FLORENCE, KY – A pile of metal that used to be a Menards roof lay against the wall of a Dave & Buster’s. A tree hung out of the roof of an apartment building. Shattered glass and broken signs littered a shopping center in Florence.
That was the aftermath of a storm that moved through Greater Cincinnati June 18.
Most people think a tornado touched down in Florence, located about 13 miles southwest of Cincinnati. Radar-confirmed tornadoes add to that speculation.
The National Weather Service has already confirmed a tornado ripped through about a five-mile stretch between Franklin County, Indiana and Butler County, Ohio. It lasted about 10 minutes and no major injuries have been reported.
But the official process to determine whether a tornado hit the area is more complicated.
That involves a complex scientific process that can include on-the-ground analysis of wind patterns and damage assessment, according to the National Weather Service website.
Because not all wind damage – regardless of how severe – is caused by a tornado.
For example, straight-line wind (it’s exactly what it sounds like) can cause the same kind of damage an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado causes. That kind of wind can hit up to 110 mph and still not be a tornado, according to the weather service.
So, it could be a few more days before we know for sure whether a tornado touched down in Florence.
Here’s where the weather service is conducting storm assessment surveys, according to its most recent news release:
Kentucky
Ohio
Indiana
Have a news tip? Comment? You can reach Northern Kentucky reporter Jolene Almendarez at jolenea@usatodayco.com or follow her on social media. Keep up with Northern Kentucky news at NKY.com or by downloading our NKY news app.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why we still don’t know if there was a Florence, KY tornado
Reporting by Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
