A look back at 3 of the most devastating tornadoes in Ohio history

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Xenia
By Nick Blizzard
May 28, 2019
X

Monday night a series of tornadoes ripped through the Miami Valley and the region killing one in Mercer County and injuring scores of others.

>> MIAMI VALLEY TORNADOES: What you need to know now

Here are 3 of the biggest tornadoes to come through Ohio:

• April 11, 1965, was the second most dangerous single day for tornadoes in Ohio, (the first happening in 1924). A total of 11 tornadoes were reported in those 24 hours. These tornadoes tore through Shelby, Preble, Greene and Fairfield counties, just to name a few. Tornadoes reached F4 conditions, according to Fujita ratings, and killed 60 people in total.

>> TORNADO RELIEF: How you can help

Aerial photos show the devastation left behind in Xenia after the F5 tornado that struck April 3, 1974. Contributed

icon to expand image
icon to close expanded image

• Possibly one of the most powerful tornadoes to ever hit Ohio happened in Xenia in 1974. There was a reported F5 tornado touchdown. A total of 32 people were killed from this storm, and most of the city was either damaged or destroyed.

>> PHOTOS: The 1974 Xenia tornado

• The Montgomery/Blue Ash tornado tore through Ohio on April 9, 1999. There were recorded F2/F3 damages left throughout the area. More than 500 homes were damaged along with the death of four people and multiple injuries.

April 4 1974: The front page of the Dayton Daily News covering the major Xenia tornado of 1974. VIEW THE FULL-SIZE PAGE: https://www.daytondailynews.com/rw/Pub/p9/DaytonDailyNews/2018/08/14/Images/1974_04_04.jpg

icon to expand image
icon to close expanded image

In Other News
1
Yellow Springs sunflower field to bloom in September
2
Xenia native ‘living the dream’ touring with country artist Bailey...
3
Grocery named anchor in new Xenia development with Greene County
4
Greene County leaders ask commissioner to return emergency radios
5
Employers outnumber job seekers at Xenia Job Fair

About the Author

Follow Nick Blizzard on facebookFollow Nick Blizzard on twitter

Nick Blizzard is a staff writer for the Dayton Daily News. He is a graduate of Stebbins High School who earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and its E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Nick is a Riverside native who has lived in Huber Heights and Kettering. He has been a journalist in the Dayton area for more than 25 years.