Weather service confirms funnel cloud after local residents share photos, videos

Credit: HARLEY GANTT/CONTRIBUTED

Residents provided multiple photos and videos of what they thought was a funnel cloud Monday night in northwest Clark County and southwest Champaign County, and the National Weather Service on Wednesday confirmed those reports.

“We did see a lot of pictures and one or two videos. It definitely was a funnel cloud,” said Christine Aiena, a meteorologist with the NWS Wilmington office.

Residents in Clark and Champaign counties took photos and videos of a funnel cloud Monday night, July 3, 2023. This image was taken by Amanda Eckart in the area of Ballentine Pike in German Twp. The National Weather Service said the funnel cloud never touched down. AMANDA ECKART/CONTRIBUTED

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NWS determined a “Very brief, very weak area of rotation” in the area between Christiansburg and Thackery in Champaign County, Aiena said. Meteorologists determined that after examining data from the Doppler radar station at the Dayton International Airport.

It happened shortly before 7 p.m. Monday.

The funnel cloud moved southeast for a scan or two of the radar, Aiena said, before it weakened.

The NWS never received any reports of damages, and Aiena said it was not considered a tornado because it lacked a debris field and did not touch the ground.

It was classified as a funnel cloud, “a really weak, really small,” one, she said.

“It definitely made for interesting visuals,” Aiena said.

A funnel cloud was captured Monday evening, July 3, 2023, from the shopping center on Bechtle Avenue near the Kroger store in Springfield. CONTRIBUTED BY JOSH BEVERLY

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Local residents on social media postings asked why no tornado warning was issued.

The NWS instead issued a special weather statement on the storm just after 7 p.m., but it was after the circulation had weakened.

Aiena said residents need to be weather aware, especially during the summer months.

“When we have these systems move through, we try to get warnings issued as soon as possible,” she said.

No warning was issued Monday, but she encouraged residents to be aware of the special weather statements.

Aiena also said summertime storms can create a big concern around lightning and outdoor activities.

“If there is thunder, there will be lighting,” she said.

Clark County has had 17 confirmed tornadoes in roughly the last 15 years.

>> Clark County tornadoes since 2000: Where they have touched down

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