Showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours ahead of a cold front moving through the Ohio Valley region.
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.
Showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours ahead of a cold front moving through the Ohio Valley region.
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 31, 3:01 PM EST, 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 401 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. A SECONDARY SURFACE TROUGH WILL EXTEND ACROSS NORTHERN OHIO AND INDIANA ON FRIDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SWING THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... TWO AREAS OF CONVECTION WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. FIRST AREA IS WORKING NORTHEAST OUT OF SOUTHERN INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THIS WILL PRIMARILY AFFECT THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. THINNING OF CLOUDS IS ALLOWING FOR SOME HEATING WHICH IN TURN IS RESULTING IN SOME DESTABILIZATION. SHOULD BE ENOUGH SHEAR...BUT WHETHER THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY TO RESULT IN STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS STILL REMAINS IN QUESTION. THE OTHER CONVECTION IS OCCURRING AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. THINKING THAT THIS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO A LESS FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT...ESPECIALLY WITH INITIAL ROUND OF CONVECTION MODIFYING THE ATMOSPHERE IN SOUTHERN SECTIONS. BOTH AREAS OF CONVECTION ARE MOVING RATHER QUICKLY...SO EXPECT MOST PRECIPITATION TO MOVE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY MIDNIGHT. THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS THAT A FEW SHOWERS COULD LINGER INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES. FORECAST LOWS CLOSER TO SLIGHT COOLER MET GUIDANCE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... RIDGE WILL NOSE INTO SOUTHERN COUNTIES DURING THE DAY. BUT A WEAK SHORT WAVE MOVING ACROSS THE LOWER GREAT LAKES WILL INDUCE A SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS NORTHERN OHIO AND INDIANA. THIS WILL RESULT IN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES. THE TROUGH WILL DISSIPATE IN THE EVENING AS THE UPPER SYSTEM CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AND MOVE OFF TO THE EAST. THUS THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS WILL BE ABLE TO EXTEND FURTHER INTO THE FORECAST AREA. STRONG SHORT WAVE WILL DIVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS WILL DRIVE A STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA. SHOWERS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS WITH THE GREATEST COVERAGE IN CENTRAL OHIO CLOSER TO UPPER FORCING. WINDS WILL BECOME STRONG AND GUSTY ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT WITH WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA LIKELY BEING REACHED OVER AT LEAST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. WINDS WILL DIMINISH IN THE EVENING AND SKIES WILL CLEAR. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO OR BELOW FREEZING SATURDAY NIGHT AREA WIDE. WINDS MAY DROP OFF ENOUGH IN THE SOUTH TO ALSO ALLOW FOR SOME FROST FORMATION. BUT POTENTIAL FREEZE IS GREATER HAZARD. SAW NO REASON TO DEVIATE MUCH FROM MOS TEMPERATURES. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL START OUT THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF SUNSHINE DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLOW TO RISE AT FIRST WITH A COOL AIRMASS IN PLACE HOWEVER SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL DEVELOP LATER IN THE DAY ALLOWING FOR TEMPERATURES TO RISE INTO THE 50S ACROSS SW PORTIONS OF THE FA. NE PORTIONS OF THE FA ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO REACH INTO THE MIDDLE 40S DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP OFF SUNDAY EVENING HOWEVER WILL RISE OVERNIGHT AS WARMER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION AND CLOUD COVER BEGINS TO INCREASE. HELD OFF PRECIPITATION UNTIL THE DAYTIME HOURS ON MONDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON MONDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL LINGER ACROSS THE EAST UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING AS THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH. MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN HOWEVER SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN WORK INTO THE REGION HOWEVER THIS WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE FA FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... PRE-FRONTAL RAIN EXITING TAF SITES. VSBYS IMPROVING AND CIGS SHOULD SLOWLY IMPROVE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. GUSTY WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHOULD ARRIVE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS TAF SITES. SHOWERS AND STORMS MOVING OUT FROM WEST TO EAST OVERNIGHT. BRIEF MVFR VSBYS AND CIGS WITH CONVECTION AND FRONTAL CLOUDS. SHOULD BE MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS BY LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY. WINDS WILL PICK UP AGAIN DURING THE DAY FRIDAY BUT NOT AS STRONG AS TODAY. OUTLOOK...MVFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE SATURDAY ALONG WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS. MVFR CEILING AND VSBYS POSSIBLE MONDAY. