OHIO — In 2024, Ohio broke its record for most tornadoes in a year, making it the standout weather story.
While Ohio didn’t have anything quite that big this year, there were still major weather events that affected communities, brought wonder across the skies and turned the Buckeye State into a winter wonderland.
January-February
Starting the year off strong, a snowstorm affected all of Ohio. In early to mid-January, several counties had to go under Level 3 Snow Emergencies because the roads were too hazardous for travel. Many areas received accumulation, with some reaching up to almost 10 inches, especially in southwest Ohio.
In February, the far northeast Ohio region got walloped with snow.
March
March 30 was a night parts of central and southwestern Ohio saw multiple tornadoes.
Seven tornadoes were confirmed that evening. Five of them were in Ohio and the other two were in Indiana. All tornadoes were also either an EF-0 or an EF-1.
Two barns were destroyed — on ein Fayette County and another in Warren Countnty. Additionally, multiple trees were damaged.
April
Spring came roaring in, especially for Cincinnati.
The city witnessed historic flooding. The Ohio River crested at 60.79 feet on April 7, more than double its normal height and the highest level in over 28 years.
Hamilton County commissioners had to issue an emergency declaration to help mobilize recovery resources.
The flooding damaged multiple buildings, affected riverfront parks and closed down several roadways.
November
For two years in a row, the Northern Lights danced across Ohio skies.
A burst of strong solar flares helped the Northern Lights be more visible in the U.S. more than ever. Those solar flares are created bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections, and when that energy hits the Earth, it can cause the aurora borealis.
December
Ohio ended the year just as it started: with snow.
Just before winter began, a snowstorm blew through the state on the weekend of Dec. 13, dropping large amounts of snow in several cities.
With the snow also came Arctic cold. In some areas, wind chills dipped down into the negative double-digits.
Lydia Taylor
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