What to know about storms in the Cincinnati area

Recently, storms, especially tornados, have seemed to pop up more often around the Cincinnati area due to severe weather changes.

While the first half of the year has always been regarded as the storm-high months, in the last decade or so, things seem to be worsening for Cincinnati and the Ohio valley. Severe weather and tornados can occur at any time. In fact, Ohio leads the nation in the number of confirmed destructive tornados so far in 2024.

Three notable tornados have occurred around the eastside of Cincinnati in recent years, in addition to other less significant ones: The Moscow Tornado of 2012, the Amelia Tornado of 2017, and most recently, the Goshen Tornado of 2022. And while those places may seem far, they’re close enough for an unpredictable storm like a tornado to be a threat even near our school campus.

Picture of a property devastated after 2017’s Amelia Tornado. Picture Taken by and provided by Chief Craig Wright.

Tornados and storms seem to be taken less seriously by students. Many students wonder aloud about the need for tornado or safety drills. People don’t see them as effective or realistic for when actual storms hit, even though professionals have proven that it is the best course of action to take.

This mindset may be caused by how most people seem to believe that tragedies, like dangerous storms, could never happen to them. This is a dangerous mindset to have, as reports show that weather is likely to worsen in the Cincinnati area.

When asked about this issue, Fire Chief Craig Wright of Pierce Township states, “When looking at data of severe weather, there’s some indications that what was formerly known as kind of “Tornado Alley” out west in the Oklahoma and Kansas region is shifting its path closer to the Ohio Valley. And there have been more tornados in recent years that have impacted our areas, and so being aware of those incidents in the past just kind of drives home the fact that tornados are a real danger that occur in the Cincinnati area and have occurred in the Ohio Valley area.”

Tornados are disturbing to many because they are unpredictable in most senses and can worsen and change direction at any moment. Many find it fascinating how mere wind can change into a storm that causes destruction and fatalities.

Picture of a street after 2012’s Moscow Tornado. Picture taken by Pierce Township and provided by Chief Craig Wright.

People also struggle with knowing what to do as a precaution of storms. Clermont County Emergency Management Director Pam Haverkos, states, “I find that people get confused about the difference between a watch and a warning. A watch means that the conditions are present for severe weather to develop, and then a warning means that it’s occurring or imminent. And while the weather service is getting more sophisticated in their ability to forecast, weather is something that we can’t control, so it’s really important that people are more aware of what is happening daily.”

Technology has also had its impact on weather awareness. As cell phones become more common and used more frequently, the way to get media notifications has changed as well.

Wright states, “You know weather radios aren’t as prevalent as they used to be because the vast majority of people have smartphones now. And all your weather stations; your local 12, Fox 19, Channel 5, WCPO Channel 9: they all have local apps that you can get weather alerts on. FEMA¹ has a free app that you can download and select your region. You can get weather alerts on that just so that you’re aware of what’s going on. Tune into the local news when there’s severe weather in the area or forecasted to be in the area. You know, pay attention to the local news and do not watch some random program on Netflix where you may miss the potential of danger in your area.”

Technology has also made it easier for officials to push out news of storms and disasters as well.

Harvorkos states as such, “In terms of pushing to social media or smartphones, the weather service when we have a tornado warning, they’re going to push out the notification, the wireless emergency alert out and it’s going to automatically ping off cell towers. Within the polygon they have drafted of where the warning block is, any cell phone tower in that vicinity will get that message and then push it out to all the smart devices. Unless you’ve gone in and turned off the potential alerts your phone should make, it’s similar to that of an amber alert sound, you should get a notification unless you have gone in and manually turned it off within your individual device.”

Overall, it’s important to realize the importance and danger of storms and to acknowledge the precautions that should be taken to save lives, especially as society changes and we adapt.