A squall line developed ahead of an ejecting upper system over the lower Ohio Valley and raced northeast into the region. A second squall line developed and trailed the first one by an hour or so.
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 squall line developed ahead of an ejecting upper system over the lower Ohio Valley and raced northeast into the region. A second squall line developed and trailed the first one by an hour or so.
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 Dec 23, 7:01 PM EST, 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 701 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING. A WEAKENING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING...STALLING SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA BY THURSDAY EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR RAIN DEVELOPING OVER THE WEEKEND AS THE FRONT MOVES NORTH. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... INITIAL LINE OF STORMS HAS WEAKENED CONSIDERABLY AS IT HAS CONTINUE EAST INTO CENTRAL OHIO. NEXT WAVE OF STORMS IS HEADING INTO THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. APPEARS THAT MORE ROBUST CONVECTION WILL AFFECT THE SOUTHERN AND POSSIBLY EASTERN COUNTIES THROUGH MIDNIGHT. PARAMETERS STILL LOOK REASONABLY FAVORABLE FOR A SEVERE THREAT WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE PRIMARY THREAT. A TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT GIVEN SHEAR PROFILES. CLOUDS SHOULD START TO DIMINISH IN THE LATTER PART OF THE NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NON DIURNAL TONIGHT...STAYING STEADY OR RISING FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE TONIGHT BEFORE FALLING OFF AT THE END. A LARGE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT SHOULD EXIST AT THE END OF TONIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE NW COUNTIES IN THE MID 40S AND THE UPPER 50S IN THE SE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... OTHER THAN A LINGERING SLIGHT CHANCE OF A SHOWER IN THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST COUNTIES TOMORROW MORNING. THURSDAY SHOULD BE DRY. A MIX OF CLOUDS AND SUN SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS REACHING THE MID 50S IN THE NORTHWEST AND THE MID 60S ACROSS THE SOUTH. WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES TOMORROW INTO THURSDAY NIGHT THE FRONT IS SHUNTED SOUTH OF THE REGION. THERE IS A WIDE RANGE IN MODEL SOLUTIONS FOR LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY IN HOW QUICKLY THE PCPN RETURNS INTO THE FA. THE GFS AND CANADIAN KEEP THE FA DRY THURSDAY NIGHT...WHILE THE NAM AND ECMWF BRING SOME LIGHT PCPN IN NRN KY. THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN THEN LIFT THE PCPN OVER THE FA FRIDAY...WHILE THE GFS AND NAM KEEP IT SOUTH OF THE REGION. LEANED TOWARDS THE GFS SOLUTION SINCE IT IS THE MOST CONSISTENT...DID ADD A CHANCE OF PCPN IN THE SOUTH TO COVER THE OTHER SOLUTIONS. ANOTHER WARM DECEMBER DAY IS FORECAST FOR CHRISTMAS. HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 50S TO MID 60S. RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURES MAY ALSO BE THREATENED AT TIMES. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A VERY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD WITH A COUPLE ROBUST SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTHWARD THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING ALONG WITH STRONG WAA AND ISENTROPIC LIFT. MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL BE IMPRESSIVE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY THANKS TO A 40 TO 50 KT LLJ ADVECTING IN UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S DEW POINTS. GIVEN THAT THE AXIS OF STRONGEST MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL BE ORIENTED ALONG THE FRONT...EXPECT COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE. PWATS SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY WILL LIKELY INCREASE TO OVER 1.5 INCHES ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CWA. NAEFS PWAT STANDARDIZED ANOMALIES WITHIN THE ILN CWA ARE FORECAST TO EXCEED 3 SIGMAS AND THE MAJORITY OF THE CWA WILL ALSO FALL WITHIN THE NAEFS MAXIMUM PWAT PERCENTILES FOR LATE DECEMBER...NEEDLESS TO SAY A VERY IMPRESSIVE MOISTURE SIGNAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. FOCUS FOR THE HEAVIEST SHOWERS WILL BE MAINLY ALONG THE WARM FRONT AS IT LIFTS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH ON SATURDAY. THE FRONT WILL THEN STALL JUST NORTHWEST OF THE ILN CWA SATURDAY NIGHT...AND DROP BACK