NWS now says tornado was an EF-4. Here’s what changed that ruling.

Structural damage at the Rivers Edge Apartments on Riverside Drive and tree damage along the Stillwater River just behind the complex convinced the National Weather Service to upgrade Monday’s largest Dayton-area tornado to an EF-4. These photos were taken around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. JEREMY P. KELLEY / STAFF

Structural damage at the Rivers Edge Apartments on Riverside Drive and tree damage along the Stillwater River just behind the complex convinced the National Weather Service to upgrade Monday’s largest Dayton-area tornado to an EF-4. These photos were taken around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. JEREMY P. KELLEY / STAFF

On Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service upgraded the largest tornado in Monday night’s Dayton outbreak to a Category EF-4, the second-most powerful level of tornado. In explaining the decision Friday, NWS officials cited specific damage they had found near Riverside Drive and the Stillwater River.

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“This damage included well-built apartment buildings with complete roof and exterior wall removal,” the NWS statement said. “In addition, significant tree devastation including numerous trees debarked and nubbed down to the trunk were found along the Stillwater River east of Riverside Drive.”

The Dayton Daily News was the first to bring you those images, as a reporter was at the Rivers Edge Apartments along the Stillwater River as dawn broke Tuesday morning, interviewing residents about their harrowing night.

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The attached photos were taken between 6 and 6:40 a.m. Tuesday.

Stay with DaytonDailyNews.com and WHIO.com for the most complete coverage of the tornadoes, the aftermath and the community’s recovery.

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