The Dayton Tornadoes: One Year Later!

One year later, Dayton still reeling from the tornado outbreak of 2019.

In late May of 2019, the Midwest had an outbreak of tornadoes. The most destructive tornado hit the city of Dayton, Ohio. I reside here and remember that night. I was working third shift at my job when word got out that we were in a severe thunderstorm warning and it eventually went into a tornado watch.

Soon the tornado warning was issued that night and spotters saw a rotation in progress around Brookville.

The tornado was destroying the local high school, homes, partially destroyed farmhouses and small business in Brookville.

Soon after a tornado emerged as a EF1. It started to pick up strength and quickly became an EF3 and later confirmed as a EF4. The tornado started to make a southeastern path across Montgomery County. 

Near 11pm, the local weather meteorologists has got word from the National Weather Service that the tornado was considered a destructive and deadly event. They issued a Tornado Emergency Alert, which meant communities impacted by the tornado are going to get hit and the loss of life is expected.

The tornado immediately starting destroying homes, large apartment complexes, schools, small business and a former shopping center in Trotwood. It proceed towards the former Hara Arena and completely leveled it. It destroyed the car dealership close to the arena.

Then it proceeded towards Shiloh and completely leveled a medical building, restaurants, gas stations and a large apartment complex. It crossed the Stillwater River and started to go into Northridge and  Dayton. The tornado would level homes, businesses, shopping centers, grocery stores, churches, car dealerships, gas stations, an abandoned hotel and a sports and entertainment complex.

The tornado would eventually cease near Riverside at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

The Hara Arena is still a destructive mess.

The path of the tornado was at least 18 miles. Another tornado was spotted in Butler Township and istarted proceeding towards parts of Dayton, Vandalia and Harrison Township. That tornado was an EF2 and it destroyed businesses, homes and apartment complexes. That tornado was a 6 mile spread.

The last tornado that made impact started slightly after the first one ceased. The third one started near Wright Patterson Air Force base as an EF2 tornado. It quickly picked up speed and started destroying homes, businesses and condominiums near Bevercreek. The tornado started picking up as an EF3 and another tornado emergency was issued for Beavercreek, Bath and Bevercreek Townships and Xenia.

The tornado would soon start crossing towards the Mall at Fairfield Commons a heavily populated region in the Dayton area.

The toronado would cause significant damage around Beavercreek before it ended. The tornado's path was 10 miles.

Overall, the tornadoes caused a destructive path through Dayton. It destroyed thousands of buildings.

Apartment complexes were destroyed.

The state's governor, Mike DeWine had declared a state disaster for the areas that were impacted. 

Celina, a city that is 40 miles from Dayton had a powerful EF3 tornado that destroyed businesses, houses and boats near Grand Lake St. Marys. There were injuries from those affected by that and one man died from that tornado.

There were over hundreds of injuries in Dayton and one fatality. 

Donald J. Trump, Mike Pence, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), the 16 U.S. Representatives and local leaders offered usual thoughts and prayers bullshit, photo-ops with supporters or token minorities, say they will do everything in their power to fix this, and then wait on their fellow lawmakers from other states to engage in passing legislation.

Of course, they'll be one or a handful of far-white Republicans who will delay passing legislation because of some moral high ground bullshit.

Tell you what!

If you're a conservative or a person who doesn't believe in climate change, then let me tell you: "This shit is real."

One year later, the city is still reeling from this. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the path to rebuilding the community has completely slowed down. Not to mention that it still displaced thousands of Americans out of homes.

What happens next?