SOUTHEASTWARD AS A COLD FRONT ON SUNDAY. MUCAPES WILL BE A FEW HUNDRED J/KG AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUPPORT A CHANCE OF THUNDER UNTIL THE COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. LOCALIZED FLOODING AND LATER ON SOME RIVER FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE GIVEN THE PROLONGED PERIOD OF ANOMALOUSLY HIGH MOISTURE. MUCH COLDER /BUT STILL ABOVE NORMAL/ AND DRIER AIR WILL STREAM IN BEHIND THE FRONT SUNDAY NIGHT. CANNOT RULE OUT A LIGHT RAIN/SNOW MIX IN THE FAR NORTH EARLY MONDAY MORNING BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM AND SUPPORT A CHANGEOVER TO RAIN DURING THE DAY MONDAY. AS THE GFS/ECMWF BEGIN TO DIVERGE ON MONDAY HAVE GONE WITH A BLEND OF THE TWO FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. A SURFACE LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND LIFT INTO THE OHIO VALLEY MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT PUSH OF MOISTURE WILL ALLOW FOR MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. SEEING VERY LITTLE IF ANY ELEVATED INSTABILITY SO DO NOT EXPECT ANY THUNDER WITH THIS SYSTEM. THEN GENERALLY SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS WEAK DISTURBANCES MOVE THROUGH...WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL START OFF WELL ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY WITH RECORD HIGHS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE GIVEN A BROAD 925 MB TEMP ANOMALY ABOVE 2 SIGMAS SITTING OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SATURDAY WILL LIKELY BE IN THE LOW 60S NORTH AND NEAR 70 IN THE SOUTH. WILL COOL BACK DOWN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD BUT STILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL FOR LATE DECEMBER. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TERMINALS DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE TAF PERIOD. THIS WILL BRING WINDS GUSTS AND POTENTIALLY IFR VISIBILITIES. ONCE THIS MOVES THROUGH IT APPEARS THAT LOWER CLOUDS WILL SCATTER ALLOWING CONDITIONS TO BE VFR. HOWEVER THERE IS SOME CHANCE THAT THERE COULD BE TEMPORARY MVFR CEILINGS OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL GUST TO AROUND 30 KT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE RAIN. THE WINDS WILL SLOWLY VEER AND WEAKEN AFTER 06Z. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN THURSDAY WHICH WILL ALLOW WINDS TO BACK WITH SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 KT. CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN VFR WITH JUST SOME CIRRUS. OUTLOOK... MVFR CONDITIONS LIKELY WITH IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...HATZOS/SITES NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM...SITES LONG TERM...KURZ AVIATION...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 431 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ026-034-035-042>046- 051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-242145- WAYNE-FAYETTE-UNION-FRANKLIN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-SWITZERLAND- CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT-PENDLETON-BRACKEN- ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-DARKE-SHELBY-LOGAN- DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON-LICKING-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY- GREENE-PICKAWAY-FAIRFIELD-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING- HAMILTON-CLERMONT-BROWN-HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- 431 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR INDIANA...NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EARLY OVERNIGHT HOURS. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE STRONG TO SEVERE. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE THE PRIMARY EXPECTED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...BUT THERE COULD ALSO BE A CHANCE FOR TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. RIVER FLOODING POTENTIAL WILL INCREASE OVER THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...AS SEVERAL PERIODS OF PERSISTENT RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD ACTIVATE AND REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
640 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
OHZ045-046-054>056-240030-
LICKING OH-FRANKLIN OH-UNION OH-MADISON OH-DELAWARE OH-
640 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
...A LINE OF SHOWERS WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN
LICKING...FRANKLIN...EASTERN UNION...NORTHEASTERN MADISON AND
DELAWARE COUNTIES IN CENTRAL OHIO UNTIL 730 PM EST...
