COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Just six months into 2024, a tornado record has been set for Ohio.
An EF-0 tornado touched down in Willard, in Huron County, on Saturday, with estimated wind speed reaching 80 mph. Though the tornado only lasted one minute, it was the 63rd recorded tornado this year, besting the record set of 62 tornadoes in 1992.
After a tornado was confirmed in Willard, Ohio in Huron County on June 29, Ohio broke the record for number of tornadoes, 63, in one year. (NBC4)
The historic run of tornadoes, including 23 in May and several tornado-producing storms in central Ohio, is linked to an unusually warm winter, mild ground temperatures, virtually no ice on the Great Lakes (record low extent in the satellite era) and abnormally warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Storm Team 4 Meteorologist Ben Gelber.
All of these ingredients supported unstable air and storm energy farther north, aided by low-level southerly winds, coupled with a strong jet stream carrying El Niño-fueled Pacific storm systems eastward, which amplified the early-starting severe weather season in Ohio and Midwest.
The 63 tornadoes through June dwarfs the average number Ohio sees in a year – 22 – and surpassed last year’s mark of 60, which now ranks third overall.
A confirmed tornado in Huron County on June 29 broke an Ohio record for the most tornadoes in a single year. The 63rd tornado, which passed through Willard, Ohio, occurred just six months into 2024. (NBC4)
June 3
Included in the 63 were several storm cells that broke out over central Ohio counties. Most recent was on June 3 when four tornadoes were confirmed in Delaware, Licking, Knox and Muskingum counties, the last of which produced one with an EF-2 rating and winds up to 130 mph.
An outbreak in severe weather also occurred one month prior, on May 7 and 8, when 19 tornadoes were confirmed throughout Ohio. Those included one each in Licking, Muskingum and Coshocton counties. Bucyrus was also the sight for an EF-1 tornado on April 17.
A Madison County tornado is captured on a security camera in Fairfield Township. (Courtesy Photo/Christopher Estep)
A barn collapsed during the March 14, 2024 storms in Delaware County. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn)
A doorbell camera captures a possible funnel cloud forming in Delaware County, March 14, 2024. (Courtesy/Jason Cox)
Multiple people are dead in Logan County after violent storms and possible tornadoes ripped through central Ohio, March 14, 2024. (NBC4)
Houses and businesses in the village of Lakeview have been damaged by a violent storm, and possible tornado, that moved through Logan County overnight on March 14, 2024. (NBC4 Photo/Eric Halperin)
Multiple people are dead in Logan County after violent storms and possible tornadoes ripped through central Ohio, March 14, 2024. (Courtesy/Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce)
Olentangy Berlin athletic fields sustained extensive damage after violent storms ripped through Delaware and Logan Counties, March 14, 2024. (NBC4/Mark Feuerborn)
Olentangy Berlin athletic fields sustained extensive damage after violent storms ripped through Delaware and Logan Counties, March 14, 2024. (NBC4/Mark Feuerborn)
Olentangy Berlin athletic fields sustained extensive damage after violent storms ripped through Delaware and Logan Counties, March 14, 2024. (NBC4/Mark Feuerborn)
Multiple people are dead in Logan County after violent storms and possible tornadoes ripped through central Ohio, March 14, 2024. (Courtesy/Indian Lake Chamber of Commerce)
Storm damage to the Indian Lake area on
March 16 (Photo Courtesy/Indian Lake Aerials by Kevin Campbell).
