The state sees an average of 19 tornadoes annually, Storm Center 7 Chief Meteorologist McCall Vrydaghs said.
RELATED:Multiple downed trees damaged homes reported in Huber Heights
“It will slowly start to decline as we go into the summertime, but we do tend to see some tornadoes during the summer months,” she said.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington sent a team of investigators Monday to areas hit by the storm along Jordan Road near West Alexandria, on Toby Road northwest of Eaton, and on Dial Drive in Huber Heights. No serious injuries were reported in any of the tornadoes.
NWS confirmed two tornadoes struck between 8:39 and 8:50 p.m. Sunday in Preble County. They developed suddenly from a line of severe thunderstorms that moved in from the west.
Residents along Jordan Road east of West Alexandria were cleaning up Monday after the storm brought down metal roofs and downed trees. On the east side of Toby Road near Eaton, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
Residents in Huber Heights were also dealing with the storm’s aftermath. Many reported knowing exactly when the storm hit there, from 9:15 to 9:20 p.m., because they were watching the “Game of Thrones” finale.
Josh Waddell, of Chesham Drive, said he and his wife heard a large branch start to break before it crashed down onto the roof of their home. They checked on their 12-year-old and 2-year-old children in their beds to make sure they were OK.
“We were fortunate nobody was hurt. It probably landed in the best possible spot because all the bedrooms and bathrooms were untouched,” Waddell said.
A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect Sunday night, but no tornado warning was issued because that type of tornado often develops and touches down before radar can pick it up, according to Vrydaghs.
“If you get strong enough winds rushing in behind a line of storms, you get the bowing of the line. If that bowing breaks, sometimes you can get enough rotation right there near the break that you get these quick, spin-up tornadoes,” Vrydaghs said.
Brandon Harvey lives near Dial Drive in Huber Heights where multiple large trees were uprooted or knocked over. Harvey said he was driving home in the middle of the storm and didn’t see any damage or experience any problems until he turned onto Dial Drive.
“Nothing was going on at the intersection (Longford and Dial drives). As soon as I turned the corner, I saw all these leaves and branches flying and was wondering what was going on. The next thing I know something smashed through my windshield,” Harvey said.
Harvey said he suffered cuts to his hands and had glass shards removed from his fingers when he went to the hospital.
Harvey said he’s not sure what struck his windshield, describing the incident as “an instance of chaos.”
“It was like a movie. One second I’m seeing … calm and serene … I turned the corner, nothing but wind, branches just flying past me. It was almost like the movie Twister … Yeah it was windy. I’m talking high-speed winds,” he said.
Waddell also was surprised by the damage.
“We didn’t think anything like this would have happened based on what we saw weather-wise,” he said. Waddell said the system came and went, and it was calm again after that.
“We’re kind of surprised really that something this size came down,” Waddell said.
Today’s unseasonably cool temperatures will give way to warmer air later this week with highs in the 80s. The threat for thunderstorms will be there at times, but at this point there are no threats for severe weather heading into the weekend, Vrydaghs said.
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