'I was stunned.' Central Ohio homeowners assess tornado damage

Homeowners across central Ohio began to take stock Wednesday morning of the path of destruction cut by thunderstorms and a tornado that ripped though the region just before dawn.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington confirmed Wednesday afternoon that an EF2 tornado touched down in the Blacklick area in Franklin County. The tornado weakened to category EF1 as it moved into Licking County, the agency said.

Meteorologists surveyed the damage in person, focusing on the Interstate 70 corridor between the Dayton metro area and the Columbus metro area where the damage appeared to be concentrated.

Tornado sirens were activated in Franklin County in response to a possible tornado in Madison County near the Franklin County border early Wednesday. The alerts sent homeowners scrambling for shelters and basements.

The storms felled trees, tore down power lines, caused traffic jams and even destroyed planes at a small airport in Madison County.

The NWS is asking anyone with damage to contact them.

Homes damaged, trees uprooted near Hilliard

There was major damage to homes on the Far West Side and Hilliard. Vinyl siding, shingles and branches and other tree debris were scattered in lawns and streets in one neighborhood northwest of Hilliard-Rome and Roberts roads, with homes on some streets damaged and those on nearby streets seemingly untouched.

Trees in front lawns were snapped off near their bases, with work crews already placing remnants in wood chippers on the street.

One wall of a garage was blown out at the Oldwynne Road home of Andrew and Carole Essex, who were standing outside their house Wednesday morning. The chimney had collapsed and and a front second-floor window was missing.

“We woke up and went down to the basement. We grabbed the kids and went down,” said Carole Essex, 29. She and her husband, 32, were there with their two young children — a 2-year-old and a 1-month-old — when the storm hit.

“It sounded like our house collapsed,” she said.

“I looked at Andy and said, ‘Oh my god, we were hit by a tornado,” she said.

Nearby, Rhys Jones was picking up shingles from the front yard of a badly damaged neighbor’s house and putting them in a green trash can.

“I woke up around 5:15 to tornado sirens,” Jones, 25, said. He said he woke his brother up, and they went down to the basement.

The wind picked up, with strong winds lasting for about 30 seconds, Jones said. He said he and his brother emerged from the basement about 5:45 a.m.

“We just wanted to make sure everyone was OK,” he said.

A Hilliard police officer on Oldwynne said they had no reports of injuries.

Family members walk out of a storm-damaged home on Rt. 56 in Madison County Wednesday morning after strong storms blew through about 4 am. No one was injured at this home; three horses and a donkey in a barn on the property were not injured.

On Oakwynne Avenue, Dan Goff’s backyard shed was destroyed, and a brown wooden fence knocked down.

“The house shook for about a minute,” Goff, 48, said. He said he didn’t realize the damage until he went outside.

Jen Anderson lives nearby on Sandbrook Lane in Hilliard and was walkng Greystone Lane checking on the neighborhood. She said her home was fine.

“I’m like seven houses from all of this. Crazy,” she said.

There also was extensive damage reported in Jefferson Township in eastern Franklin County. There are dozens of trees down near Havens Corners Road and North Waggoner Road. There are some roads that are closed by downed trees. Portions of Havens Road and McOwen Road are closed.

Significant damage was also reported at the Madison County Airport, located off of U.S. 40 west of West Jefferson.

Leveled garages, twisted trees around Blacklick

Dannie Devol, who lives on a private drive north of the Blacklick area, was out early Wednesday morning, clearing torn and twisted trees from the road with some help from his neighbors.

A few hours before, he was up with his wife, son and dog, sheltering from the storm that ripped trees from their roots in his neighborhood.

His home managed to avoid getting damaged, but his standalone garage, which he had recently converted into a gym, had a tree topple on it, damaging the roof and bending the structure.

“It’s gonna be a little clean up for sure,” Devol said.

Down the road, Graham Alexander, 84, surveyed the neighborhood’s damage with his dog, Ginger.

During the night, he moved to his home’s bomb shelter to wait out the storm.

“I was stunned when I came out,” Alexander said.

Further west near Pataskala, Dave Coleman woke up this morning, turned on the news and decided to go to work, thinking the worst of the storm would miss his home.

“The sad part of it, that’s what doesn’t make any sense, we were getting some rain and stuff, a little bit of wind, nothing that amounted to (anything),” he said.

While he was out, the storm came through, leveling his garage that housed his classic car collection and a motorcycle. The wind flipped the garage’s roof vertically, mangling it and wrapping it around a tree.

