A strong shortwave trough arrived during peak heating out ahead of a the cold front in a location that had received a couple hours of sunshine. A scattered to broken line of storms developed in an area of strong deep shear, which allowed for a high degree of organization with the storms.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS ILN wrote it up.
A strong shortwave trough arrived during peak heating out ahead of a the cold front in a location that had received a couple hours of sunshine. A scattered to broken line of storms developed in an area of strong deep shear, which allowed for a high degree of organization with the storms.
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 Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 16, 1:08 PM EST, 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 208 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2010 .SYNOPSIS... AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK EAST THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION TODAY. A COLD FRONT WILL SWING ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...BRINGING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL REBUILD INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN NORTHERN INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO. THIS IS IN AN AREA OF BETTER INSTABILITY AND STRONGER FORCING FROM AN APPROACHING SHORT WAVE. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD TRACK EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN ZONES. THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY WHETHER STORMS WILL DEVELOP FURTHER SOUTH AND IF SO HOW MUCH. BUT THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A CHANCE IN THE SOUTHERN ZONES AS WELL. PLENTY OF SHEAR IS BEING OBSERVED WITH EVEN HIGHER VALUES UPSTREAM LIKELY TO SPREAD INTO THE FORECAST AREA. SO THERE SEEMS LIKE A GOOD CHANCE OF STORMS BECOMING ORGANIZED. BUMPED UP TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY BASED ON LATEST OBSERVATIONS. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS THE COLD FRONT DEPARTS ON THURSDAY NIGHT...SO WILL THE CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE EAST ON FRIDAY...WITH SEASONABLE CONDITIONS (TEMPERATURES WITHIN A DEGREE OR TWO OF NORMAL). A BUILDING RIDGE TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE REGION WILL ALLOW CONDITIONS TO GRADUALLY WARM THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AS THE SURFACE HIGH PUSHES TO THE EAST. BY SUNDAY...A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH SOUTH INTO THE REGION. THE GFS IS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE WITH ITS AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION...AND THE SOUTHWARD PROGRESS OF THE FRONT EVEN AS IT RUNS INTO THE MID-LEVEL RIDGE. HAVE TO CONSIDER THIS AN OUTLIER AT THIS POINT...AND HAVE ADJUSTED THE FORECAST TO SCALE BACK ON POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. KEPT TEMPS SIMILAR ACROSS THE NORTH WHERE AT THE VERY LEAST THE FRONT WILL PRODUCE ENOUGH CLOUDS TO KEEP THINGS FROM WARMING TOO FAR. HOWEVER...CHOOSING TO SLOW THE FRONT A BIT IN THE FORECAST REQUIRED AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURES FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. HAVE GONE WITH UPPER 80S ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER...GIVEN RECENT HISTORY OF HOW QUICKLY THINGS HAVE WARMED AFTER JUST A FEW DAYS OF DRY CONDITIONS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN U.S. AFTER THE WEEKEND AND RETURN FLOW ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY SHOULD MARK A RESPECTABLE WARMING OVER THE OHIO VALLEY FOR MID WEEK. AS NOTED BEFORE...LARGE SWINGS IN THE FCST MAY BE PRESENT DUE TO TROPICAL SYSTEMS IN THE ATLANTIC...BUT BROAD PICTURE FOR MID WEEK INDICATES RETURN FLOW AND A WARMUP...AT LEAST LATE IN THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... COLD FRONT STRETCHES NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ACROSS INDIANA. THIS WILL PUSH ACROSS THE TERMINALS BY 00Z. EXPECT SOME GUSTS UP TO 25 KT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN NORTHERN INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO. SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY WILL IMPACT KDAY...KCMH AND KLCK. WHILE ADDITIONAL STORMS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT...IT IS LESS CERTAIN THAT THEY WILL IMPACT THE OTHER TERMINALS. THERE SHOULD BE SOME CLEARING AFTER THE FRONT PASSES. HOWEVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL WRAP INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT WITH MVFR CEILINGS EXPECTED. IN ADDITION THERE COULD BE SOME VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS. LOW CLOUDS MAY NOT SCATTER UNTIL LATE IN THE TAF PERIOD. OUTLOOK...NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EXPECTED. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...HATZOS NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM...HATZOS LONG TERM...FRANKS AVIATION...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 930 AM EDT THU SEP 16 2010 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ026-034-035-042>046- 051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-170900- WAYNE-FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO- SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT- PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-DARKE- SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON- FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-FAYETTE OH-PICKAWAY- FAIRFIELD-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING-HAMILTON-CLERMONT-BROWN- HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- 930 AM EDT THU SEP 16 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA...SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO...SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING... A WELL-DEVELOPED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES TODAY WITH A TRAILING COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. STRONG WIND FIELDS THROUGHOUT THE ATMOSPHERE WILL SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY IS UNCERTAIN. ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER HAS BEEN LEFT IN THE WAKE OF EARLY MORNING SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS. BUT THERE WILL BE BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS WHICH WILL ALLOW SOME HEATING. HOW MUCH HEATING OCCURS WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH INSTABILITY DEVELOPS. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP IN ADVANCE OF THE APPROACHING FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. ANY STORMS THAT OCCUR WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT...MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
200 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2010
OHZ026-034-035-042>044-051-161900-
MIAMI OH-DARKE OH-SHELBY OH-LOGAN OH-AUGLAIZE OH-MERCER OH-HARDIN OH-
200 PM EDT THU SEP 16 2010
...A BROKEN LINE OF DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WESTERN
HARDIN...MERCER...AUGLAIZE...NORTHWESTERN LOGAN...SHELBY...NORTHERN
DARKE AND NORTHWESTERN MIAMI COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EDT...
