Both tornadoes were were rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The weakest of tornadoes on the rating scale has wind speeds between 65 and 85 mph.
The stronger of the pair of tornadoes was in Champaign County.
“The survey found a swatch of concentrated and rather extensive tree damage likely caused by a weak tornado through the east side of the town of Christiansburg,” the NWS said.
Maximum wind speeds reached 75 mph in the tornado that touched down at 7:35 p.m. Its path was 125 yards wide as the tornado traveled 0.8 mile before lifting up at 7:36 p.m. in an open field.
The first damage was noted along South Lincoln Street with a few limbs down. As the tornado increased a little in intensity, more extensive tree damage was seen with large limbs snapped off on the north side of town, the survey said.
Christiansburg resident Kurt Emerick said there were a lot of high winds he could hear at first. He said the wind was rotating outside for less than a minute.
There was no damage to his home, he said.
“We were really fortunate,” Emerick said.
Pat Schaefer, who also lives in Christiansburg, said it was raining when he went to the store Sunday, and the town was torn up when he got back.
“Trees down. Branches down. Stuff flying everywhere,” Schafer said. “I don’t know if it were a straight-line (wind) or a tornado, but it looked like a straight-line.”
The Miami County tornado survey revealed a short path of minor damage “consistent with winds speeds around 70 mph,” the NWS said.
The tornado touched down at 7:23 p.m. with a maximum path width of 150 yards. It traveled for 0.6 mile before lifting up at 7:24 p.m.
“The survey revealed a path of damage likely caused by a brief tornado beginning on the west side of South Tipp-Cowlesville Road, where a detached garage had part of its roof lifted and removed, with concentrated tree damage throughout the rest of the property,” the survey said.
Roofing material was carried approximately 200 yards.
A grove of trees sustained damage with large branches snapped and broken off on the other side of South Tipp-Cowlesville Road before the tornado went northeast toward Tipp Canal Road before lifting in an open field, according to the NWS.
No injuries were reported in either tornado.
Starting at about 7:15 p.m., tornado warnings were issued in Clark, Miami and Montgomery counties with a later tornado warning added in Champaign County.
AES Ohio reported more than 5,500 customers without power around 9 p.m. on Sunday. More than 300 customers remained without power as of Monday afternoon, with the majority of outages in Montgomery County.
AES crews in Christiansburg said power was restored to most residents by 5 a.m. Monday.
More about the storm survey information can be found here.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
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