15 Memorial Day tornadoes confirmed; EF4 traveled 20 miles, over half-mile wide

The National Weather Service has confirmed that 15 tornadoes touched down on Memorial Day evening and into the next day, the largest one hitting Trotwood-Brookville-Riverside and Dayton. It was rated an EF4carrying winds up to 170 mph, according to NWS investigators who are continuing to survey damage across the Miami Valley.

According to the NWS, since records began Montgomery County has never had four tornadoes confirmed from the same weather event until this Memorial Day.

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TORNADO TIMELINE

  • At 12:23 a.m. (May 28) — An EF2 tornado hit northeast of Jamestown in Greene County, beginning along South Charleston Road, where multiple large trees on both sides of the road snapped. A shed was destroyed and metal from it was blown into a field. Most of the roof of a home on Rogers Road, the next road over, was removed. The tornado was on the ground about 9 minutes and covered 4.2 miles.

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  • At 11:48 p.m. (May 27) — An EF1 tornado also hit northeast of Jamestown in Greene County, beginning on Lackey Road and moving across a field between Lackey and South Charleston roads. It was on the ground for about 9 minutes, covered 5.4 miles and ended in extreme western Fayette County.
  • At 11:34 p.m. (May 27) — An EF2 tornado hit northeast Montgomery County. It covered 7.6 miles in about 11 minutes and touched down initially just south of I-70 near Little York and Dog Leg roads, then headed southeast as it picked up wind speeds west of I-75, most notably on Cricket Lane and on Coppersmith Avenue. The tornado continued east while crossing I-75 then began to weaken and lifted in the vicinity of Needmore Road.

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  • At 11:19 p.m. (May 27)  An EF0 was confirmed near Phillipsburg in Miami/Montgomery counties. It covered 3 miles and was on the ground roughly five minutes. The tornado hit a property north of Montgomery County Line Road, just east of state Route 721. Farm equipment, a roof and tree damage to a nearby home was confirmed. Half the roof was ripped off an outbuilding west of Hartman Road. On Diamond Mill road, a grain bin was thrown into a field to the east.

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  • At 11:12 p.m. (May 27) — A tornado with damage as high as an EF3 hit eastern Montgomery and western/central Greene counties. It covered 10 miles on the ground in about 20 minutes, extending from the Page Manor subdivision in Riverside to along U.S. 68 north of Xenia in Xenia Twp. Several homes along Rushton Drive had entire roofs lifted. Homes along Gardenview and Wendover drives experienced shattered windows, collapsed garage doors and entire roof structures removed. The tornado moved from Kemp Road east-southeast into Beavercreek Twp. The tornado damage ended to the east of U.S. 68 in Xenia Twp., where roof and tree damage occurred north of Clifton Road.

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  • At 11:08 p.m. (May 27) — An EF0 touched down along Highway 41 just south of Alcony in Elizabeth Twp. in Miami County. It traveled 1.1 miles and was on the ground about 1 minute.  It moved northeast about a mile before crossing the highway and dissipating just before the Clark County line. Damage included roofing material and tree debris.
  • At 10:47 p.m. (May 27) — An EF0 touched down south of Troy in Miami County. It was on the ground about 15 minutes and traveled nearly 6 miles. Damage was generally limited to tree damage, some minor roof damage.
  • At 10:47 p.m. (May 27) — An EF0 touched down south and southeast of Uniopolis in eastern Auglaize County. It was on the ground about 7 minutes and traveled about 4 miles. Damage was observed on trees, guardrails and roofs. One barn was destroyed and others damaged.
  • At 10:41 p.m. (May 27) — This EF4, carrying winds that reached 170 mph, touched down west of Brookville, continued through Trotwood to Dayton and to Riverside. Initially rated an EF3, it covered 20 miles, was three-fifths of a mile wide, and was on the ground about 30 minutes. Areas on the south side of Brookville sustained heavy damage. A large number of homes and apartment complexes farther east in Trotwood were affected. The tornado continued southeast through Dayton and Northridge, crossing I-75 and into Old North Dayton where homes and businesses were heavily damaged. EF3 damage was initially observed in eastern Trotwood, near Shiloh Springs and Turner roads, and into areas along the Stillwater River and Riverside Drive. EF4 damage was observed along the Riverside Drive area, prompting the upgrade to the EF4. As the tornado entered Riverside, damage lessened before the twister lifted just west of the Greene County line. The National Weather Service upgraded this tornado to an EF-4 (166 to 200 mph winds) on May 30.

>> State of Emergency issued for Trotwood

  • At 10:25 p.m. (May 27) — An EF3 tornado (140 mph winds) hit near West Milton in Darke and Miami counties. It was on the ground about 20 minutes and traveled nearly 11 miles. It began near Schnorf-Jones and Stocker roads in Darke County, a mile southeast of Pitsburg. The tornado crossed into Miami County, causing significant damage on state Route 721 south of Laura.  It rendered several homes uninhabitable on state Route 571, between South Shiloh and South Range Line roads. The National Weather Service upgraded this tornado from an EF2 (130 mph winds), based on damage analysis, on May 30.
  • At 10:02 p.m. (May 27) — An EF3 tornado with winds reaching  150 mph was confirmed just west of Celina, near  Township Line and Bunk Hill roads. It was on the ground 7 minutes, traveled roughly 11 miles and was at least 200 yards wide. At least three barns lost nearly half their roofs and dozens of homes were severely damaged. One home was lifted from its foundation with its walls intact and dropped in a field about 70 yards away. Homes in the Fairground Road and Touvelle Street area had significant damage. Multiple cars were lifted and displaced by wind. One man died in the Fairground Road area after an airborne vehicle hit his home.
  • At 9:57 p.m. (May 27)  An EF1 touched down in New Madison, Darke County, and was on the ground about 2 minutes. Numerous large tree branches were damaged and minor roof damage was done. There was brick damage to the front facade of a downtown business.
  • At 9:48 p.m. (May 27)  An EF1 touched down 2 miles south of Hollansburg in Darke County. It was on the ground about 2 minutes and covered 1½ miles. It began just inside the state line, carrying a barn roof and walls about 200 yards along Hollansburg-Richmond Road. It continued over an open field until it destroyed another barn south of Moore Road.

WEDNESDAY NWS SURVEY RESULTS

An EF0 tornado touched down near Waynesfield in eastern Auglaize County.

An EF1 tornado hit west of Wapakoneta in Auglaize County. The survey is ongoing.

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