March 2, 2012 Tornado Outbreak Retrospective Videos

March 2, 2012
Tornado Outbreak and Severe Weather

The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio has put together a series of retrospective videos with staff members reflecting on their experiences before, during, and after the March 2nd tornado outbreak.

Part 1 of the series provides an introduction to the event. You'll hear from some of our staff members about our preparations in the days and moments leading up to the storms' arrival.

Part 2 of the series concentrates on the actual tornadic event as it unfolded across our area. You'll hear some of the radar operators' thoughts from during the event (including the decision to issue our office's first tornado emergency warnings/statements) and learn a little more about what went on behind the scenes at NWS Wilmington, OH that day.

Part 3 of the series focuses on the aftermath of the event and the unprecedented number of damage surveys that NWS Wilmington began conducting the following morning, with great help from the Ohio River Forecast Center, NWS Cleveland, and numerous state, county, and local emergency personnel. You'll learn more about damage surveys and hear the reflections of NWS staff who witnessed the devastation left behind from these tornadoes and how it affected them.

Part 4, the final part in this series, is a collection of NWS Wilmington, Ohio staff members' overall reflections on this tornadic event and how it stacked up to other significant events they've encountered during their careers. You'll also hear a bit about how we prepare ourselves, our partners, and our customers for possible future tornadic/severe outbreaks.