| Tornado outbreak of August 24, 2016 | |
| Type: | Tornado outbreak |
| Active: | August 24, 2016 |
| Tornadoes: | 24 |
| Fujitascale: | EF3 |
| Tornado Duration: | 6 hours, 28 minutes |
| Highest Winds: | Tornadic – 160mph (near Woodburn, Indiana) |
| Total Fatalities: | 21 injuries |
| Damages: | >$100 million |
| Affected: | Indiana, Ohio, Ontario |
| Enhanced: | yes |
| Partof: | the tornado outbreaks of 2016 |
A six-hour tornado outbreak of 24 tornadoes impacted Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario on August 24, 2016. Several of these tornadoes were strong and caused significant damage, including a high-end EF2 tornado that struck Windsor, Ontario, Canada and an EF3 tornado that struck Kokomo, Indiana. This particular tornado outbreak was unusual for multiple reasons, including the fact that it was largely unexpected. The Storm Prediction Center had issued only a slight risk for severe weather that day, with the threat for a tornado or two limited to parts of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois. Despite this, the outbreak unfolded entirely outside of the outlined threat area as numerous supercell thunderstorms developed unexpectedly across parts of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, producing numerous tornadoes. Tornado outbreaks of this size and intensity are also not commonly seen during the late summer months across the Ohio Valley region. Despite the damage, no fatalities occurred.
The tornado outbreak of August 24 was not expected. That morning, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a level 2/Slight risk of severe weather stretching from northeastern Kansas into western Illinois. However, areas from northern Indiana to northwestern Ohio, where the brunt of tornadic activity occurred later in the day, were only in a level 1/Marginal risk; this risk area was for the threat of damaging winds, as the probability of a tornado within 25miles of any point across regions of Indiana and Ohio was forecast to be less than 2 percent.[1] Throughout the morning and early afternoon hours, several bands of shower and thunderstorm activity overspread Illinois and Indiana, fueled by a boundary separating warmer temperatures to the south and cooler temperatures to the north. With convective available potential energy (CAPE) values around 2,000 J/kg, dewpoints in the low to mid-70s °F, and sufficient vertical wind shear along the boundary, the environment seemed supportive of severe thunderstorms, prompting the SPC to expand the Slight risk eastward into southern Illinois and Indiana.[2] Still, areas across northern Indiana into lower Michigan and Ohio remained in a Marginal risk, as the cloud shield associated with a mesoscale convective vortex over northwestern Illinois was expected to limit instability in these areas.[3] Over the ensuing hours, unusual convective trends unfolded. While the morning line of storms across Illinois and Indiana dissipated, a secondary and more robust cluster of storms developed across eastern Illinois and progressed east by the early afternoon. Typically, discrete supercells congeal into squall lines as storms mature. In this case, however, the line of storms broke down into individual supercells as they tracked across northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio, marking the start of a short-duration but significant tornado outbreak. The first tornado touched down west of Indianapolis, Indiana, at 18:38 UTC (1:38 p.m. CDT).[4] Shortly thereafter, the SPC issued a localized tornado watch for Indiana and Ohio,[5] despite expressing uncertainty over whether one would be needed just an hour before.[2] As the original round of tornado-producing supercells continued east, additional supercells developed throughout the afternoon hours. By the end of the day, a total of 24 tornadoes occurred across Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario in Canada,[4] including a pair of EF3 tornadoes in southern Kokomo, Indiana, and near Woodburn, Indiana. In addition to the rare convective evolution and unexpected nature of the event, it was notable in that large tornado outbreaks are an unusual occurrence in late August.[4]
| Location | County / Parish | State / Province | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=# | EF2 | SE of Crawfordsville | Montgomery | IN | 18:38–18:48 | 5.37abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 125abbr=onNaNabbr=on | This tornado damaged 30 homes, with the most severe damage occurring in the Linnsburg area. Extensive damage to trees and barns occurred as well.[6] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF3 | Southern Kokomo | Howard | IN | 19:20–19:34 | 8.63abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | An intense tornado caused major damage in the southern part of Kokomo. 1,000 homes were damaged, 170 of which sustained major damage. 80 of these homes were destroyed, some sustaining loss of roofs and exterior walls. Many large trees and power poles were snapped along the path, and the Park Place Apartments were heavily damaged as well. Vehicles were also damaged, including a large truck that was moved 10feet from the driveway of a house and flipped over. A Starbucks was completely destroyed, and several people were left trapped inside and had to be rescued. Many sheds and detached garages were destroyed as well, and a receipt from Kokomo was found 30miles away in Marion. This was the strongest tornado to strike Kokomo since 1965, when an F4 tornado devastated the area. 20 people were injured.[7] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | Indianapolis | Marion | IN | 20:18–20:19 | 0.37abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A tornado briefly touched down in the Brightwood neighborhood of Indianapolis, snapping numerous tree limbs and downing a large but rotten tree. A house had its windows blown out and pieces of its siding removed, while a large commercial building sustained minor roof damage.[8] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | E of Van Buren | Wells | IN | 20:59–21:00 | 0.04abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A brief tornado snapped tree branches, pulled metal siding from a pole barn, and dragged an unanchored wellhouse into a pond.[9] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF3 | NW of Woodburn to E of Harlan | Allen | IN | 21:27–21:39 | 5.26abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 500abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A high-end EF3 multiple-vortex wedge tornado damaged several houses, some heavily. One home was swept away with only the subflooring left behind, though the home was poorly anchored and trees in the immediate vicinity sustained only minimal damage. Corn and soybean fields were severely scoured along the path, and many large trees were snapped and uprooted, including a few that were denuded and debarked. Large, well-constructed barns were obliterated with debris scattered up to a mile away. Two combines from one of the barns were thrown and mangled, one of which was found 200yd away. A dump truck from the same location was thrown and had its cab and engine ripped from the frame, while a nearby car was carried at least 585yd into a field. A large, well-anchored barn was swept away at another location, with three vehicles stored inside being destroyed. Many other small outbuildings were damaged or destroyed as well. Surveyors noted that the extreme vehicle and machinery damage suggests possible EF4 intensity, but there was not enough evidence to warrant an upgrade.