Dannie Devol assesses the damage while working to clear trees off his private road after a potential tornado touched down in the early morning. (Credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch)

His neighbor, Bob Summers, was awoken at around 5:30 to hear heavy winds outside his home.

“I thought, ‘Huh, that sounds like a freight train. Well, I’m glad I’m still in bed because I’m not getting up,’” he said.

When he came out Wednesday morning, he found his backyard shed destroyed by a tree and a plastic play set in his yard sitting around 100 feet away near his neighbor’s home.

Summers’ two horses, Toro and Jezebelle, survived the storm unscathed, but they had to settle for hay instead of their usual grain breakfast.

“I’m thinking they don’t like it when their breakfast is missing,” he said.

How can I tell if roads are closed?

There are reports of road closures throughout the region.

The Ohio Department of Transportation reported that the southbound lanes of Interstate 71 are closed south of U.S. 62 due to debris in the roadway.

ODOT also reported that U.S. 42 is closed between I-70 and U.S. 40 due to downed power lines. Avoid the area if possible and seek alternate routes.

ODOT’s online traffic monitor, Ohgo.com, displays major weather impacts on travel as well as construction, travel delays and accidents. Any major road closures or heavy traffic will appear on the map.

You can even select a camera on the map to see conditions in real-time as you plan your journey.

Feb 28, 2024; Pataskala, Ohio, USA; Jefferson Township employees Jack Neville and Nate Matthews work to clear trees off the roads after a potential tornado touched down in the early morning.

A timeline of a stormy morning in Central Ohio

A tornado warning was in effect for Franklin County through 5:45 a.m. Tornado debris was reported near West Jefferson along the Madison-Franklin border and in Hilliard. The National Weather Service reported in a tweet at 5:22 a.m. that a tornado touched down east of London moving eastward into Franklin County.

A warning was in effect for Licking and Fairfield counties until 6:15 a.m. The warning was extended to Perry and Morgan counties.

A hangar was destroyed and airplanes damaged at the Madison County Airport after a tornado touched down in the pre-dawn hours Feb. 28, 2024.

At 6:57 a.m., the National Weather Service canceled the tornado watch for the area, although it reported that gusty winds are expected to persist throughout the afternoon. Temperatures also are expected to drop into the 20s later today.

“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter,” the NWS says. “Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely.”

Thunderstorms accompanying the storm with wind gusts in the area of 70 mph.

Franklin County had canceled the scheduled noon Wednesday tornado siren warning test in anticipation of the predicted severe weather.

Feb 28, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; The backyard of a storm-damaged home on Rt. 56 in Madison County Wednesday morning after strong storms blew through about 4 am.

Here are some resources and frequently asked questions for weathering the storm.

Are schools delayed due to tornado warning?

Numerous area schools have announced delays because of the severe weather. We have compiled them here.

How can I check for power outages during the storm?

AEP Ohio maintains an online map with power outages in the area.

About 7,000 people were without power across the region at about 7:10 a.m., according to AEP, while Columbus Power reported about 1,000 without electricity.

Columbus Division of Power maintains its own outage map. If your address is included on the map, there’s no need to report an outage at your location. The city is already aware.

New city power outages can be reported at 614-645-7627.

Is my flight from Columbus delayed?

Some flight delays were reported at John Glenn International Airport Tuesday afternoon, but it was unclear if those were weather-related.

Flight statuses can be checked online at FlyColumbus.com, through your airline app or by contacting your airline.

Are tornadoes common in the winter?

December and January are the least common months for tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. But by late February, severe weather and tornadoes are “fairly common.”

As climate change pushes Ohio springs earlier and fall later, we might see more of these winter tornadoes.

A history of twisters: Tornadoes in Ohio since 1950

Tornadoes are most common during spring and summer, especially April through July.

What’s the weather for the rest of the week?

Wednesday: Possible thunderstorms before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cloudy with temperatures dropping to about 36 by 5 p.m. Breezy, with a southwest wind 16 to 23 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. West wind 11 to 17 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 41.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a 30% chance of rain after 1 p.m. and a high near 48.

Friday Night: Cloudy with a 30% chance of rain before 1 a.m. and a low around 41.

Saturday: Partly sunny with a high near 59.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy with a low around 44.

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@MarkFerenchik

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: ‘I was stunned.’ Central Ohio homeowners assess tornado damage