EF1 Tornado — Mercer, Ohio

2024-03-14 · near Celina, Mercer, Ohio

Event narrative

The tornado initially began in the city of Celina, a couple of blocks east of North Main Street, along East Anthony Street. A few houses received light damage to roofs and a few trees were knocked down. Additional light tree debris was noted along East Anthony Street toward College Avenue. The tornado continued eastward, causing tree and minor roofing damage to houses on Devonshire and Cumberland Drive. One house on Devonshire Drive had more significant roof damage. The tornado moved east from there, causing damage to the Menards store and Eastview Park, before crossing State Route 29. Sporadic tree damage was found between State Route 703 and State Route 29 as the tornado continued east. A few homes on Long Pine Drive and surrounding courts were damaged.

As the tornado neared Riley Road, it took on a more northeast motion, damaging several buildings south of State Route 29 before crossing from south to north. Damaged outbuildings, homes, and snapped/uprooted trees were then observed along Four Turkey Road north of State Route 29. After the tornado crossed State Route 29, the width of observed damage grew quite significantly, suggesting the circulation of the tornado grew. The observed damage, mostly consisting of damaged out-buildings, a few houses, and numerous trees, indicated an intensification of the tornado as well, with a swath of EF-1 damage stretching from Four Turkey Road to the Mercer/Auglaize County line. The tornado entered Auglaize County at 1808EST and continued east across the western part of the county before ending between Bay Road and Kettlersville Road at 1824EST.

Wider weather episode

Thunderstorms developed in an unseasonably warm and humid airmass ahead of an approaching cold front.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.5500, -84.5700)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1161959. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.