KENTON/MARION/GALION —A pair of tornadoes wreaked havoc in northern and central Ohio on Saturday, as a fierce line of storms swept through the region. The National Weather Service (NWS) swiftly confirmed the touchdown of the first EF1 tornado near Kenton, Hardin County. This tornado, with a peak wind speed of 90 mph, carved a path on the ground for approximately six minutes, spanning from 12:46 p.m. to 12:52 p.m. The tornado’s swath stretched 200 yards in width and covered a distance of 2.2 miles, according to NWS reports.
The destructive impact of the tornado was felt most acutely near the intersection of Detroit and Main streets, where several trees were uprooted, and significant damage occurred to the roofs of multiple homes and garages. Particularly devastating was the total destruction of a garage on Letson Street.
A secondary EF1 tornado touched down outside LaRue, Marion County, at approximately 1:08 p.m., remaining on the ground for a mere one minute. The NWS estimated this tornado’s peak wind speed at 90 mph, with a width of 75 yards. Its destructive path spanned approximately 0.13 miles, involving the partial removal of a roof from an outbuilding near the intersection of State Route 309 and Dry Lane Road North.
Reports regarding the Kenton tornado began emerging from law enforcement officials and other sources shortly before 1 p.m. These storm cells continued their eastward journey, impacting Marion County and even reaching Galion.
The NWS radar also detected a tornado in Athens County around 7:35 p.m. on Saturday night, with subsequent confirmation on Sunday of its actual touchdown. This EF1 tornado struck at approximately 7:33 p.m., remaining on the ground for a duration of 10 minutes. Wind speeds during the tornado were estimated to reach 100 miles per hour, covering a path of 2.33 miles in length. At its widest, the tornado spanned an estimated 300 yards.
According to the NWS, the Athens County tornado made initial contact three miles southeast of Athens near Angel Ridge Road. The extent of damage primarily included snapped trees and power poles, with the most severe impacts concentrated along Long Run Road.