Tornadoes Strike Ohio, Indiana, Arkansas

A​t least three people were killed and dozens more injured as a March tornado outbreak swept through parts of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas. Multiple EF3 tornadoes were confirmed among the pack.

The storm system flipped boats, ripped through homes, toppled trees and took out power as they carved a path of destruction through especially vulnerable rural areas of the Midwest and South.

Here are our updates from throughout the day Friday:

(5:00 p.m. ET) Reports Rolling In

The National Weather Service received more than 400 reports of severe weather from Thursday morning through Friday morning. That’s the most of any 24-hour period in the U.S. since last August.

That August 7th severe weather outbreak killed two people and led to thousands of flight cancellations and delays at major airports.

(4:30 p.m. ET) Severe Outlook Overnight

The dangerous storm system continues its move through the southeast this weekend.

From weather.com Senior Digital Meteorologist Jonathan Erdman: “While a few severe thunderstorms are possible through this evening near the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, the highest threat for severe weather through Saturday morning is basically along and south of the I-10 corridor in central and southeast Texas. Large hail is the main threat, but damaging thunderstorm winds, locally flooding rain, and isolated tornadoes are also possible there.”

(4:10 p.m. ET) Tornado Severity Upgraded

A tornado that ripped through Logan County, Ohio has been upgraded to an EF3.

Photos from the area show toppled trees, houses without walls, and yards filled with destroyed furniture.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office confirmed three people were killed by the storm, which leveled homes, businesses and knocked out power for thousands.

(3:35 p.m. ET) Confirmed EF3 Tornado

The National Weather Service office in Indianapolis confirmed a rare EF3 twister touched down in Winchester, Indiana.

At least 38 people were hurt in the area, several of whom had life-threatening injuries, according to Winchester Mayor Bob McCoy. 22 homes were completely destroyed and more than 100 were badly damaged.

The Winchester tornado is only the second to reach EF3 status this year. The first was in Panama City Beach on January 9th.

(3:15 p.m. ET) Tornado Threat Continues

A confirmed tornado was sighted on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, spawned by the same weather system that flattened parts of Indiana and Ohio on Thursday.

Railroad crews reported downed rail signs and trees. The National Weather Service warned hail was also possible.

As the storms move to the south and east, millions of residents are under severe weather alerts.

(3:00 p.m. ET) Widespread Damage In Central Ohio

R​eporting live from Logan County, Ohio, The Weather Channel’s Mike Seidel shows the widespread damage left behind by an EF2 tornado.

He visited a marina, where boats and jetskis were tossed upside down and wooden structures were left unrecognizable.

The National Weather Service Office in Cleveland also confirmed an EF2 tornado was on the ground for 10 miles, spanning Crawford and Richland counties. The twister had a top wind speed of 120 mph.

In nearby Huron County, officials confirmed a “very serious and dangerous” tornado touched down in the area, spanning a half mile..

(2:30 p.m. ET) Ohio Resident “Lucky To Be Alive”

Blaine Schmidt of Lakeview, Ohio told the Associated Press almost all of his belongings were destroyed. He sifted through glass and wood to salvage his guitar.

Meanwhile most of his furniture, including his couch and a crib, were torn apart.

Schmidt says he feels lucky to have survived. He and his roommate jumped into a bathtub as soon as they heard sirens, covering themselves with a shower curtain as protection against shattered glass.

(2:10 p.m. ET) Arkansas Community Assesses Damage

Damage in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas has been compared to an EF2 tornado.

Local media reports at least six agencies were working on assessment and cleanup Friday afternoon, as crews were “still in search and rescue phase.” No injures have been reported so far.

(1:25 p.m. ET) Several EF1 Twisters Recorded

The National Weather Service has confirmed multiple EF1 tornadoes hit the midwest Thursday.

The twisters were recorded in Switzerland County, Indiana; Licking County, Ohio; and far western Mercer County, Ohio, near the Indiana state line.

The NWS says its survey teams are moving west as they continue to collect data on the damage. They expect to issue a full report by Friday evening.

(12:55 p.m. ET) State Of Emergency In Kentucky

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency after strong storms, including a tornado, swept across the state.

“We have significant damage to a number of structures, especially in Milton, in Trimble County. Though, thankfully, every report we have received, up until now, indicates there have been no fatalities and only a couple of minor injuries – and that is the most important thing,” Beshear said in a press release. The governor said he would be traveling to Milton on Saturday morning to see the destruction firsthand.

A tornado that jumped the Ohio River on Thursday afternoon did significant damage to property in Kentucky and Indiana.

(12:10 p.m. ET) Ohio’s Severe Weather Streak

From weather.com Senior Digital Meteorologist Jonathan Erdman: “Thursday marked the third day over the past two weeks in which at least one tornado touched down in the Buckeye State. Early on Feb. 28, nine tornadoes tore through Ohio, from just northeast of Dayton, to the suburbs of Columbus, to Monroe County near the West Virginia state line. Three of those were rated EF2. On March 5, an EF0 landspout tornado damaged a property in Putnam County.”

We could see this trend continue as we move into Spring. Here’s why March marks the start of a tornado uptick.

(11:40 a.m. ET) Eyewitness Captures Devastation

Photos sent in by Mark Engle show the aftermath of a tornado in Wapakoneta, Ohio. The storm ripped through the walls of a house, leaving bedrooms completely exposed.

(11:00 a.m. ET) Good News For Ohio

From weather.com Senior Digital Meteorologist Jonathan Erdman: “Fortunately, the weather will be much calmer in the Ohio Valley through the weekend. Saturday looks breezy and mild with only a stray shower possible as a cold front approaches. Sunday will be windy and chillier, but still mainly dry.”

Take a look at where the severe weather is heading next here.