AT 640 PM EST...RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
NEAR RICHWOOD TO NEAR PLAIN CITY TO NEAR WEST JEFFERSON...MOVING EAST
AT 45 MPH.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WINDS TO 50 MPH...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
COLUMBUS...DUBLIN...WESTERVILLE...REYNOLDSBURG...GROVE CITY...
DELAWARE...UPPER ARLINGTON...GAHANNA...HILLIARD...WORTHINGTON...
BEXLEY...JEFFERSON...PATASKALA...POWELL...JOHNSTOWN...SUNBURY...PLAIN
CITY...WEST JEFFERSON...ASHLEY AND MINERVA PARK.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATES...
I-70 IN OHIO BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 82 AND 111...AND NEAR MILE MARKER
114.
I-71 IN OHIO BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 103 AND 138.
TO REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS...GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/ILN AND SUBMIT YOUR REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA...WHEN YOU
CAN DO SO SAFELY.
LAT...LON 4044 8325 4043 8302 4042 8301 4041 8293
4036 8293 4035 8275 4028 8275 4027 8262
3994 8276 3994 8281 3993 8281 3986 8337
4015 8326 4047 8326 4047 8325
TIME...MOT...LOC 2340Z 256DEG 40KT 4040 8325 4015 8326 3992 8335
BINAUSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
645 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
INZ073>075-080-KYZ089>091-094-095-240030-
OHIO IN-SWITZERLAND IN-DEARBORN IN-RIPLEY IN-OWEN KY-CARROLL KY-
BOONE KY-GRANT KY-GALLATIN KY-
645 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT NORTHERN
KENTUCKY AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST INDIANA THROUGH 730 PM...
AT 643 PM EST...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM SCOTTSBURG TO 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
BRANDENBURG...MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.
STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WINDS TO 50 MPH...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
VERY HEAVY RAIN...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CARROLLTON...AURORA...RISING SUN...BURLINGTON...VEVAY...WARSAW...
OWENTON...DILLSBORO...KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY...PLEASANT...FRENCH...
HARTFORD...GLENCOE...FAIRVIEW...GHENT...SANDERS...SPARTA...PATRIOT...
WORTHVILLE AND PRESTONVILLE.
THIS INCLUDES I-71 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 39 AND 66.
DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS. MOVE INDOORS WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH.
WATER WILL POND ON ROADS AND MAY QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND
SMALL STREAMS.
RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT. IF THESE STORMS BECOME
STRONGER...THEN A WARNING MAY BE NEEDED.
TO REPORT HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS...GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/ILN AND SUBMIT YOUR REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA...WHEN YOU
CAN DO SO SAFELY.
LAT...LON 3910 8472 3835 8482 3838 8490 3842 8488
3843 8493 3846 8492 3843 8496 3852 8498
3851 8503 3856 8501 3856 8506 3860 8508
3858 8521 3872 8533 3874 8533 3874 8526
3869 8520 3891 8520 3891 8544
TIME...MOT...LOC 2343Z 247DEG 63KT 3872 8559 3793 8599
BINAUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
650 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0545 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 WSW LEBANON 39.42N 84.28W
12/23/2015 WARREN OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
&&
SBAKERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
653 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0454 PM TSTM WND GST KOXD OXFORD MIAMI APT 39.50N 84.78W
12/23/2015 M59.00 MPH BUTLER OH AMATEUR RADIO
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG EATON 39.75N 84.63W
12/23/2015 PREBLE OH AMATEUR RADIO
ONE LARGE TREE KNOCKED DOWN.
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG CAMDEN 39.64N 84.65W
12/23/2015 PREBLE OH AMATEUR RADIO
LARGE TREE FELL ON HOUSE.
0523 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NNW WEST MILTON 40.01N 84.37W
12/23/2015 MIAMI OH AMATEUR RADIO
BARN DESTROYED BY WIND.
