• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Weatherboy

Weatherboy Weather News, Maps, RADAR, Satellite, and Forecasts.

  • Local
  • Earth Science News
  • RADAR
  • Current Warnings
  • Satellite
  • Current Maps
  • Forecast Maps
  • Video

Rare Tornado Emergency Issued in Ohio Last Night

by Weatherboy Team Meteorologist - May 28, 2019

At least one tornado, and perhaps more, unleashed almost unimagineable terror and destruction onto the Dayton metro area during the overnight period. Image: Craig Anderson & Steven G. Anderson II
At least one tornado, and perhaps more, unleashed almost unimagineable terror and destruction onto the Dayton metro area during the overnight period. Image: Craig Anderson & Steven G. Anderson II




While the full extent of the catastrophic destruction in and around Dayton, Ohio from a massive, violent tornado won’t be known until daybreak, many are curious about the warnings that were issued prior to the storm’s impact. While numerous Tornado Warnings were up in Ohio, two Tornado Emergencies were also issued with very dire language. More serious than a Tornado Warning, a Tornado Emergency is issued  when a violent tornado is confirmed on the ground and is at least an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. A standard Tornado Warning is issued whenever RADAR or a trained observer indicates a tornado present in the area.

A rare Tornado Emergency was declared once it was confirmed a tornado of at least EF2 intensity was on the ground in the Dayton metro area. Image: NWS
A rare Tornado Emergency was declared once it was confirmed a tornado of at least EF2 intensity was on the ground in the Dayton metro area. Image: NWS

The scale that rates the intensity of tornadoes is known as the Enhanced Fujita Scale; it classifies tornadoes based on their wind speeds. EF-0 tornadoes have wind speeds 65 to 85 mph; 1 has winds 86 to 110mph; 2 has winds 111-135mph; 3 has winds 136-165mph; 4 has winds 166-200mph; 5 has winds in excess of 200mph.

While meteorologists with the National Weather Service will examine the destruction left behind in Ohio to confirm the intensity, path length, and width of the tornado(s) there, it is clear from early damage pictures that the tornado that struck the region was at least an EF2 if not much greater, justifying the Tornado Emergency that was in effect.

The National Weather Service began using the phrase “Tornado Emergency” in 1999. The back-to-back Tornado Emergencies issued last night were only the second time they were ever issued in the state of Ohio. The last time and only other time it was issued in Ohio was in 2016.




If a Tornado Warning or Tornado Emergency is ever issued for your area, the National Weather Service urges that you:

  • Go to the basement or take shelter in a small interior ground floor room such as a bathroom, closet or hallway.
  • If you have no basement, protect yourself by taking shelter under a heavy table or desk.
  • In all cases, stay away from windows, outside walls and doors.

 

Primary Sidebar

Sponsored Ad

Search

Latest News

  • Mid Atlantic Braces for Impacts from Ophelia: Tropical Storm Force Winds, Flooding Rains, Tornadoes, Life Threatening Storm Surge
  • North Carolina to New Jersey on Alert as Coastal Storm Takes Shape
  • Strong Geomagnetic Storm Blasts Earth, Triggers Aurora Across Central States, Mid Atlantic
  • National Hurricane Center Tracking 3 Atlantic, 1 Pacific Systems
  • Volcanic Eruption Ends in Hawaii; Gasses Spewing from Kilauea Greatly Reduced, Clearing Air
  • Post Tropical Cyclone Lee Pushes Through Nova Scotia
  • Watches and Warnings Expand as Hurricane Lee Forecast to Bring Storm Surge, Wind, Rain to Northeast
  • Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches Issued in the Northeast for Lee
About | Careers | Contact | Contests
Terms | Privacy | Ad Choices
Weatherboy is a (R) Registered Trademark of isarithm LLC, All Rights Reserved.
All content herein is Copyright by Isarithm LLC 1997-2022