VAN WERT, Ohio (June 19, 2025, Press Release from Van Wert County Emergency Management) – Van Wert County was hit with a significant wind storm on Wednesday afternoon, according to Van Wert County Emergency Management Director Rick McCoy. A storm system that was predicted by the National Weather Service several days ago produced tornadoes across Illinois  and damaging winds across the Hoosier and Buckeye States. As the storms approached Ohio, Van Wert County was placed under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning at 5:52pm for winds expected to reach 60mph. McCoy had already contacted Fire Department and Amateur Radio Weather Spotters and had them out in the County for reports. He had also contacted Countywide Parks Departments and asked that children’s ball games be cancelled due to the approaching storms.

As the storms moved into the County, local EMA weather stations along the State line were reporting wind gusts over 50 mph with intense rain. When the storm system was just southwest of the City of Van Wert, it began to intensify with winds recorded at the Fairgrounds at 59mph and the EMA office at 55 mph. it was on the northern fringe of the storm that it appeared a Microburst (intense downburst winds) began to develop affecting areas east of Washinton Street and north of the Railroads tracks, said McCoy.

Damage was quite extensive in that northeast part of the City with numerous trees and power lines down. A number of homes and cars were damaged by falling trees. The microburst winds which McCoy estimated at least reaching 70 mph then exited the city and flipped a semi on US 30 near Stripe Road. McCoy stated he received several reports of a possible funnel as it moved through the Northeast part of the City and a video recording confirmed within the microburst that it was producing a gustnado. The movie clearly shows the funnel on the ground moving through the area from North Walnut and Sycamore Street to North Franklin Street and then crossing the road into a field heading towards the location where 15 large transmission poles were snapped to the east of Vantage Vocational School.

McCoy noted that a gustnado forms differently then the normal tornado. It does not come down from the thunderstorm base but actually forms from the ground up and begins spinning rapidly created by the intense winds moving through so quickly.

A gustnado is a whirlwind or swirling vortex of wind that forms along a thunderstorm’s gust front, the leading edge of the storm’s outflow of air. It is not a tornado, as it doesn’t connect to the base of the storm cloud. Gustnadoes are typically brief and weak, but can cause minor damage like tossing around debris

In all McCoy said the strong winds damaged or completely snapped off or uprooted over 100 trees  throughout the city. He stated that power was out on the north side of town prompting businesses to close. Power outages were expected to continue overnight and into Thursday due to the transmission poles down near Vantage and also several additional large transmission poles snapped off near Trinity Friends Church.  McCoy stated that a number of streets would remain closed overnight due to trees across roadways. He also said Railroad officials were contacted to repair RR gates snapped off at several crossings.

The EMA Director also reported other locations with damage which included: The Bell Tower at St Marys Catholic Church was flattened along with some structural damage to the Church; A front door of the YMCA was shattered; The Bell Tower at St Marks Lutheran Church was damaged; First Financial Bank had roof damage. Front wall damage to H&R Block. McCoy said this was the worst wind damage in the City of Van Wert since the June 29, 2012 derecho. He said fortunately there were no injuries reported.