Tornado and Hail in Ohio, August 26, 2003

Name: Tornado and Hail in Ohio, August 26, 2003
Start: 2003-08-26T16:05
End: 2003-08-26T18:22
Location: Ohio

August 26, 2003 · NWS IWX · 12 events in 8 counties and zones

10 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 26, 3:00 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 26, 3:00 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
300 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

PUBLIC FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR 330 PM ISSUANCE...

TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...

COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH AND MOVE ACROSS AREA TONIGHT. ATMOSPHERE
HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE AHEAD OF FRONT. APPROACHING MESOSCALE
CONVECTIVE VORTEX WILL INTERACT WITH INSTABILITY AND SHOULD DEVELOP
ANOTHER ROUND OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AS CAP WEAKENS. FRONT TO
SLOWLY CROSS AREA TONIGHT AND MODELS DEVELOP GOOD OMEGA ACROSS
SOUTHERN COUNTY WARNING AREA. THIS VERY REASONABLE AS BOUNDARY
SLIDES SOUTH AND NIGHTIME COMPLEX DEVELOPS. HAVE GONE WITH LIKELY
POPS SOUTH AND SCT POPS NORTH WITH SEVERE WORDING ALL AREAS. MODELS
DIFFER SOME IN THE SOUTH FOR WED. ETA HANGS ALOT OF LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE BACK AND GENERATES QUITE A BIT OF INSTABILITY IN THE
AFTERNOON. 12Z GFS MORE PROGRESSIVE. LIKE THE IDEA OF KEEPING
DEWPOINTS UP A BIT IN SOUTH ON WED...SIMILAR TO THIS PAST FRIDAY AS
NORTHEAST FLOW DID NOT ALLOW DRIER AIR TO DROP INTO THIS AREA UNTIL
WELL AFTER FROPA. HOWEVER...ETA LOOKS OVERDONE AT THIS POINT. WILL
CONTINUE THE CHANCE OF TSRA IN THE MORNING HOURS AS A
COMPROMISE...BUT CONTINUE WITH DRY AFTERNOON FORECAST AND NOT AS
WARM MAX TEMPS. SLL

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...

THE CWA WILL BE ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THEN COME LATE THURSDAY A LOW WILL BE MOVING TO THE
UPPER GREAT LAKES AND A COLD FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING THE AREA. THE
FRONT RIGHT NOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING AND THEN
BE DOWN IN THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY LATE FRIDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR
RAIN AHEAD AND BEHIND THE FRONT BUT THE BEST CHANCE, BEST DYNAMICS,
SEEM TO BE RIGHT WITH THE FRONT. ON SATURDAY THE FRONT SHOULD REMAIN
SOUTH OF THE CWA AND ON SUNDAY THE GFS IS SHOWING A LOW RIDING UP
THE FRONT THROUGH SOUTHERN INDIANA INTO CENTRAL OHIO. THE GEM IS
WEAKER WITH THIS FEATURE AND MAINLY KEEPS OUR CWA DRY THROUGH THE
WEEKEND WHEREAS THE GFS IS SHOWING PRECIP. SINCE MODELS HAVE NOT
BEEN TOO STEADY WITH THIS YET AND SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING OFFICES
ARE STILL DRY...WILL REMAIN DRY AT THE MOMENT BUT THIS COULD CHANGE
IF THE NEXT MODEL RUNS COME IN WET. ANOTHER HIGH PRESSURE THEN MOVES
INTO THE CWA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY.  BML

.IWX...
IN...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 500 PM EST.
MI...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 600 PM EDT ALL BUT HILLSDALE.
OH...NONE.

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 26, 5:04 AM EST, 11 hours 1 minute before

INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-271000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
504 AM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN INDIANA...NORTHWEST
OHIO AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...MOSTLY NORTH AND
WEST OF FORT WAYNE...EARLY THIS MORNING. THOUGH AN ISOLATED STRONG
WIND GUST OR BRIEF PERIOD OF HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE
STRONGEST STORMS...ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED THIS
MORNING.

STORMS WILL REDEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT.
STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT...THOUGH SCATTERED LARGE
HAIL MAY OCCUR AS WELL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING
THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF STORM DEVELOPMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY THIS EVENING...PRIMARILY NORTH OF A LINE FROM LIMA TO
MONTICELLO.

HEAT WILL BE AN ISSUE TODAY AS WELL...WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES WITHIN
A FEW DEGREES OF 90...AND HEAT INDEX READINGS APPROACHING 100.