Diapers are stacked inside the gym at Indian Lake High on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Indian Lake, Logan County, Ohio. The high school has become a donation center after a tornado swept through the Indian Lake area Thursday. in Indian Lake, in Logan County, Ohio. The Indian Lake area in Ohio’s Logan County was one of the hardest hit (AP Photo/Patrick Orsagos)
A woman searches through clothing at Indian Lake High School on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Indian Lake, in Logan County, Ohio. The high school has become a donation center after a tornado swept through the Indian Lake area Thursday. The Indian Lake area in Ohio’s Logan County was one of the hardest hit. (AP Photo/Patrick Orsagos)
Delaware County residents experienced extensive damage to their homes and property in the aftermath of violent storms, March 15, 2024. (NBC4/Mark Feuerborn)
Delaware County residents experienced extensive damage to their homes and property in the aftermath of violent storms, March 15, 2024. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn)
Delaware County residents experienced extensive damage to their homes and property in the aftermath of violent storms, March 15, 2024. (NBC4/Mark Feuerborn)
Tornado in southeastern Hancock County, March 13, 2024. (Photo: Derek Lawson)
Storm damage caused several roads to close and damaged homes in Galena, March 15, 2024. (NBC4/Kyle Beachy)
Multiple power lines block Durrett Road in southwest Columbus after thunderstorms and a tornado warning on February 28, 2024. (Courtesy Photo/AEP Ohio)
A house in West Jefferson with extensive damage after a possible tornado on February 28, 2024. (NBC4/Eric Halperin)
A house in Clark County is sliced in half by a tornado that travelled into Madison County, Feb. 28, 2024. (Courtesy'Ohio State Highway Patrol)
A tornado leaves debris behind at the Madison County Airport, Feb. 28, 2024. (Courtesy/Ohio State Highway Patrol)
A house in West Jefferson with extensive damage after a possible tornado on February 28, 2024. (NBC4/Eric Halperin)
A house on Lafayette-Plain City Road near London, Ohio in Madison County takes extensive damage after a strong storm surge on February 28, 2024. (NBC4/Eric Halperin)
A trailer was blown onto its side in Groveport, Ohio after a tornado warning on February 28, 2024. (NBC4 Photo/Mark Feuerborn)
Courtesy Photo/Frazeysburg Fire Department
Courtesy Photo/Frazeysburg Fire Department
Storm damage at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio on February 28, 2024 (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Air Force)
Storm damage at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio on February 28, 2024 (Courtesy Photo/U.S. Air Force)
Wednesday's severe storms brought down several trees in Bucyrus, Crawford County. (NBC4)
The early April storm cell also produced a double-rainbow seen throughout central Ohio. Chief Meteorologist Dave Mazza of Storm Team 4 said the timing was perfect and is more common than a single rainbow when the conditions are right just before sunset.
A lightning bolt is seen intersecting with a double rainbow in Columbus (NBC4/Adam Conn)
March 14
A series of deadly storms and tornadoes ripped through the Indian Lake region on March 14. Three people were confirmed dead after an EF-3 tornado was confirmed near Orchard Island in Logan County.
Neal Longfellow, 69, Darla Williams, 70, and Marily Snapp, 81 lost their lives during the storms, which caused Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a state of emergency for 11 counties.
Other tornadoes associated with those storms included those in two in Mercer County, and one each in Licking, Delaware, Crawford, Richland and Hancock counties. Delaware County’s twister damaged parts of the Olentangy Berlin athletic facility, in particular the baseball field, which lost its scoreboard. It also caused extensive damage to nearby homes and businesses along Berlin Station Road.
Of the 63 confirmed tornadoes in Ohio through June 30, the majority have been rated as EF-0 or EF-1, with 12 being rated higher and three to have been undetermined. (NBC4).
February 28
Central Ohioans were awoken to sirens in the early hours of Feb. 28, when a strong line of thunderstorms produced five tornadoes. At 4:45 a.m., Franklin, Fairfield, Licking, Knox, Madison, Morgan and Perry counties went under tornado warnings, with strong winds creating tornadic conditions.
An EF-2 in Blacklick, Franklin County, which then downgraded to an EF-1 as it traveled into Jersey, Licking County
An EF-1 in London, Madison County
An EF-2 near Springfield, Clark County
An EF1 in Riverside, Montgomery County
According to the NWS, the EF-2 tornado that hit Blacklick was estimated to produce wind speeds up to 120 mph, the strongest February tornado recorded in Franklin County since 1971. The last EF-2 tornado recorded in the Columbus area occurred on Oct. 6, 2006.
As with all severe weather events, the Red Cross accepts donations to help people affected by recent storms and associated damage. To make a donation call 1-800-RED CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation, or follow this link.
