Ohio, positioned geographically on the eastern edge of what has come to
be known as “tornado alley,” is no stranger to tornadoes. In
fact, Ohio experiences an average of 16 tornadoes each year, not to mention
the hundreds of severe thunderstorms. Ohio’s peak tornado season
runs from April through July, with most tornadoes occurring between 2
and 10 p.m. Even though June has been the month with the most tornado
occurrences, many of the state’s major tornado outbreaks have taken
place in April and May. However, history has proven that tornadoes can
occur during any month of the year at any time of the day or night.
In 2000, there were 22 confirmed tornadoes in Ohio. The year’s most violent tornado, reaching an F4 intensity on the Fujita tornado scale, ripped through Xenia on September 20. This tornado damaged over 300 homes and businesses, and was responsible for one death and nearly 100 injuries.
Insurance coverage for tornado damage
Tornado losses to a home are covered by the windstorm peril under the homeowners insurance policy. Protection from windstorm or hail damage for cars is covered under the “other than collision” (comprehensive) portion of the automobile insurance policy.
The most expensive tornado in US history hit in 1999
when a 78-tornado outbreak over 24 hours in early May in Oklahoma and
Kansas caused about $1.5 billion in damage. $1 billion of these losses
were caused by the tornado that hit Oklahoma City.
(USA Today, 1/5/00)