EF1 Tornado Confirmed Near Wapakoneta, OH

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Wilmington OH
1051 PM EDT Sat Apr 1 2023

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR A CONFIRMED TORNADO IN AUGLAIZE COUNTY...

Start Location.......................3 SSW Wapakoneta in Auglaize County OH
End Location.........................3 NNE Waynesfield in Allen County OH
Date.................................04/01/2023
Estimated Start Time.................12:54 AM EDT
Estimated End Time...................1:07 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating..............EF1
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed.........110 mph
Maximum Path Width...................300 yards
Path Length..........................17.2 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon....................40.5345 / -84.2253
Ending Lat/Lon.......................40.6445 / -83.9320
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries.....7

...Summary...

The National Weather Service in Wilmington Ohio has confirmed an EF1 tornado in
Auglaize County Ohio, from near Wapakoneta to 3 miles north northeast of Waynesfield.

The first sign of visible damage associated with this tornado occurred on Owl Creek
Road. At one residence, two large trees were knocked down while a barn was destroyed
at another residence. The tornado strengthened as it moved to the northeast, removing
a significant portion of a warehouse building roof and snapping several power poles.
Just northeast of here, a large commercial greenhouse was completely leveled. The tornado
then crossed the intersection of U.S. 33 and Interstate 75, causing significant roof
damage and partial exterior wall collapse to an industrial building. At this point, the
tornado was at its strongest with estimated winds up to 110 mph.

On the east side of Interstate 75 and just north of U.S. 33, a truck stop experienced
significant damage and a few semi-trailers were blown over. Just northeast of here, a
private campground suffered significant damage. At the campsite, numerous trailers were
flipped over and a large meeting hall had its roof removed. Several trees were also
knocked down. Seven people were injured when the trailers were flipped at the campground.

As the tornado continued northeast, several farmhouses were damaged and outbuildings were
damaged or destroyed between Wapakoneta and Uniopolis, particularly along Middle Pike.
Considerable debris was noted in nearby fields. A historic brick school building was also
destroyed on Brown Road. Numerous trees were also snapped and uprooted along the path.
Sporadic damage to trees and outbuildings continued to the northeast before the tornado
apparently lifted near the Auglaize/Allen County line.

The National Weather Service would like to thank Auglaize County Emergency Management
Agency for their assistance with this survey.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

* The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$

BPP/JGL