2000 Xenia tornado
Damage to homes in Xenia following the tornado | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Date | September 20, 2000 |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | >207 mph (333 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Injuries | 100 |
| Areas affected | Xenia, Ohio |
| Power outages | 10,000 |
| Houses destroyed | 321+ |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2000 | |
In the evening hours of September 20, 2000, a violent tornado touched down southwest of Xenia, Ohio before tracking directly towards the town and killing one person as it moved over. The tornado was on the ground for 9 miles (14 km), and along this path it destroyed numerous buildings and damaged hundreds more. The tornado was the first violent tornado to hit the city since 1974, when an F5 tornado would move along a near-parallel path, devastating Xenia. Safety actions taken by the city of Xenia prior to the event were highly criticized after only a single siren located in the town sounded as the tornado approached.