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...NONE. KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM... LONG TERM...NOVAK AVIATION...PADGETT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 406 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>099-OHZ034-042-060-061-070-071- 077>079-010815- WAYNE-FAYETTE-UNION-FRANKLIN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-SWITZERLAND- CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT-PENDLETON-BRACKEN- ROBERTSON-MASON-MERCER-DARKE-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-BUTLER-WARREN- HAMILTON-CLERMONT-BROWN- 406 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA...SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND...BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE MAIN THREAT WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 4 PM AND 9 PM EDT. GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING...WITH SOME OF THE MORE WIND PRONE AREAS SEEING GUSTS APPROACHING OR BRIEFLY EXCEEDING 40 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. MORE STRONG...GUSTY WINDS ARE LIKELY ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PLOWS THROUGH THE AREA. FROST OR FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN BY SUNDAY MORNING. WITH THE EARLY ONSET OF THE GROWING SEASON...THE THREAT TO TENDER VEGETATION WILL INCREASE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. KYZ100-OHZ026-035-043>046-051>056-062>065-072>074-080>082-088-010815- LEWIS-HARDIN-AUGLAIZE-SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION-DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN- CLARK-MADISON-FRANKLIN-LICKING-GREENE-FAYETTE-PICKAWAY-FAIRFIELD- CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING-HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- 406 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE MAINLY THIS EVENING AS A WEAKENING LINE OF STORMS APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...WITH A SECONDARY THREAT OF LARGE HAIL. A BRIEF ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THE MAIN THREAT WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 6 PM AND 11 PM EDT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. GUSTY WINDS ARE LIKELY ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PLOWS THROUGH THE AREA. FROST OR FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN BY SUNDAY MORNING. WITH THE EARLY ONSET OF THE GROWING SEASON...THE THREAT TO TENDER VEGETATION WILL INCREASE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1106 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1035 AM NON-TSTM WND GST KFGX FLEMING-MASON APT 38.54N 83.74W
03/31/2016 M46.00 MPH MASON KY AWOS
1045 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SW MAYSVILLE 38.61N 83.78W
03/31/2016 M50.00 MPH MASON KY MESONET
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 1108 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 KYZ093-096>100-OHZ064-065-073-074-078>082-088-311715- CAMPBELL-PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-PICKAWAY- FAIRFIELD-ROSS-HOCKING-CLERMONT-BROWN-HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NEWPORT...ALEXANDRIA...FALMOUTH... BUTLER...AUGUSTA...BROOKSVILLE...MOUNT OLIVET...MAYSVILLE... VANCEBURG...TOLLESBORO...CIRCLEVILLE...LANCASTER...PICKERINGTON... CHILLICOTHE...LOGAN...MILFORD...GEORGETOWN...MOUNT ORAB... HILLSBORO...GREENFIELD...WEST UNION...PEEBLES...WAVERLY... PIKETON...PORTSMOUTH...WHEELERSBURG 1108 AM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 ...GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED TODAY... WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WILL BE LIKELY LATE THIS MORNING AND INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS MAY BE BLOWN AROUND.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1203 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1123 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 N RUSSELLVILLE 38.91N 83.79W
03/31/2016 M46.00 MPH BROWN OH PUBLIC
1144 AM NON-TSTM WND GST KLHQ LANCASTER APT 39.76N 82.66W
03/31/2016 M47.00 MPH FAIRFIELD OH ASOS
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1207 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1140 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 W VANCEBURG 38.59N 83.43W
03/31/2016 M45 MPH LEWIS KY MESONET
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
445 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
INZ075-080-KYZ089-090-094-095-312115-
OHIO IN-SWITZERLAND IN-OWEN KY-CARROLL KY-GRANT KY-GALLATIN KY-
445 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT OHIO...SWITZERLAND...
NORTHWESTERN OWEN...CARROLL...NORTHWESTERN GRANT AND GALLATIN
COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM EDT...
AT 445 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
BROOKSBURG...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WINDS TO 50 MPH...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CARROLLTON...VEVAY...WARSAW...KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY...PLEASANT...GLENCOE...
FAIRVIEW...GHENT...SANDERS...SPARTA...PATRIOT...WORTHVILLE...PRESTONVILLE...
BEAR BRANCH...MARKLAND...BRAYTOWN...ABERDEEN...PATE...AVONBURG AND NORTH
LANDING.
THIS INCLUDES I-71 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 39 AND 67.
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 3874 8526 3869 8520 3892 8520 3897 8493
3894 8486 3892 8488 3890 8487 3890 8483
3873 8472 3862 8475 3858 8508 3859 8507
3858 8521 3863 8523 3874 8533
TIME...MOT...LOC 2045Z 255DEG 45KT 3876 8516The Louisville radar (KLVX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was downed along the southern part of Painter Road.
An estimated 10 to 15 large ash trees were downed in and around the New Liberty area.
A large tree was downed on Old New Liberty Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2016
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: 618422, 618424, 618426.