(10:40 a.m. ET) Why The Numbers Could Still Change

A total of eight tornadoes were reported, but that could change as the National Weather Service conducts damage surveys in the areas hit.

The NWS sends a survey team made up of meteorologists to gather data and reconstruct each tornado, determining when and where it began and ended. This is also when tornadoes are classified by magnitude. Initial reports suggest several of Thursday’s tornadoes may have been EF2.

(​9:20 a.m. ET) RV Park Destroyed By Ohio Tornado

N​ew drone images shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Nicholas Krasznavolgyi show the damage to an RV park that suffered a direct hit from the tornado that struck Lakeview, Ohio. This is the Indian Lake area.

(​9 a.m. ET) Workers Use Snow Plows To Clear Trees, Debris From Roads

F​rom weather.com editor Tim Harris:

In Logan County, Ohio, snow plows took on a different sort of weather threat Thursday night. As severe storms moved across the region, producing tornadoes and powerful winds, trees were snapped and uprooted, leaving many lying in the road. The Ohio Department of Transportation’s press secretary posted an image to social media showing the debris being cleared.

(​8:30 a.m. ET) First Light Reveals Extreme Damage In Lakeview, Ohio

T​he Indian Lake area of Lakeview, Ohio, was one of the locations hit hardest by last night’s tornadoes. As the sun rises, these photos provide our first look at the scope of devastation in the area. This is where at least three people were killed last night.

(​8 a.m. ET) New Images Of Damage From Indiana

I​n Hanover, Indiana, new images show serious damage to homes in the town located along the Ohio River just across the Kentucky border. An EF2 tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service.

(​7:40 a.m. ET) Severe Storms Aren’t Done Yet

A​s residents in the Midwest begin to clean up the damage from last night’s storms, the next round is already underway in the South this morning. Tornado warnings have been issued in parts of Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Texas.

F​or a complete rundown of what’s expected today, head to our forecast page.

(​7:20 a.m. ET) What They’re Saying About The Aftermath

Sheriff Randy Dobbs, Logan County, Ohio: “It looks like a war zone … the cleanup on this is just going to be painstaking. And these people up here – a lot of them have lost everything.”

Winchester, Indiana, Mayor Bob McCoy: “I’m shaken; it’s overwhelming. I heard what sounded like a train and then I started hearing sirens. I’ve never heard that sound before; I don’t want to hear it again.”

Amber Fagan, president and chief executive of the Indian Lake, Ohio, Area Chamber of Commerce: “There’s places burning. There’s power lines through people’s windows.”

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (via Facebook): “Severe weather has impacted Hoosiers all across the state, and we have emergency response personnel in the impacted areas.”

(​7 a.m. ET) Third Death Confirmed In Ohio

C​iting information from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, The Weather Channel has confirmed a third death from the tornado that struck the Ohio county last night.

“​Unfortunately, I anticipate probably finding more” victims, he told The Weather Channel.

Further details were not immediately available.

(​6:40 a.m. ET) Map Of Midwest Tornado Reports

H​ere are the tornado reports from yesterday in the Midwest. The National Weather Service will send crews out today to survey the damage and determine which of these areas actually saw a tornado.

(​6:20 a.m. ET) Were These Tornadoes Unexpected?

F​rom weather.com senior meteorologist Chris Dolce:

There was the possibility of a few tornadoes and large hail in the Thursday morning Storm Prediction Center forecast, for an area stretching from the mid-Mississippi Valley to Ohio.

But early morning storms reduced confidence in exactly how unstable the atmosphere might become later in the day to produce severe storms, so Ohio had a lower probability of tornadoes when compared to areas in the South.

It appears that just enough unstable air was available in an environment with plenty of wind shear for rotating supercell thunderstorms to form and produce tornadoes.

It’s an example that just because you are in a lower probability threat of tornadoes for a given day compared to other areas, it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Sometimes it means that the threat of tornadoes is more conditional, meaning it’s dependent on uncertain factors in the atmosphere that aren’t yet clear even hours before the severe weather begins, such as in this case.

(​6 a.m. ET) Dozens Injured In Winchester, Indiana

A​ statement from the Randolph County Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency reported at least 38 injuries in the town of Winchester, Indiana, just east of Muncie, according to WTHR.com. It was one of the towns hit hardest by last night’s tornadoes, with numerous structures destroyed with the full scope of damage yet to be assessed.

T​he statement mentioned that 12 of the injured had to be hospitalized, but no deaths have been confirmed in the town.

(​5:45 a.m. ET) This Doubles The 2024 US Tornado Death Toll

T​he two confirmed deaths in Logan County, Ohio, are the first tornado deaths in the United States since Jan. 9. On that day, a slew of severe weather spawned killer tornadoes in Claremont, North Carolina, and Houston County, Alabama. Two deaths were attributed to twisters in that severe weather event.

A​ccording to the National Weather Service, the 30-year average for tornado deaths in the U.S. is 71 per year. Ohio averages one tornado death per year.

(​5:30 a.m. ET) These Are The Towns Hardest Hit

L​ast night’s horrific storms affected numerous towns in the Midwest and South, but these are the areas where the worst damage has been observed:

-​Ohio: Multiple tornadoes caused damage in western Ohio, with damage seen in Wapakoneta and Lakeview, Ohio, and three injuries reported in Mercer County. Two deaths were confirmed in Logan County by Chief Deputy Joe Kopus, according to the Associated Press. Lakeview was the scene of a “mass casualty incident” last night after a tornado struck southern Indian Lake and left extreme damage.

-​Indiana: A likely tornado caused damage in Winchester, Indiana, near the Ohio state line, and multiple businesses have major structural damage.

-​Arkansas: In Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, a possible tornado and baseball-sized hail caused significant damage last night. At least one building appears to be missing.

I​nformation from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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