Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours ahead of a cold front moving into the 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.
Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours ahead of a cold front moving into the 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 Jul 20, 2:54 PM EST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Wilmington OH 354 PM EDT Thu Jul 20 2023 .SYNOPSIS... Showers and thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening ahead of a cold front. Some of the storms could be strong to severe. Dry weather returns Friday through at least Sunday afternoon when the next chance of thunderstorms arrives. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... A surface low continues moving across the Great Lakes this afternoon and evening as an associated cold front and upper level shortwave dive into the Ohio Valley from the northwest. Surface observations depict temperatures reaching into the middle 80s with dew points near 70 across the area early this afternoon indicating plenty of hot, humid air in place for storms. So far, storms have not fired ahead of the front since a cap is likely still in place (as seen on ILN 1200z sounding). Satellite observations confirm this suspicion showing shallow cumulus fields failing to grow thus far. By later this afternoon, the cap should erode due to a combination of diurnal mixing and broad ascent ahead of the shortwave and cold front. A special ILN sounding is scheduled around 2000z to see how much the cap has eroded. Assuming the cap does erode as expected, convection should start moving in from the northwest ahead of the front by 4-5pm before spreading southeast this evening. Confidence in convective coverage and strength is greater north of I-70 closer to the low pressure system and a bit less south of I-70 where coverage is still questionable. Any storms that do get going should be in a moderate CAPE environment (2000+ J/kg) with a high amount of effective shear (35+ knots). Large hail remains a substantial threat with the strongest storms given the fairly steep mid level lapse rates and fat CAPE profile in the midlevels (indicates potential for strong updrafts). Damaging winds are also a threat with any severe storm with the high DCAPE environment in place. A tornado cannot be ruled out along cell mergers or interactions, but the low level shear environment does not appear the most conducive for tornadoes (small amount of low level shear). Storms are expected to exit the area to the east around 10 or 11pm. Relatively cooler, drier air moves in from the northwest tonight behind the front. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Dry weather returns behind the front for Friday and Friday night as high pressure builds in from the west. Northwesterly flow keeps bringing in drier, relatively cool air (for July standards) under partly cloudy skies. Forecast highs on Friday are near 80 and forecast lows are near 60. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Mean trough still over the area will have various short waves moving through. Stronger impulses, with accompanying higher chance of showers and storms mainly in northern counties, will occur on both Sunday and Monday. After the Monday system moves through, heights will be rising resulting in increasing heat along with a drying out. There is some potential that there could eventually be some weak disturbances moving over the front side of ridge which could spark some convection. But at this stage, that far out in time, the probability looks quite low. && .AVIATION /20Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Stratus continues to mix out giving way to VFR cumulus early this afternoon. VFR cumulus eventually grows into showers and thunderstorms later this afternoon ahead of an approaching cold front. Latest CAM guidance has been all over the place with thunderstorm timing so inclusion of TSRA into the TAFs will remains difficult and broad until storms start to fire up. Expect exact TSRA inclusion/timing to be amended as needed through the afternoon. Any storms will likely produce IFR, or lower, restrictions and could contain strong winds and hail. Thunderstorm activity moves east overnight with the cold front. MVFR ceilings may develop later overnight in the post frontal environment before lifting to VFR after 1300z Friday morning. Southwesterly flow is expected to increase through the afternoon to around 10 knots ahead of a cold front. Winds around 10 knots shift to the northwest behind the front and persist through 1800z Friday. OUTLOOK...Scattered thunderstorms possible Sunday. && .ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. KY...None. IN...None. && SYNOPSIS...Campbell NEAR TERM...Campbell SHORT TERM...Campbell LONG TERM... AVIATION...Campbell
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wilmington OH 422 AM EDT Thu Jul 20 2023 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ026-034-035-042>046- 051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-210830- 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- 422 AM EDT Thu Jul 20 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for East Central Indiana, Southeast Indiana, Northeast Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, Central Ohio, South Central Ohio, Southwest Ohio and West Central Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Some storms may be strong to severe with the primary severe weather threats being damaging winds and large hail. The most favored time for severe weather is from 4 PM to 10 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed today,
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wilmington OH
536 PM EDT Thu Jul 20 2023
OHZ034-035-043-202200-
Auglaize OH-Shelby OH-Mercer OH-
536 PM EDT Thu Jul 20 2023
...A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF NORTHERN
SHELBY, WESTERN AUGLAIZE AND SOUTHEASTERN MERCER COUNTIES THROUGH 600
PM EDT...
At 536 PM EDT, a rapidly developing thunderstorm was located near
Coldwater, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 45 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Hail may cause minor damage to outdoor
objects.
Locations impacted include...
Celina, Wapakoneta, St. Marys, Coldwater, New Bremen, Minster, St.
Henry, Cridersville, Anna, Botkins, New Knoxville, Moulton,
Chickasaw, Buckland, Kettlersville, Montezuma, Fryburg, Egypt, Maria
Stein and Carthagena.
This includes I-75 in Ohio between mile markers 100 and 115.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a sturdy building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for
west central Ohio.
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 4040 8409 4036 8462 4055 8466 4066 8415
TIME...MOT...LOC 2136Z 260DEG 28KT 4048 8453
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...45 MPHThe Cincinnati radar (KILN), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
26 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees were downed.
A few trees were downed.
A few trees were downed.
A tree was downed on North Main Street in Rockford.
A large section of a tree was downed on N Center Street. A power pole was also broken.
Several trees and power lines were downed.
A tree was downed.
Several trees were downed.
Several large branches were downed.
Several trees were downed across mainly western portions of Delaware County.
A large oak tree snapped and fell onto a house.
Several large branches were downed.
A few trees were downed along U.S. 23 in Delaware.
Several large limbs were downed.
Several trees and power lines were downed.
A large branch and wires were downed near Fisher and Hague Roads.
A few trees were downed.
A few trees were downed onto power lines.
A few trees and wires were downed.
Several trees were downed along State Route 73.
Minor tree and structural damage was found in different parts of the area centered on Antioch Road. This included roof damage to a barn, some trees, and some personal property.
Minor tree and structural damage was found in different parts of the area centered on Antioch Road. This included roof damage to a barn, some trees, and some personal property.
A large tree was downed on W Main Street.
A tree was downed.
Two trees were downed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, July 2023
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: 1116771, 1116774, 1116777, 1116780, 1116784, 1116782, 1116785, 1116789, 1116788, 1116792, 1116790, 1116791, 1116794, 1116793, 1116797, 1116798, 1116799, 1116800, 1116801, 1116802, 1116805, 1116808, 1116809, 1116810, 1116811, 1116817, 1116818, 1116819, 1116820, 1116822.