(5-9-24) The National Weather Service in Wilmington verified a EF 2 tornado was near Coldwater.

Public Information Statement—National Weather Service Wilmington OH

538 PM EDT Wed May 8 2024

…EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR COLDWATER OHIO…

  • Start Location…4 NNW Fort Recovery in Mercer County OH
  • End Location…..1 NW Coldwater in Mercer County OH

Date………………………May 7, 2024

  • Estimated Start Time………..7:50 PM EDT
  • Estimated End Time………….8:08 PM EDT

Maximum EF-Scale Rating……..EF2

Estimated Maximum Wind Speed…120 mph

Maximum Path Width………….400 yards

Path Length………………..8.3 miles

Beginning Lat/Lon…………..40.4646 / -84.7917

Ending Lat/Lon……………..40.4969 / -84.6428

* Fatalities…0

* Injuries…..0

...Summary…

The National Weather Service in Wilmington Ohio has confirmed an EF2 tornado in Mercer County OH west of Coldwater.

The first known damage from this tornado was found on Siegrist Jutte Road, where a few trees were downed. The most significant damage occurred in two groves of trees south of State Route 219, between Wabash Road and Saint Peter Road. Sections of these trees included greater than 70 percent tree loss, with trunks snapped. A few homes along Saint Peter Road also had a significant amount of roof damage.

As the tornado continued to the east, several large outbuildings at farm properties were completely demolished or heavily damaged, while damage to well-built homes was generally limited to minor roof damage.

The final known damage from this tornado occurred to some outbuildings along Burkettsville Saint Henry Road, just northwest of Coldwater.

The National Weather Service would like to thank the Ohio State Highway Patrol Aviation Section and Mercer County Emergency Management Agency for their assistance with this survey.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

  • EF0…Weak……65 to 85 mph
  • EF1…Weak……86 to 110 mph
  • EF2…Strong….111 to 135 mph
  • EF3…Strong….136 to 165 mph
  • EF4…Violent…166 to 200 mph
  • EF5…Violent…>200 mph

* The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.