A warm and unstable air mass was in place across the region ahead of an advancing cold front. This led to scattered thunderstorm development through the afternoon that continued into the early evening hours.
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 warm and unstable air mass was in place across the region ahead of an advancing cold front. This led to scattered thunderstorm development through the afternoon that continued into the early evening hours.
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 May 19, 9:59 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington OH 1059 AM EDT Fri May 19 2017 .SYNOPSIS... A frontal boundary across the region will act as a focus for scattered showers and thunderstorms today into Saturday. A cold front will move into the region Sunday, providing a greater chance for precipitation, before drier and cooler conditions move into the area on Monday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... Most of the forecast area is dry this morning with a cold front stalled just north of Interstate 70. A line of showers and thunderstorms that was going out in Illinois this morning has continued to push east and weakened. An MCV has also formed in Illinois currently. This afternoon a wedge of PV will move across the area with a weak surface low reflection corresponding to the MCV. High res models have struggled immensely with resolving this feature and what will eventually happen. Forecast soundings for this afternoon do destabilize with even the RAP showing about 1300 J/kg of CAPE. PWATs for this afternoon remain around 1.2 - 1.3" which is above the 75th percentile for this time of year. Given the lift from the PVA, the stalled boundary, and instability have introduced likely PoPs into the forecast. DCAPE values also are forecasted to approach 1000 J/kg and with sufficient shear profiles SPC has introduced a slight risk across the CWA. Damaging winds will be the primary threat with large hail also possible. It should be noted that as convection gets going locally heavy rainfall will be possible. Earlier convection from this morning produced isolated rainfall totals over 2" in some spots. Due to this potential have added a heavy rainfall mention in the HWO. Prev Discussion-> Convection continues to bubble across the fa as a cdfnt drops south. Latest mesoscale models are indicating that the convection will see a minimum around sunrise this morning before beginning to redevelop with the heating of the day. Atmosphere becomes moderately unstable by afternoon as CAPES reach 2-3K J/kg. Timing and placement for any one location will be difficult due to the pop-up nature of the storms. The best coverage of storms should be late in the afternoon. Decided to keep PoPs in the chance category based on the uncertainty. Highs this afternoon will see a big range across the fa. West Central Ohio will be north of the front. Highs will only make the lower 70s. Temperatures will increase rapidly, reaching only lower 80s around the Ohio River. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... The front will linger across region the tonight, before lifting northward on Saturday. Afternoon convection will linger into the evening hours, but should decrease as the night progresses. Lows tonight will range from the mid 50s in the extreme northern counties to the mid 60s in nrn KY. On Saturday, the H5 low will pushing out thru the Great Plains. In response a sfc low will develop and lift ne into the upper MS valley. This is where the best coverage of thunderstorms will be. They will remain scattered in nature across the fa. Highs on Saturday will be in the lower to mid 80s. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Surface wave tracks across the Great Lakes with associated cold front pushing east across the region Sunday. Model solutions generally a little quicker with the frontal passage. This will bring an enhanced chance for thunderstorms. Have continued likely pops with a period of categorical during the afternoon. With clouds and precipitation, temperatures will be a little cooler, with Sundays highs ranging from the mid 70s west to 80 east. A lingering chance of a post frontal rain shower Sunday night and then drying out Monday as surface high pressure providing a temporary dry period early next week. Cooler temperatures expected Monday with highs a little below normal, ranging from the upper 60s northwest to the lower 70s southeast. Jet energy to carve out mid/upr level low over the Mid MS Vly next week. ECMWF is deeper and further east, so pcpn onset a little delayed and lingers longer. GFS solution is less amplified and more progressive. Uncertainty increases with model solutions diverging on timing and amplitude of this system. Have chance pops developing Tuesday afternoon and across the region Wednesday. Have lingered chance pops into early Thursday and then diminish pops as the upper low is expected to shift east. Highs Tuesday will be close to normal with and generally 70 to 75, and then cooler Wednesday from the lower 60s nw to upper 60s se. Cool readings expected to continue next Thursday with highs in the mid and upper 60s. && .AVIATION /15Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Activity appears to be on a downward trend this morning, and is expected to be around through the day but then ramp up this afternoon and early evening due to daytime heating. Storms will fire again as an upper level shortwave works in from the west. Storms that are around from the later part of the day will linger into the evening but activity will be on a downward trend overnight. Saturday morning will see another round of storms develop in the western TAF sites along a northward-lifting warm front. VFR conditions will be found outside of thunderstorm activity. OUTLOOK...Thunderstorms with MVFR conditions are possible through Sunday. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. KY...None. IN...None. && SYNOPSIS...Haines/Sites NEAR TERM...Haines/Sites SHORT TERM...Sites LONG TERM...AR/Sites AVIATION...Franks
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wilmington OH 932 AM EDT Fri May 19 2017 OHZ026-034-035-043-044-201100- Hardin-Mercer-Auglaize-Shelby-Logan- 932 AM EDT Fri May 19 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for West Central Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. OHZ042-045-046-051>053-056-201100- Darke-Union OH-Delaware-Miami-Champaign-Clark-Licking- 932 AM EDT Fri May 19 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Central Ohio and West Central Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon. They will then persist into the evening hours. Some strong storms are forecast, with the potential for isolated thunderstorms to reach severe limits. Damaging winds and large hail will be the primary severe weather threats. Thunderstorms will also be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall which may lead to some flooding issues. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. INZ075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ054-055-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-201100- Ohio-Switzerland-Carroll-Gallatin-Boone-Kenton-Campbell-Owen-Grant- Pendleton-Bracken-Robertson-Mason-Lewis-Madison-Franklin OH-Preble- Montgomery-Greene-Fayette OH-Pickaway-Fairfield-Butler-Warren- Clinton-Ross-Hocking-Hamilton-Clermont-Brown-Highland-Adams-Pike- Scioto- 932 AM EDT Fri May 19 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Southeast Indiana, Northeast Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, Central Ohio, Southwest Ohio and West Central Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon. They will then persist into the evening hours. Strong to severe storms will be possible. Damaging winds will be the primary severe weather threat, although isolated large hail can not be ruled out. Thunderstorms will also be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall which may lead to some flooding issues. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and this evening. INZ050-058-059-066-073-074-201100- Wayne-Fayette IN-Union IN-Franklin IN-Ripley-Dearborn- 932 AM EDT Fri May 19 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for East Central Indiana and Southeast Indiana. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon. They will then persist into the evening hours. Strong to severe storms will be possible. Damaging winds would be the primary severe weather threat, although isolated large hail can not be ruled out. Thunderstorms will also be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall which may lead to some flooding issues. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. An area of strong to severe thunderstorms are possible late Saturday night ahead of an advancing cold front. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and this evening.
The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:29 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree was downed along State Route 140 near Highland Bend Road.
A tree fell onto a house near New Madison Road and Weavers-Fort Jefferson Road.
A large tree was downed in Covington.
Two large trees were downed near the intersection of Mason Road and State Route 29.
A tree was downed along Dayton Street.
Several trees were downed in the Middletown area.
A small tree was uprooted and fell onto power lines.
Several large trees were downed, blocking Delta Avenue. Another tree was downed onto a car nearby.
A tree was downed in the Hilliard area.
A barn was blown onto a highway.
A portion of an outdoor walkway connecting buildings at Logan Elm High School was blown over.
Several large branches were downed.
Several trees were downed in the Bremen area.
Several trees were downed in the Logan area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, May 2017
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: 690951, 690955, 690958, 690960, 690962, 690963, 690965, 690970, 690971, 690974, 690972, 690978, 690980, 690981.