One week of severe thunderstorms, including a possible derecho, nearly doubled the tornado total in Ohio for the year.
Now, the number of twisters out of that set of storms is growing again as the National Weather Service has confirmed another tornado touched down Aug. 15 and released details on two other tornadoes that day.
The NWS office in Wilmington, which covers Central and Southwest Ohio, confirmed a total of three tornadoes struck Miami and Champaign counties Aug. 15. That brings the total number of Ohio tornadoes to date in 2026 to 37, 17 of which were spawned by storms on Aug. 11 and 15.
Here's a look at the latest confirmations.
Three tornadoes hit Miami, Champaign counties on Aug. 15
The first tornado, confirmed via video evidence, touched down at 8:05 p.m. north of Fletcher in Miami County
and lifted 2 minutes later, leaving a path 0.6 miles long and 50 yards wide at its maximum. This tornado is believed to have impacted open fields south of Miami Shelby Road near Casstown Fletcher Road, per NWS. As it produced no known damage, the NWS has designated it an EF-Unknown on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The second tornado touched down northwest of St. Paris in Champaign County at 8:21 p.m. and lifted at 8:23 p.m., leaving a half-mile path 50 yards wide. It produced minor tree damage and some roof damage at properties along Mahan Road. The tornado was rated an EF0 with peak wind speeds of 65 mph.
The final confirmed tornado hit north of St. Paris at 8:24 p.m. and was on the ground for 12 minutes. It was rated an EF0 with wind speeds of 75 mph and left a path 3.3 miles long and 80 yards wide. This tornado was confirmed via video evidence, a storm damage survey and satellite imagery of crop damage. It also downed several trees.
How does NWS confirm tornadoes?
After suspected tornadoes are spotted, crews from National Weather Service survey possible tornado damage in person.
The pattern of damage, not how much damage was caused, determines whether it was a tornado, according to the weather service. For tornadoes, with their violently rotating columns of air, damage often has a chaotic appearance, with larger uprooted trees often crossing each other. Weather service surveyors often look at larger uproots of trees to get a true idea of where the wind was blowing from.
What's the difference between a tornado, a macroburst and a microburst?
The National Weather Service defines a microburst as a localized column of rapidly sinking air within a thunderstorm. Wind speeds in microbursts can reach up to 100 mph or higher, which is equivalent to an EF1 tornado. Winds this high can cause major damage to homes and other structures and level hundreds of trees.
The difference between a microburst and a macroburst is the size, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A macroburst is larger than 2.5 miles, while a microburst is smaller than that. A microburst is also short-lived, usually lasting 5 or 10 minutes.
Again, the weather service looks at the pattern of damage to determine a microburst or macroburst. Damage from both looks flattened out, with trees pointing in the same direction or fanning out from one another.
How are tornadoes rated?
The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
- EF0: Weak, with wind speeds of 65 to 85 mph
- EF1: Weak, 86 to 110 mph
- EF2: Strong, 111 to 135 mph
- EF3: Strong, 136 to 165 mph
- EF4: Violent, 166 to 200 mph
- EF5: Violent, greater than 200 mph
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Another tornado from August storms confirmed in Ohio
