WILMINGTON, OH — The National Weather Service (NWS) in Wilmington has officially confirmed that an EF2 tornado ripped through portions of Pike County during the early morning hours of Thursday, June 18, 2026. The twister was part of a broader, multi-state severe weather outbreak that triggered damaging storms and multiple tornadoes across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Fortunately, despite the significant damage left in its wake, emergency management officials report zero injuries and zero fatalities.
The Tornado’s Path and Power
According to the official NWS damage survey released Friday evening, the tornado touched down at 4:05 AM EDT just south of Kincaid Springs. It remained on the ground for approximately 15 minutes, carving a nearly 9-mile path across the county before lifting west-southwest of Piketon at 4:20 AM EDT.
- Rating: EF2 (Low-end)
- Estimated Peak Winds: 115 mph
- Path Length: 8.9 miles
- Maximum Width: 250 yards
Timeline of Damage: From Trees to Transmission Lines
The tornado first made its presence known on Union Hill Road, snapping hardwood trees and breaking large limbs. It initially maintained EF0 to EF1 intensity as it pushed east-northeast through heavily forested areas, crossing Appalachian Highway and damaging trees at a rest station on Meads Road.
The storm reached its violent peak just west of Elm Grove. As the funnel descended a steep ridgeline, it completely leveled an entire section of a hardwood forest. Ground surveys and drone photography confirmed a path up to 250 yards wide where every single hardwood tree was snapped at the trunk. NWS meteorologists estimated winds reached 115 mph in this area, the threshold for an EF2 rating.
As the tornado moved off the hillside directly into Elm Grove, it unleashed high-end EF1 destruction:
- Outbuildings and barns were completely collapsed.
- A residential home had roughly 70% of its roof torn off.
- Heavy-duty power transmission lines were snapped, knocking out electricity.
The storm took a final southeastern turn, causing additional damage near the intersection of SR 772 and Appalachian Highway before dissipating on Sun Fish Creek Road.
Community Support
The National Weather Service extended its gratitude to the Pike County Ohio Emergency Management Agency and the Ohio Emergency Agency for their critical assistance in navigating the terrain and executing the multi-day damage survey.
Note: The NWS states that data for this June 17–18 weather event remains preliminary and may be updated pending a final review for official publication.