[10] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF1 | ESE of Flora to NNE of Kokomo | Carroll, Howard | IN | 21:40–22:22 | 17.06abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several barns suffered partial wall and roof damage along the path, while a garage slid off its foundation. Trees and crops were damaged throughout the path, and wooden power poles were bent over.[11] [12] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF1 | N of Berne | Adams | IN | 21:49–22:03 | 7.56abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado followed a skipping path, occasionally touching down in corn and bean fields. Several taller barn structures suffered partial roof loss with debris thrown several hundred yards. Large trees had broken limbs while smaller trees were knocked down or uprooted.[13] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF2 | NE of Antwerp to SE of Mark Center | Paulding, Defiance | OH | 21:53–22:04 | 4.42abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 250abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A strong multiple-vortex tornado passed near the town of Cecil, causing extensive damage to farmsteads. Homes had their roofs torn off and were shifted off of their foundations, and the newer addition of one farm home was completely destroyed. Two mobile homes were blown off of their foundations. Vehicles, barns, garages, and outbuildings were destroyed, and many large trees were snapped and uprooted along the path as well.[14] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | Peru | Miami | IN | 22:13–22:14 | 0.06abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado briefly touched down, damaging shingles at a medical center downing large tree limbs.[15] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF2 | N of Defiance | Defiance | OH | 22:28–22:34 | 2.64abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Trees and tree limbs were snapped, the roof was torn from a business, and power poles were snapped as well. A house sustained roof damage, a storage building collapsed, and barns and outbuildings were destroyed. One person was injured.[16] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF1 | W of Van Wert | Van Wert | OH | 22:30–22:41 | 5.45abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado skipped along its path. Trees were uprooted and snapped. One home suffered roof and siding damage while mud was thrown onto a nearby garage, which suffered minor damage. A large barn lost its roof. Small gravestones were moved.[17] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | NW of Van Wert | Van Wert | OH | 22:41–22:45 | 1.47abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A secondary spin-up tornado damaged corn and bean crops.[18] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF1 | W of Napoleon | Henry | OH | 22:48–22:54 | 2.8abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 150abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A tornado with multiple touchdowns broke tree limbs and caused roof damage to several homes. A storage building was severely damaged, a barn was destroyed, and several silos were moved off their foundations.[19] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | NE of Van Wert | Van Wert | OH | 22:51–23:04 | 4.65abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 40abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado mainly caused damage to corn and bean crops. It lifted at one point near the middle of the path.[20] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | Indian Heights | Howard | IN | 22:58–23:00 | 0.67abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Homes and trees were damaged.[21] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF1 | LaSalle | Wayne (MI), Essex (ON) | MI, ON | ~23:00–? | 4.6km (02.9miles) | 250abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A tornado first began over the Detroit River and moved across Grassy Island, causing tree damage. A marina on the Ontario shore of the Detroit River sustained damage to trees, and two aluminum boats and a shed were tossed. Further inland, several homes sustained damage to their roofs, doors, or windows, including one home that had a quarter of its roof removed. More large trees were snapped or uprooted, and a hydro pole was snapped and thrown a short distance.[22] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF1 | S of Russiaville | Howard | IN | 23:00–23:02 | 1.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | One garage was damaged, and trees and crops were damaged throughout the path.[23] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | NE of Van Wert | Van Wert | OH | 23:04–23:10 | 2.46abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado mainly caused damage to corn and bean crops.[24] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF2 | Windsor | Essex | ON | 23:15–? | 12.7km (07.9miles) | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | This high-end EF2 tornado caused major damage to factories and industrial buildings along the E.C. Row Expressway. This included a metal frame warehouse structure that was flattened. Multiple vehicles were severely damaged, including several large cube vans that were dragged through a parking lot. Garbage dumpsters were thrown up to 120m (390feet) away, power poles were snapped, and large amounts of sheet metal was wrapped around guard rails and power lines. Numerous trees were downed, and multiple homes sustained damage in residential areas, at least a dozen of which sustained significant structural damage.[25] [26] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | S of Kokomo | Howard | IN | 23:16–23:21 | 2.95abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado bent a road sign and caused damage to a billboard and trees.[27] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | ESE of Liberty Center | Henry | OH | 23:19–23:20 | 0.01abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A tornado briefly touched down in a field and damaged crops.[28] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | Dupont | Putnam | OH | 23:26–23:29 | 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado moved directly through Dupont, damaging trees, roofs, siding, and crops and lifted water from the Auglaize River.[29] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | NE of Continental | Putnam, Henry | OH | 23:48–23:50 | 0.64abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 15abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A very brief tornado touched down in a field.[30] | |
| bgcolor=# | EF0 | SW of Pemberville | Wood | OH | 01:06 | 0.04abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado touched down and immediately lifted. A storage building lost much of its sheet metal roof, with debris carried into nearby trees.[31] | |