An upper level jet stream tracking through the Ohio Valley combined with low pressure at the surface to produce severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of March 23rd. Several supercells developed producing large hail.
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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.
An upper level jet stream tracking through the Ohio Valley combined with low pressure at the surface to produce severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of March 23rd. Several supercells developed producing large hail. There were also a few thunderstorm line segments with damaging wind gusts ahead of drier air rapidly advancing from the west. A second round of thunderstorms occurred closer to the main cold front during the evening of March 23rd to just after midnight on March 24th.
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 Mar 23, 12:40 PM EST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 140 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK EAST ALONG A WARM FRONT ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. A TRAILING COLD FRONT FROM THE LOW WILL PUSH THROUGH THIS EVENING. COLDER HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR THE END OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... A DEEP UPR LVL LOW WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH E/SE TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES TODAY/OHIO VALLEY REGION TODAY. SFC LOW PRESSURE WILL RIPPLE ACRS AN ADVANCING WARM FRONT ACRS NRN OHIO. FALLING HEIGHTS AHEAD OF THE UPR LOW...ALONG WITH AN EMBEDDED DISTURBANCE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE UPR LOW...WILL PROVIDE LARGE SCALE ASCENT FOR THIS AFTERNOON. IN THE LOW LEVELS...SFC LOW WILL AID IN THE INCREASE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET...PROVIDING SOME LOW LEVEL FORCING/FOCUS. STEEPENING MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES APCHING 8 C/KM WILL AID IN DESTABILIZING THE ATMOSPHERE...ALONG WITH WARM SFC TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S/70S AND DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE 50S. ALL IN ALL...REGION REMAINS IN A SLIGHT TO MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT CONVECTION WILL GET STARTED OVER CNTRL/SRN INDIANA BY EARLY AFTN...QUICKLY SPREADING EAST AND INCREASING IN COVERAGE AS IT PASS ACRS OUR REGION. BIGGEST SEVERE THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL DUE TO STEEP LAPSE RATES AND FAT CAPE LOCATED IN THE MID LVLS...FOLLOWED BY DAMAGING WINDS. ALTHOUGH 0-1 KM SRH IS NOT OVERLY HIGH...STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF BECOMING SUPERCELLULAR DUE TO UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW THAT MAY LEAD TO SPLITTING CELLS. ANY RIGHT MOVING CELL FROM THE MEAN FLOW COULD STILL POSE A TORNADO THREAT. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS MENTIONED IN THE HWO. WILL MAKE UPDATES TO THE FORECAST AS CONDITIONS WARRANT THROUGHOUT THE DAY...ESPECIALLY DEWPOINTS AND TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE INFLUX. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY/... AFTER EVENING SHOWERS AND STORMS ACTIVITY SHOULD QUICKLY DIMINISH WITH ONLY SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN MIXING WITH AND CHANGING TO LIGHT SNOW. DONT EXPECT ANY ACCUM AND SHOULD BE ENOUGH DRYING OUT TO KEEP ANY ICY ROADS FROM OCCURRING. TEMPS AT OR JUST ABOVE GUID WITH CLOUDS. AFTER A FEW MORNING FLURRIES OR SPRINKLES SHOULD SEE GOOD DRYING AND AFTERNOON SUN. TEMPS WILL STRUGGLE BUT WITH THE EXPECTATION OF SOME SUN DID NOT STRAY MUCH FROM GUIDANCE. THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY SHOULD BE DRY WITH HIGH PRESSURE. SOME INCREASING CLOUDS ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM. TEMPS NEAR GUIDANCE. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... MODELS CONTINUE TO DISAGREE FOR THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE GFS HAS PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA FOR ALMOST THE ENTIRE WEEKEND WHEREAS THE ECMWF KEEPS CONDITIONS DRY WITH A MORE SOUTHERN ECMWF STORM TRACK. DUE TO MODEL RUN INCONSISTENCIES WENT WITH A BLEND AT THIS POINT HOWEVER WENT CLOSER TO A SOUTHERN SOLUTION. DRY CONDITIONS WILL BE PRESENT FOR MONDAY BEFORE ANOTHER SYSTEM IMPACTS THE AREA. THE GFS IS FURTHER SOUTH WITH THIS SYSTEM WHILE THE ECMWF HAS A MORE NORTHERN TRACK. WENT CLOSER TO THE NORTHERN ECMWF SOLUTION. MODEL TRENDS HAVE BEEN FASTER WITH THIS SYSTEM AND THEREFORE SPED UP TIMING WITH PRECIPITATION. TEMPERATURE PROFILES WILL BE ON THE EDGE FOR PRECIPITATION TYPE AND THEREFORE BELIEVE THAT SOME LOCATIONS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTH WILL MIX WITH SOME SNOW WITH BOTH THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK SYSTEMS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW EXTENDING FROM THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL MOVE QUICKLY ESE THROUGH THE REGION DURING THE TAF PERIOD. A SFC LOW NEAR KIND THIS AFTERNOON WILL RIPPLE ALONG A WARM FRONT ACRS NRN OHIO THIS AFTN INTO EARLY EVENING. A COLD FRONT/DRY LINE WILL ACCOMPANY THE LOW. WARM...MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE LOW AND FRONT...COMBINED WITH INCREASING LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND UPPER LEVEL LIFT...WILL RESULT IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE TAF SITES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. WILL INCLUDE TEMPO -TSRA AT ALL TAF SITES THIS AFTN. WILL AMEND TAFS IF NECESSARY TO INCLUDE HAIL AND OR STRONG WINDS SHOULD STRONGER CORES MOVE TOWARD ANY TERMINAL. IT APPEARS AS THIS ACTIVITY MOVES EAST BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING...THERE MAY BE A BRIEF BREAK IN THE PCPN THREAT. THEREAFTER...ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL DROP FROM NW TO SE THROUGH THE REGION OVERNIGHT. THERE COULD BE SOME ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDER AHEAD OF THE FRONT. AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE...COLDER AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION. CIGS WILL LIKELY DROP INTO THE MVFR CATEGORY BEHIND SECOND FRONT. THE JURY IS STILL OUT AT THIS POINT WHETHER IFR CIGS WILL FORM. GIVEN WEAK LOW LEVEL FORCING OVERNIGHT...AND A LACK OF MID LVL MOISTURE...SOME PATCHY DRIZZLE WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH FREEZING DRIZZLE WHERE TEMPERATURES FALL TO OR LOWER THAN FREEZING. ON THURSDAY...ANY THREAT OF DRIZZLE/FREEZING DRIZZLE SHOULD END DURING THE MORNING HOURS. MVFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE DURING THE MORNING... WITH A CLEARING TREND STARTING CLOSE TO THE NORTHERN TAF SITES AROUND 18Z AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE AND DRIER AIR BUILD SOUTHWARD INTO THE GREAT LAKES. OUTLOOK...MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...HICKMAN/PADGETT NEAR TERM...HICKMAN SHORT TERM...PADGETT LONG TERM...NOVAK AVIATION...HICKMAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 452 AM EDT WED MAR 23 2011 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ026-034-035-042>046- 051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-240900- 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- 452 AM EDT WED MAR 23 2011 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. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PUSH EAST TODAY ALONG A WARM FRONT DRAPED ACROSS THE AREA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS...AND CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE LATER TODAY...PRIMARILY AFTER 2 PM. THE PRIMARY SEVERE THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. HOWEVER...THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO WILL ALSO EXIST. THE THUNDERSTORM AND SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
239 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM HAIL LIBERTY 39.63N 84.93W
03/23/2011 E1.00 INCH UNION IN PUBLIC
&&
SFHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
244 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0240 PM HAIL WILMINGTON 39.45N 83.83W
03/23/2011 E0.75 INCH CLINTON OH PUBLIC
&&
SFHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
245 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0243 PM HAIL WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE 39.54N 83.43W
03/23/2011 E1.00 INCH FAYETTE OH TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
KURZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
246 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0240 PM HAIL 2 SSE WILMINGTON 39.42N 83.81W
03/23/2011 M0.75 INCH CLINTON OH OFFICIAL NWS OBS
MEASURED AT WFO WILMINGTON OHIO
&&
SFHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
257 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0253 PM HAIL WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE 39.54N 83.43W
03/23/2011 E0.88 INCH FAYETTE OH TRAINED SPOTTER
DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL COVERING ROADS.
0253 PM HAIL HOLTON 39.08N 85.38W
03/23/2011 E0.88 INCH RIPLEY IN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
KURZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
304 PM EDT WED MAR 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0302 PM HAIL 1 W GREENVILLE 40.10N 84.64W
03/23/2011 E0.88 INCH DARKE OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
KURZThe Cincinnati radar (KILN), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:13 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous tree limbs were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
A few small structures and sheds were blown off of their foundation due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
The observer estimated the wind gust.
The roof of a ferry was blown off and small trees were blown over due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
Tin roofing was blown away due to damaging thunderstorm winds. Rafters and sheet metal was blown off of buildings and part of a porch was blown away from a trailer due to the winds. A corner of a barn was also blown away due to the damaging winds.
Two utility poles were snapped off and a tree fell on electric lines due to damaging thunderstorm winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2011
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: 284304, 284310, 284311, 284283, 284296, 284329.