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, 1 hour 42 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.
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 8516SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
505 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
INZ075-080-KYZ090>092-312130-
OHIO IN-SWITZERLAND IN-BOONE KY-KENTON KY-GALLATIN KY-
505 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT OHIO...NORTHEASTERN
SWITZERLAND...SOUTHERN BOONE...KENTON AND EASTERN GALLATIN COUNTIES
UNTIL 530 PM EDT...
AT 505 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RISING
SUN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WINDS TO 50 MPH...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
COVINGTON...FLORENCE...INDEPENDENCE...ERLANGER...EDGEWOOD...ELSMERE...
TAYLOR MILL...WALTON...RISING SUN...OAKBROOK...UNION...RYLAND HEIGHTS...
PATRIOT...FAIRVIEW...NORTH LANDING...VISALIA...QUERCUS GROVE...LATONIA
LAKES AND US ROUTES 42 AND 127 AT STATE ROUTE 562.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INTERSTATES...
I-71 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 70 AND 77.
I-75 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 168 AND 180.
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 3894 8493 3901 8450 3898 8446 3897 8447
3895 8445 3895 8446 3893 8445 3888 8444
3886 8445 3885 8446 3884 8445 3882 8446
3880 8492
TIME...MOT...LOC 2105Z 261DEG 37KT 3887 8487SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
532 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
KYZ090>093-095>098-OHZ078-312200-
CAMPBELL KY-PENDLETON KY-BRACKEN KY-BOONE KY-GRANT KY-KENTON KY-
ROBERTSON KY-GALLATIN KY-CLERMONT OH-
532 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN CAMPBELL...PENDLETON...
BRACKEN...SOUTHERN BOONE...GRANT...SOUTHERN KENTON...ROBERTSON...
EASTERN GALLATIN AND SOUTHWESTERN CLERMONT COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM
EDT...
AT 532 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DRY
RIDGE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE...
WINDS TO 50 MPH...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WILLIAMSTOWN...FALMOUTH...CLARYVILLE...CRITTENDEN...NEW RICHMOND...DRY
RIDGE...FELICITY...BROOKSVILLE...BUTLER...MOUNT OLIVET...CORINTH...MENTOR...
MOSCOW...NEVILLE...CALIFORNIA...CHILO...US ROUTE 62 AT STATE ROUTE 875...
MOUNT AUBURN...GENE SNYDER AIRPORT AND BURIKA.
THIS INCLUDES I-75 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 145 AND 168.
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 3843 8400 3848 8413 3848 8417 3850 8416
3850 8418 3856 8416 3855 8421 3858 8421
3856 8441 3853 8444 3854 8447 3851 8449
3848 8460 3879 8472 3898 8416 3848 8395
3842 8400
TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 256DEG 45KT 3865 8460PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
533 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0517 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NW OWENTON 38.56N 84.86W
03/31/2016 OWEN KY DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
LARGE TREE DOWN ON NEW LIBERTY PIKE
&&
JDRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 540 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 OHZ071-072-077>080-312215- HAMILTON OH-CLINTON OH-WARREN OH-HIGHLAND OH-CLERMONT OH-BROWN OH- 540 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN HAMILTON...SOUTHWESTERN CLINTON...SOUTHEASTERN WARREN...WEST CENTRAL HIGHLAND...NORTHERN CLERMONT AND NORTHWESTERN BROWN COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM EDT... AT 540 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER LOVELAND...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE... WINDS TO 50 MPH... LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LOVELAND...MONTGOMERY...MILFORD...BLANCHESTER...MORROW...THE VILLAGE OF INDIAN HILL...WOODVILLE...MAINEVILLE...CLARKSVILLE...GOSHEN... NEWTONSVILLE...FAYETTEVILLE...MIDLAND...BUTLERVILLE...PLEASANT PLAIN...ST. MARTIN...SPRINGVALE...DALLASBURG...EDENTON AND STATE ROUTE 123 AT STATE ROUTE 132. 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 3928 8432 3943 8395 3918 8379 3913 8429 TIME...MOT...LOC 2140Z 248DEG 38KT 3925 8428
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 542 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 KYZ093-OHZ077>080-312215- CAMPBELL KY-HAMILTON OH-HIGHLAND OH-CLERMONT OH-BROWN OH- 542 PM EDT THU MAR 31 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL CAMPBELL...SOUTHEASTERN HAMILTON...SOUTHWESTERN HIGHLAND...CENTRAL CLERMONT AND NORTHWESTERN BROWN COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM EDT... AT 542 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR NEW RICHMOND...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE... WINDS TO 50 MPH... LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ALEXANDRIA...FORESTVILLE...CLARYVILLE...AMELIA...MOUNT ORAB...BETHEL...NEW RICHMOND...WILLIAMSBURG...BATAVIA...SILVER GROVE...SARDINIA...MELBOURNE... WITHAMSVILLE...COLD SPRING...SHERWOOD...OWENSVILLE...FAYETTEVILLE... CALIFORNIA...CLERMONT COUNTY AIRPORT AND WILLOWVILLE. 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 3886 8445 3907 8439 3922 8392 3901 8378 TIME...MOT...LOC 2142Z 252DEG 43KT 3901 8431
The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 40 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:43 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous ash trees were knocked down.
A tree was downed at the intersection of Wolfangel and State Roads in Anderson Township.
A roof was blown off of a barn on Miami Trace Road near US 62.
A tree was blown down across Crownover Mill Road.
Several trees were downed in the Williamsport area.
A one foot diameter tree was knocked down.
A large tree was downed on Chestnut Hills Road near State Route 661. Several other large limbs were also knocked off of other trees in the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, 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: 618430, 618431, 618436, 618438, 618440, 618432, 618435, 618439.