Tornado warnings, large hail send local residents to cover; flooding remains a concern

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect until noon Saturday for the region.

Tornado warnings were issued Friday for several area counties, including Butler, Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Warren counties.

Some of those communities under warnings Friday night in Montgomery, Greene and Miami counties sustained significant damage in a tornado outbreak on Memorial Day night 2019.

At 8:33 p.m. Friday, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over West Carrollton, moving southeast at 30 mph, and at 8:45 p.m., a tornado-producing storm was located near Middletown, moving southeast at 30 mph. Middletown police reported a tornado was seen in the area, but it was not confirmed nor was it known if any damage had occurred.

Tornado sirens could be heard in the Oakwood, Kettering and Dayton areas.

A truck driver reported at 6:34 p.m. that it appeared a tornado touched down on state Route 49 near Salem Avenue in Clayton, according to the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center. A tornado has not been confirmed. Crews were dispatched to assess any damage, and no injuries were reported.

At 4:11 p.m. “a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was located over Fort Recovery, moving east at 30 mph,” the NWS reported. One-inch hail also was reported.

Golf ball-sized hail was reported in Trotwood, and quarter-sized hail —about 1 inch ― was reported in downtown Dayton just before 6 p.m. by trained weather spotters to the NWS.

Trained spotters also reported nickel-sized hail in Trotwood and Greenville. Tornado sirens were sounding in Troy at 5:45 p.m. for a tornado warning in Miami County, which expired.

Weather experts had predicted the potential for severe weather outbreaks, placing the region under the elevated risk category for Friday.

“These storms will bring an enhanced risk of damaging winds, with some risk for large hail and maybe a tornado as well,” the NWS posted on social media Friday morning. “With torrential rain in some storms, flash flooding may also occur.”

The high temperature for Friday reached 85 degrees in Dayton and 88 degrees in Cincinnati.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely before 10 a.m. Saturday, then showers are likely with a thunderstorm possible between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. The day will be cloudy to start, then gradually become mostly sunny with a high near 85 degrees.

Saturday night, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be partly cloudy with a low around 67 degrees overnight.

Skies will be mostly sunny Sunday, Father’s Day, with a high temperature near 88 degrees. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. until about 8 p.m., followed by a chance of showers after 2 a.m. Overnight, it will be partly cloudy with lows around 70 degrees.

There is a chance of showers to start Monday, with showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. It will be partly sunny with a high near 87 degrees.