The average peak of tornado season in Ohio is here, and we don't have to look far into the past to see that a violent outbreak of tornadoes is possible in late May. 

What You Need To Know

  • Several violent tornadoes touched down in Ohio in May 2019

  • One person in Ohio was killed in the outbreak

  • A total of 21 tornadoes touched down in Ohio between May 27 and May 28, 2019

Three years ago this week, a series of powerful tornadoes struck Ohio on the evening of Memorial Day in 2019.

A warm front lifting north sent temperatures into the low 80s across western and central Ohio.

That same front also transported a lot of low-level moisture with it. The air mass was very unstable, and by the early evening, plenty of energy was available to fuel storms. 

High amounts of wind shear were present in the low levels of the atmosphere, too. With wind shear, we see differing wind directions and speeds through the atmosphere, a critical ingredient to produce spinning storms.

Surface map analysis from the early-morning hours of May 29, 2019. (NOAA)

With this environment conducive to tornadoes, the Storm Prediction Center issued a Tornado Watch for western and central Ohio shortly after 8 p.m. that day.

Tornado Watch from May 27-28, 2019. (NOAA)

The SPC had been highlighting the area for a severe weather potential.

The Storm Prediction Center's severe weather outlook for May 27-28, 2019. (NOAA)

Just a few hours later, storms in Indiana with a history of tornadoes crossed into Ohio.

Around 10 p.m., an EF3-rated tornado moved through Celina. This tornado stayed on the ground for 11 miles and, at its peak, produced 150 mph winds. One person was killed when an automobile was launched through a home. Before the tornado lifted, it damaged over a dozen homes and additional buildings.

Around 30 minutes after the Celina tornado, an even stronger tornado touched down in Montgomery County.

Damage surveys after the storm estimated the tornado peaked at 170 mph winds. The tornado was rated EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which ranges from EF-0 to EF-5.

Well-built apartment buildings had their roofs completely removed and no exterior walls were left. The path of this tornado was 20 miles long, from just west of Brookville to just west of the Greene County line. 

There were additional very strong tornadoes that night, the majority touching down in southwestern parts of the state. Besides the Celina EF-3 tornado, two additional EF-3 tornadoes touched down in Ohio from this system, and three EF-2 tornadoes. 

In total, 21 tornadoes struck the state from the evening of May 27 into the early morning hours of May 28.