61 Years Ago: Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak

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On April 11, 1965, a devastating tornado outbreak struck six states, including Ohio's Miami Valley region. The outbreak spawned nearly four dozen tornadoes, resulting in over 270 fatalities. In the Miami Valley, four tornadoes impacted Mercer, Shelby, Preble, and Greene Counties, with the strongest twisters hitting northern Mercer County and Shelby County. The Shelby County tornado was rated an F4 and carved a 20-mile long damage path, killing 3 people and damaging a 68-car train.

Why it matters

The Palm Sunday tornado outbreak remains one of the deadliest and most destructive weather events in Ohio's history. It serves as a stark reminder of the immense power and danger of severe storms, and the importance of preparedness and resilience in the face of natural disasters.

The details

The weakest tornadoes in the Miami Valley outbreak were in Preble and Greene Counties, rated as F1 tornadoes that were on the ground for a short time. The strongest twisters hit northern Mercer County and Shelby County. The Mercer County tornado was an F4 that started in Indiana and was on the ground for over 50 miles, resulting in 2 fatalities in Van Wert County. The Shelby County tornado carved a 20-mile long damage path, narrowly missing the cities of Fort Loramie and Anna, and was responsible for 3 fatalities. This tornado also ripped over 50 freight cars off a 68-car train.

• The tornadoes in Preble and Greene Counties occurred after 11:00 PM on April 11, 1965.
• The tornado in northern Mercer County struck before 9:30 PM on April 11, 1965.
• The tornado in Shelby County occurred on April 11, 1965.