Severe Weather Strikes Northwest Ohio with Hail, High Winds
Ping pong ball-sized hail and 60 mph winds batter northwest Ohio communities as severe thunderstorms prompt multiple weather warnings.
DEFIANCE, OHIO — A line of severe thunderstorms swept through northwest Ohio Tuesday afternoon, bringing ping pong ball-sized hail and 60 mph wind gusts that prompted multiple weather warnings across the region.
The National Weather Service Northern Indiana office issued a series of severe thunderstorm warnings beginning at 3:05 PM EDT, tracking a dangerous storm system as it moved east at speeds up to 55 mph. The most recent warning, issued at 3:39 PM EDT, remained in effect until 4:00 PM EDT.
Trained weather spotters reported the severe conditions as the storm impacted numerous communities across Defiance, Henry, Fulton, Williams, and Paulding counties. The storm brought hazardous hail described as ping pong ball size along with damaging wind gusts.
Widespread Impact Across Multiple Counties
The severe weather affected more than 20 communities throughout northwest Ohio. Locations impacted include Defiance, Napoleon, Wauseon, Archbold, Delta, Liberty Center, Holgate, McClure, Hamler, Texas, Malinta, Florida, New Bavaria, Grelton, Ridgeville Corners, Gerald, Ayersville, Colton, Okolona, and Brailey, according to the National Weather Service.
Interstate 80 experienced dangerous conditions between mile markers 36 and 45, with earlier warnings affecting the highway from mile markers 32 through 45. The storm system initially formed near Hicksville before tracking eastward through the region.
Weather officials warned that people and animals outdoors could be injured by the severe hail, with expected damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees was also anticipated across the affected areas.
Flooding Concerns Add to Weather Troubles
A separate flood advisory issued at 3:36 PM EDT extended the weather concerns until 5:30 PM EDT, affecting portions of northern Indiana and northwest Ohio. Trained weather spotters reported minor flooding due to excessive rainfall, with between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain already fallen by 3:35 PM EDT.
The flood advisory covered Allen and De Kalb counties in Indiana, along with Defiance and Paulding counties in Ohio. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch were expected, potentially causing minor flooding in low-lying areas and poor drainage zones.
Communities expected to experience flooding include Defiance, Hicksville, Antwerp, Grabill, St. Joe, Leo-cedarville, Farmer, Ney, Cecil, Mark Center, The Bend, Brunersburg, Arthur, Saint Joe, Spencerville in De Kalb County, Harlan, Cuba, Jewell, and Ayersville.
Regional Weather Watch Remains Active
The severe weather activity occurred under a broader severe thunderstorm watch issued at 2:56 PM EDT, covering eight counties in northwest Ohio until 9:00 PM EDT. The watch area includes Allen, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, and Williams counties.
Cities under the thunderstorm watch include Antwerp, Archbold, Bluffton, Bryan, Columbus Grove, Continental, Defiance, Delta, Deshler, Edgerton, Hicksville, Leipsic, Liberty Center, Lima, Montpelier, Napoleon, Ohio City, Ottawa, Pandora, Paulding, Payne, Sherwood, Spencerville, Swanton, Van Wert, and Wauseon.
The National Weather Service advised residents to monitor weather conditions closely and take appropriate safety precautions as the storm system continued moving through the region Tuesday afternoon.
