Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 1997

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Wilmington, OH

July 2, 1997Campbell County, Kentucky; Clermont County, Ohio

NWS Wilmington, OH issued this tornado warning at Jul 2, 1997, 7:58 PM EDT for Campbell County, Kentucky; Clermont County, Ohio. It was in force for 47 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 2, 1997, 7:58 PM EDT (23:58 UTC)
Expired
Jul 2, 1997, 8:45 PM EDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, OH
Area
Whole counties

Counties Campbell County, KY, Clermont County, OH

The radar

The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 61 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:01 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 2, 8:12 PM EDTHail 1.75Alexandria, KY
Jul 2, 8:30 PM EDTTornado F3Moscow, OHA multiple vortex tornado tracked across the southern part of the county. The tornado damaged or destroyed 56 mobile homes and 27 single family homes. Several barns and sheds were destroyed and numerous trees were downed. No serious injuries or deaths occur

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 2, 6:15 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 63 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 1997-07-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 88 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 1997-07-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 88 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
88 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-213 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1070 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
88 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
154 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KILN 022359 RRA
TORILN
KYC037-OHC025-030045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
758 PM EDT WED JUL 2 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON OH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN WEST CENTRAL OHIO

   ...CLERMONT COUNTY

IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY

   ...CAMPBELL COUNTY
 
AT 756 PM EDT WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO JUST NORTH OF
ALEXANDRIA IN NORTHERN CAMPBELL COUNTY. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THAT
THE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25
MPH AND WILL AFFECT AREAS NEAR THE OHIO RIVER IN NORTHEASTERN
CAMPBELL AND SOUTHWESTERN CLERMONT COUNTIES...INCLUDING AREAS NEAR
ONEONTA...MOUNT PISGAH AND LAUREL...BY 845 PM EDT.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. YOUR QUICK REACTION TO THIS TORNADO
WARNING MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE. GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
STRONGER SHELTER. REMEMBER...MOST TORNADO DEATHS OCCUR IN MOBILE
HOMES.

&

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jul 2, 2:32 PM EDT, 5 hours 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 2:32 PM EDT, 5 hours 26 minutes before
FORECAST COORDINATION MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
232 PM EDT WED JUL 02 1997

TORNADO WW 554 IN EFFECT UNTIL 00Z THU FOR MUCH OF WRN OH AND E-CNTRL
IN.  LINE TSRA WL PUSH ACROSS CWA THRU LATE PM AND EVENING WITH
POSSIBLE SVR WX...MAINLY N OF OH RIVER.  FNT WL SWEEP THRU AREA BY
MIDNIGHT WITH MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS.

WL NEED TO ADD CHC OF SHRA/TSRA FOR THU NIGHT AND FRI.

CVG 66/82/67/80 305
DAY 65/81/66/78 504
CMH 67/82/65/78 503

WILKINSON

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 2, 3:51 PM EDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
OHZ015-016-024>026-034-042>046-051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-
088-KYZ091>093-INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-030400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
352 PM EDT (252 PM EST WED JUL 2 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ACROSS OHIO...EASTERN INDIANA...AND
   EXTREME NORTHERN KENTUCKY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

A VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES WAS DRAGGING A COLD
FRONT ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY LATE THIS AFTERNOON.  AREAS OF STRONG TO
LOCALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED.  THE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF
THESE STORMS WAS EXTREMEMLY UNSTABLE. THUS..THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE EASTWARD.

THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO ENTER WEST-CENTRAL OHIO...EAST CENTRAL
INDIANA...AND THE WESTERN MIAMI VALLEY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS
AND THEN MOVE INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN OHIO DURING THE EVENING HOURS.

DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS
LATER TONIGHT.  HOWEVER....ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY
IN WEST-CENTRAL OHIO.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES.

WILKINSON
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 5:12 PM EDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
INZ050-058-059-066-OHZ015-016-024>026-034-035-042>046-051>056-
060>065-070>074-022310-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
512 PM EDT (410 PM EST) WED JUL 2 1997

...TORNADO WATCH FOR THE WHITEWATER VALLEY OF INDIANA AND WESTERN
   OHIO NORTH OF CINCINNATI UNTIL 8 PM EDT...