AT 151 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM ROCKFORD TO FORT RECOVERY TO WEST OF UNION CITY...MOVING EAST
AT 45 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND UP TO DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...COLDWATER...CELINA...
ST. HENRY...ST. MARYS...UNION CITY...NEW KNOXVILLE...NEW BREMEN...
CRIDERSVILLE...WAPAKONETA...ANSONIA...MINSTER AND BOTKINS.
ALSO...MENDON...NEPTUNE...MONTEZUMA...CARTHAGENA...NORTH DAYTON...
KOSSUTH...BULKHEAD AND CHICKASAW ARE NEAR THE PATH OF THIS LINE OF
DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS.
RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT. IF THESE STORMS BECOME
STRONGER...THEN A WARNING MAY BE NEEDED.
LAT...LON 4054 8369 4015 8436 4016 8482 4042 8481
4073 8464 4073 8445 4069 8444 4069 8423
4066 8420 4065 8410 4065 8389 4082 8387
4081 8353
BINAUThe Cincinnati radar (KILN), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:42 UTC.
6 hail, 5 tornado, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Large branches were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Numerous trees were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds. Several barns were also damaged or destroyed along with some minor damage to a few homes.
Trees were reported down around the area due to damaging thunderstorm winds. A portion of the roof was peeled off of the Olentangy High School gym. One woman was injured when a tree fell onto her home causing severe damage to the roof. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for possible concussion.
The tornado touched down and moved briefly along Big Walnut Road near the Hoover Reservoir. Trees were damaged along the path due to the tornado. In addition, a few shingles were torn off of a house. Based on the damage, wind speeds were estimated around 75 miles per hour.
The tornado touched down on Fairfield Union Road where tree and roof damage occurred. Damage associated with the tornado continued to the east until near County Line Road where another house had siding and roof damage from the tornado. Along this path there was additional tree damage and damage to a barn. Based on the damage, wind speeds were estimated around 75 miles per hour.
The tornado touched down in southwest Fairfield County near Dozer and Valentine Roads at 1656 EST. The tornado crossed into Pickaway County a half mile east of Valentine Road on Tarlton Road at 1659 EST. The tornado continued in Pickaway County until 1701 EST. The tornado lifted while near Tarlton. The tornado was on the ground for 1.76 miles in Fairfield County and on the ground for 1.09 miles in Pickaway County. The total path length of this tornado was 2.85 miles. The average path width was 200 yards. While in Fairfield County, two empty grain silo were picked up and tossed about 100 yards near Dozer and Valentine Roads. Some of the mechanical parts within the silo were ripped up from the foundation and tossed 15 yards from the silos. Further to the east, on the Fairfield County side of Tarlton Road, more significant damage occurred. Numerous trees were snapped and a few trees were uprooted in this area. A tree branch impaled the side of a home and was driven through the siding. Roof and siding damage also occurred at this location. At a neighboring property, up to twenty percent of the roof was lifted and windows had been blown out. There was also damage to the siding at this location as well. Further east along the south side of Tarlton Road in Pickaway County, additional structural and tree damage occurred. A parked tractor trailer was pushed over due to the tornado. A neighboring home suffered significant roof damage in which the roof became detached from the structure. An awning had been torn off the detached garage at this location and the entire garage structure was leaning slightly. Additionally, tree damage occurred further east along Tarlton Road. Property damage estimates in Fairfield County are around sixty-thousand dollars with crop damage estimated around two-thousand dollars. Property damage estimates in Pickaway County are around thirty-thousand dollars with crop damage estimated around two-thousand dollars.
The tornado touched down in southwest Fairfield County near Dozer and Valentine Roads at 1656 EST. The tornado crossed into Pickaway County a half mile east of Valentine Road on Tarlton Road at 1659 EST. The tornado continued in Pickaway County until 1701 EST. The tornado lifted while near Tarlton. The tornado was on the ground for 1.76 miles in Fairfield County and on the ground for 1.09 miles in Pickaway County. The total path length of this tornado was 2.85 miles. The average path width was 200 yards. While in Fairfield County, two empty grain silo were picked up and tossed about 100 yards near Dozer and Valentine Roads. Some of the mechanical parts within the silo were ripped up from the foundation and tossed 15 yards from the silos. Further to the east, on the Fairfield County side of Tarlton Road, more significant damage occurred. Numerous trees were snapped and a few trees were uprooted in this area. A tree branch impaled the side of a home and was driven through the siding. Roof and siding damage also occurred at this location. At a neighboring property, up to twenty percent of the roof was lifted and windows had been blown out. There was also damage to the siding at this location as well. Further east along the south side of Tarlton Road in Pickaway County, additional structural and tree damage occurred. A parked tractor trailer was pushed over due to the tornado. A neighboring home suffered significant roof damage in which the roof became detached from the structure. An awning had been torn off the detached garage at this location and the entire garage structure was leaning slightly. Additionally, tree damage occurred further east along Tarlton Road. Property damage estimates in Fairfield County are around sixty-thousand dollars with crop damage estimated around two-thousand dollars. Property damage estimates in Pickaway County are around thirty-thousand dollars with crop damage estimated around two-thousand dollars.
The roof of a pole barn was lifted and carried away due to a tornado. Some roof remnants were found over a quarter of a mile away from the original structure. Two walls of the barn had also collapsed and a nearby dumpster was overturned. Additionally, significant tree damage occurred to large hardwood trees in the area. Minor roof damage occurred to a nearby home. Damage with this tornado was consistent with wind speeds around 90 miles per hour.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Ohio, 2010Warnings in Ohio, September 2010
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: 251463, 251464, 251476, 251478, 251486, 251482, 251493, 251484, 251485, 251487, 251492, 256303, 256305, 256299.