National Weather Service: Two short-lived tornadoes touched down in area early Wednesday

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·2 min read

COSHOCTON − The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has released details regarding the two short-lived, minor tornadoes that touched down during severe thunderstorms shortly after midnight Wednesday. Both were categorized as EF-1.

The first touched down at approximately 12:02 a.m. in Muskingum County about three miles north of Frazeysburg with peak winds of 100 mph. The path length was 0.42 miles and the maximum width was 128 yards. NWS said thunderstorm outflow surge produced a quick spin tornado that caused notable damage to a barn and home along with snapping and uprooting trees before lifting.

The second happened about 12:18 a.m. four miles north of Dresden in Coshocton County with top winds of 105 mph. The path length was 0.10 miles and the maximum width was 197 yards. NWS said thunderstorm outflow surge produced a quick spin tornado that caused damage to a house. This included blowing in walls, ripping off the roof and throwing debris across a field.

No injuries were reported from either. Damage to trees and homes in the area of Conesville across from Cleveland Cliffs on Ohio 16 was determined to have been caused by straight line winds, said the Coshocton County Emergency Management Agency.

It is the sixth confirmed tornado in Coshocton County since 1950 and the first since May 31, 1985. It's the 21st tornado in Muskingum County since 1950, with the most recent in April of this year.

Rob McMasters, Coshocton County EMA director, said his office worked with personnel from NWS and Muskingum County EMA to confirm the tornadoes and straight line wind incidents.

McMasters said both tornadoes were on the ground for a very short amount of time in a vary narrow area. He said they had potential to spin all the way up, but didn't. He said several factors will dampen a tornado, including wind sheer. He said since the tornadoes touched and then went back up into the sky, they are considered two separate tornadoes and not the same one.

"It was a day and night difference from what we were seeing damage wise compared to what we were seeing across from Cleveland Cliffs," McMasters said in comparing the tornado damage and straight line winds damage.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: National Weather Service releases details on Wednesday tornadoes