0535 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 E CAMBRIDGE CITY 39.81N 85.15W
12/23/2015 WAYNE IN AMATEUR RADIO
ONE HEALTHY TREE UPROOTED
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
701 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0558 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 SW BELLEFONTAINE 40.29N 83.82W
12/23/2015 LOGAN OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
LARGE TREE DOWN NEAR INTERSECTION OF TOWNSHIP RD. 30 AND
COUNTY ROAD 18. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
KCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
716 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SSE NEW MADISON 39.91N 84.68W
12/23/2015 PREBLE OH AMATEUR RADIO
HALF A BARN BLOWN DOWN AT MAPLE AND VICTORIA. TOP 4 FEET
OF A 2 FOOT TREE BROKEN.
&&
SBAKERThe Louisville radar (KLVX), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:46 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was blown down.
A member of the public reported an estimated wind gust of 60 mph.
The Bethel Church had half of its roof torn off. Only the trusses were left on the half of the roof that was lost. Some people are concerned the historic building may be well beyond repair. In addition a large tree was knocked over in the adjacent cemetery.
Damage was first observed just north of the intersection of U.S. Route 27 and Bethel Loop. This location is south of Butler and northwest of Falmouth in Pendleton County. A mobile home originally anchored into the ground at 8-10 points was tilted and briefly lifted before rolling onto its top on the east side of Bethel Loop. The three residents sustained minor injuries requiring overnight hospitalization. Debris from the mobile home was carried downwind for approximately one-tenth of a mile. The debris field remained confined to a narrow path as it tapered to the east-northeast. This seemed indicative of convergent motion associated with the circulation. There were also several 6-8 inch trees snapped immediately west of the mobile home. This is likely where the first touchdown occurred. The tornado then lifted. The next damage location was a metal barn on Ashcraft Road. The entire roof was lifted and removed from the barn. The roof measured approximately 60 feet by 30 feet and the barn was relatively new (construction within the last 10 years). The roof was carried into adjacent trees immediately northeast of the structure. There was minor damage to a smaller barn just northwest of the path center line. The homeowner also described a dock approximately 15 square feet that was pulled from its anchor and moved north-northeast across a pond toward the center line of the path. All of this damage indicated a convergent and lifting motion associated with the tornado. The tornado then lifted again, as damage was next observed along Route 609 just south of the intersection with Davis Road. One barn west of Route 609 was destroyed and a tree approximately 20 inches in diameter immediately east of the road was snapped at the trunk and fell against a residence. Debris was carried between one and two tenths of a mile to the northeast. Another barn just to the north was partially destroyed. Tornadic damage was not as conclusive at this location, but debris was confined to a narrow path likely due to convergent wind motion. A number of trees were snapped to the northeast along Davis Road. Trees ranged in diameter from 8 to 16 inches. The clearest evidence of circulation on the ground was located along Route 159 where several types of damage occurred at a residence south of the intersection with Davis Road. The roof was partially removed from the residence and some of the insulation was dispersed to the west and spattered against the west side of the house. Insulation was also spattered on trees immediately to the northwest. Heavy sections of metal fencing from a horse corral were lifted and carried approximately 50 yards to the west. Both of these debris fields were carried and deposited opposite the storm motion. A number of trees just north and south of the residence were also snapped. The tornado lifted again before touching down one last time. The final damage was found along Hickory Grove Road, south of the intersection with Route 10. This is the estimated end of the tornado path. A camper was lifted to the north-northeast approximately 10-15 feet over trees before being dropped and destroyed. There was also minor structural damage at two nearby mobile homes. This damage consisted of garage doors blown inward and some roof damage.
A roof was blown off a house.
A mobile home was flipped on Fardo Road.
A barn was blown over near Lanes End Rd. Also numerous trees were blown down throughout the county.
Several trees were blown down across the county, including along Snag Creek Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2015Warnings in Kentucky, December 2015
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: 607178, 607183, 607184, 607185, 606280, 607179, 607180, 607181, 607182.