level wind shear is present, those storms can produce tornadoes. From April to August, tornadoes are not uncommon. However, that peaks in June.

We've seen over 200 (219, to be precise) tornadoes from 1950 to 2016 in Ohio. That means, on average, we see around 3.5 every year. There are years when none have been reported, though. As recently as 2017, no June tornadoes touched down in the state. 

Other years have looked very different. 

On June 9, 2020, a tornado touched down in Miami County near Sugar Grove, courtesy of the remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal. The following day, tornadoes were reported in Ross and Columbiana Counties. All were EF-0s, the weakest tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Stronger and deadly tornadoes have occurred in June, though. 

In 1924, a tornado hit Sandusky in the late afternoon on June 28, killing 8, before moving across Lake Erie into Lorain, where it killed 64 more people. In total, about 300 were injured.

Another outbreak in 1953 produced a tornado on the evening of June 8 that destroyed homes in Wood and Sandusky Counties. Two hours later, another tornado passed just south of Elyria and hit the edge of the airport before moving onto Lake Erie near Cleveland. Both of those tornadoes killed 8 people and injured 348 in total. F-4 damage was found.

If you're in a Tornado Warning this season, seek shelter either in a basement or in a strong, sturdy building. Put as many walls between you and the outdoors as possible, usually in a bathroom or closet on the first floor.