Wsaz coverage centers on a suspected tornado the National Weather Service says passed through Dublin and moved to Ohio State University in Franklin County about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 11. Surveyors cannot reach the site yet, so a final determination waits until Aug. 12 or 13.
The weather service said it also knew about damage in the area, including overturned cars, structural damage and downed trees. Observers recorded 82 mph winds at John Glenn International Airport and 52 mph winds at Ohio State University Airport.
Columbus warning and Madison County
The weather service did not issue a warning for Columbus at the time because radar signs were not clear enough for one. It did issue a warning in nearby Madison County, placing the suspected path next to a separate warning area during the same round of storms.
Lilli Malone was the reporter named with the item. Her byline anchors the account as the National Weather Service tracked the suspected tornado during a series of intense storms that hit central Ohio.
Aug. 12 or 13 survey
Surveyors are waiting because storms were expected to pick back up at 3 p.m., preventing an immediate site check. That delay leaves the evidence from Dublin and Ohio State University in Franklin County in place for now, with the final call depending on what inspectors find once they can reach the area.
The practical next step for readers in the affected area is simple: the weather service’s damage report is not the final word yet. The investigation moves from radar and wind readings to a ground survey when the weather allows, and that survey will decide whether the suspected tornado is formally treated as one.
