986
NOUS41 KILN 272349
PNSILN
OHZ026-281200-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
749 PM EDT FRI MAR 27 2026
..NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR MARCH 26, 2026 TORNADO EVENT
A BRIEF EF1 TORNADO OCCURRED JUST SOUTH OF KENTON IN HARDIN COUNTY,
AT THE KENTON COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.
032726-KENTON
RATING: EF1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 90 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.13 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 75 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: 03/26/2026
START TIME: 08:46 PM EDT
START LOCATION: 1 S KENTON / HARDIN COUNTY / OH
START LAT/LON: 40.6314 / -83.6109
END DATE: 03/26/2026
END TIME: 08:47 PM EDT
END LOCATION: 1 SSE KENTON / HARDIN COUNTY / OH
END LAT/LON: 40.6311 / -83.6085
SURVEY SUMMARY:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONFIRMED A TORNADO NEAR THE
CITY OF KENTON IN HARDIN COUNTY, OHIO.
THE PEAK WIND ESTIMATES WERE NEAR 90 MPH, RESULTING IN A LOWER
END EF1 CLASSIFICATION. SOME DAMAGE POINTS WERE CAUSED BY WINDS
ESTIMATED TO BE CLOSER TO 80 MPH OR HIGHER END EF0. THIS TORNADO
OCCURRED DURING THE EVENING HOURS ON THURSDAY, MAR 26, 2026.
THERE WAS A CLUSTER OF STORMS APPROACHING NORTHERN AND WESTERN
HARDIN COUNTY, IN WHICH AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY BEGAN CAUSING POWER
LINE DAMAGE NEAR 8PM. AS THE CLUSTER OF STORMS CONTINUED MOVING
EAST SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE COUNTY, WIND DAMAGE OCCURRED NEAR ALGER
WHICH WAS MORE CONDUCIVE TO STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.
WHEN THE FINAL STORM OF THE LARGER COMPLEX OF STORMS PUSHED
TOWARD KENTON, IT PRODUCED A BRIEF TORNADO AT THE HARDIN COUNTY
FAIRGROUNDS JUST SOUTH OF COUNTY ROAD 140, WITH MINOR ROOF DAMAGE
FIRST OBSERVED. SEVERAL WOODEN POWER POLES WERE DAMAGED AND EVEN
SNAPPED COMPLETELY IN HALF. ONE HARDWOOD TREE WAS ALSO COMPLETELY
SNAPPED ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE FAIRGROUNDS. ONE BUILDING
EXPERIENCED A MAJOR LOSS OF METAL ROOFING PANELS AND ANOTHER
BUILDING HAD ITS CONCRETE BLOCK SIDING BLOWN OUT, CAUSING A
PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF THE ROOF. THERE WAS ALSO UPLIFT OF AN OPEN-
ENDED BARN STRUCTURE, IN WHICH LARGE SUPPORT POLES WERE LIFTED AND
SHIFTED SLIGHTLY FROM THE GROUND. THE FINAL DAMAGE OCCURRED ON
THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE FAIRGROUNDS WITH ADDITIONAL POWER POLES
SNAPPED AND MINOR ROOF DAMAGE TO ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HARDIN
COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS
DAMAGE SURVEY.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
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