THE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WILL BE SPARKED BY A COLD
FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST...INTO A VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH LABOR DAY

A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SOUTHEAST OF FORT WAYNE EARLY
WEDNESDAY MORNING...BUT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE.

THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL COME THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS A
WARM FRONT MOVES NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REGION.  STRONG STORMS WILL BE
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY NORTH AND WEST OF SOUTH BEND.

STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AS A
COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO
TONIGHT. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY ALSO BE REQUESTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES, OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/IWX

12

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 26, 3:27 PM EST, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0327 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0315 PM    LAGRANGE                  IN   WIND DAMAGE
08/26/03   LAGRANGE                       TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE
                                          COUNTY.

HITCHCOCK

Local storm report, Aug 26, 3:33 PM EST, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0333 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0315 PM    LIGONIER                  IN   WIND DAMAGE
08/26/03   NOBLE                          TREES DOWN IN NORTHWEST
                                          NOBLE COUNTY

0320 PM    5 N KENDALLVILLE          IN   WIND DAMAGE
08/26/03   NOBLE                          TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT
                                          NORTHEAST NOBLE COUNTY.

HITCHCOCK

Special weather statement, Aug 26, 3:46 PM EST, 19 minutes before

INZ003-012>015-020-022-023-MIZ077-262200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
346 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 893 FOR NORTHERN INDIANA HAS
BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

BERRIEN...LAPORTE...STARKE...MARSHALL...PULASKI...FULTON...WHITE...
CASS...MIAMI

THE COMPLEX OF STORMS THAT PRODUCED SEVERE WEATHER EARLY HAS MOVED
EAST OF THESE COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
STILL POSSIBLE THIS EVENING...HOWEVER THE THERE IS NO LONGER AN
IMMEDIATE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AT THIS TIME.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

Local storm report, Aug 26, 3:49 PM EST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0349 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0343 PM    3 SW ANGOLA               IN   60 MPH WIND GUST
08/26/03   STEUBEN                        MEASURED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTER

HITCHCOCK

Local storm report, Aug 26, 3:50 PM EST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0350 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0345 PM    4 W NORTH WEBSTER         IN   60 MPH WIND GUST
08/26/03   KOSCIUSKO                      REPORTED BY OFF DUTY NWS
                                          EMPLOYEE

HITCHCOCK

Local storm report, Aug 26, 3:54 PM EST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0354 PM EST TUE AUG 26 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0330 PM    TRI-LAKES                 IN   WIND DAMAGE
08/26/03   WHITLEY                        POWERLINES DOWN

HITCHCOCK

The radar

The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:03 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Defiance

When: August 26, 4:05 PM EST
Where: Defiance County, Hicksville
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.300, -84.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Williams

When: August 26, 4:05 PM EST
Where: Williams County, 3 mi NW of Bryan
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.500, -84.583

Several trees reported blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Paulding

When: August 26, 4:19 PM EST
Where: Paulding County, Payne
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.083, -84.717

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton

When: August 26, 4:19 PM EST
Where: Fulton County, 7 mi NW of Wauseon
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.617, -84.233

Three power poles were blown down near Oak Shade.

Thunderstorm Wind, Defiance

When: August 26, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Defiance County, 1 mi E of Defiance
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.283, -84.333

Several large tree branches were blown down, blocking some roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Van Wert

When: August 26, 4:58 PM EST
Where: Van Wert County, 1 mi S of Willshire
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 40.733, -84.817

Power line reported down in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: August 26, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Henry County, Florida
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.317, -84.200

Large tree limbs and power lines blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: August 26, 5:38 PM EST
Where: Allen County, Lima
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.750, -84.100

Trees and power lines reported blown down. A tree fell down onto an occupied vehicle. No injuries were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam

When: August 26, 5:40 PM EST
Where: Putnam County, Leipsic
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.100, -84.000

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Hail, Allen

When: August 26, 5:40 PM EST
Where: Allen County, Ft Shawnee
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 40.683, -84.117

Tornado, Allen

When: August 26, 5:51 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 3 mi S of Lima
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 10 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 40.700, -84.100

Brief touchdown reported near State Route 65 and Interstate 75. 1 barn received damage from the tornado.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: August 26, 6:22 PM EST
Where: Allen County, Ft Shawnee
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 40.683, -84.117

Numerous trees were reported down, all lying in a south to southeast direction.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Ohio in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Ohio, 2003 Warnings in Ohio, August 2003

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5377831, 5377832, 5377833, 5377834, 5377835, 5377836, 5378111, 5378112, 5378113, 5378114, 5377830, 5378115.