...TORNADO WATCH FOR CENTRAL OHIO UNTIL 11 PM EDT...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO CROSS WEST CENTRAL OHIO AND
INDIANA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF
DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

THE TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT NORTH OF A LINE FROM HAMILTON TO
GREENFIELD TO CHILLICOTHE.

REMEMBER THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS
INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. IF TORNADO WARNINGS ARE ISSUED...MOVE TO
YOUR BASEMENT...UNDER A STAIRCASE OR STRONG WORKBENCH. IF YOU DO
NOT HAVE A BASEMENT...MOVE INTO A STRONG INTERIOR ROOM OF YOUR
HOUSE. MOBILE HOMES DO NOT OFFER ENOUGH PROTECTION FROM TORNADO
WINDS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON
THESE TORNADO WATCHES.

FARINA
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 6:07 PM EDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
KYZ089>100-OHZ077>082-088-030310-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
607 PM EDT WED JUL 2 1997

...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTHERN OHIO AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY THROUGH 11
   PM EDT...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH EASTERN INDIANA AND WESTERN
OHIO. THESE STORMS WILL DEVELOP SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE EVENING
CLIPPING PARTS OF SOUTHERN OHIO AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

REMEMBER THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS
INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. IF TORNADO WARNINGS ARE ISSUED...TAKE
COVER INSIDE YOUR BASEMENT OR STRONG INTERIOR ROOM OF YOUR HOUSE.
MOBILE HOMES DO NOT OFFER ENOUGH PROTECTION FROM TORNADO WINDS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION
CONCERING THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

FARINA
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 6:08 PM EDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
KYZ089>100-OHZ077>082-088-030310-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
607 PM EDT WED JUL 2 1997

...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTHERN OHIO AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY THROUGH 11
   PM EDT...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH EASTERN INDIANA AND WESTERN
OHIO. THESE STORMS WILL DEVELOP SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE EVENING
CLIPPING PARTS OF SOUTHERN OHIO AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

REMEMBER THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS
INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. IF TORNADO WARNINGS ARE ISSUED...TAKE
COVER INSIDE YOUR BASEMENT OR STRONG INTERIOR ROOM OF YOUR HOUSE.
MOBILE HOMES DO NOT OFFER ENOUGH PROTECTION FR&OM TORNADO WINDS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION
CONCERING THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

FARINA

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, OH issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 2, 6:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNBoone49 min
Jul 2, 7:22 PM EDTTornado WarningILNCampbell, Kenton33 min
Jul 2, 7:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNCampbell31 min
Jul 2, 4:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNMercer, Van Wert46 min
Jul 2, 4:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNMercer32 min
Jul 2, 4:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNAuglaize47 min
Jul 2, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNDarke45 min
Jul 2, 5:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNShelby48 min
Jul 2, 5:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNChampaign, Logan48 min
Jul 2, 5:46 PM EDTTornado WarningILNPreble49 min
Jul 2, 5:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNUnion32 min
Jul 2, 5:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNClark33 min
Jul 2, 6:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNMadison47 min
Jul 2, 6:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNMontgomery33 min
Jul 2, 6:13 PM EDTTornado WarningILNFranklin62 min
Jul 2, 6:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNDelaware34 min
Jul 2, 6:20 PM EDTTornado WarningILNMontgomery30 min
Jul 2, 6:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNButler33 min
Jul 2, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNPreble45 min
Jul 2, 6:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNLicking46 min
Jul 2, 6:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNGreene48 min
Jul 2, 6:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNMontgomery, Warren47 min
Jul 2, 6:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNPickaway47 min
Jul 2, 6:48 PM EDTTornado WarningILNButler, Warren47 min
Jul 2, 6:52 PM EDTTornado WarningILNGreene48 min
Jul 2, 6:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNFairfield46 min
Jul 2, 7:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNClinton48 min
Jul 2, 7:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNFayette47 min
Jul 2, 7:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNHocking33 min
Jul 2, 7:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNHighland, Ross47 min
Jul 2, 7:40 PM EDTTornado WarningILNWarren35 min
Jul 2, 7:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILNClermont46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 1997Tornado Warnings in Ohio, 1997Every tornado warning in 1997Tornadoes in 1997

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.