Chief Meteorologist Conner Prince
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Chief Meteorologist at WLIO-TV in Lima, Ohio
06/18/2026
*** Large Tree Snapped & Blocking Driveway in Spencerville, Ohio ***
Posted: 12:39 AM Thursday, June 18, 2026
Friends, I have more tree/thunderstorm wind damage pictures coming out of Allen County, this time out of Spencerville. Jessica Landwehr Eutsler shared with me pictures of what appears to be a large, healthy tree snapped in half. Jessica says this happened on South College Street in Spencerville, blocking in her driveway and even crossing into the road. She also said that she was actually asleep when this occurred, and her neighbors come over to wake them up, alerting them of the fallen large tree. Very thankful they are okay!
Thank you, Jessica, for sharing these pictures!
US National Weather Service Northern Indiana
Allen County EMA
06/18/2026
*** Tornado Warning just north of Mansfield ***
Posted: 12:23 AM Thursday, June 18, 2026
Friends, the same storms that went through the Greater Lima Region went Tornado Warned just east of the area. A Tornado Warning has been issued for areas just north of Mansfield and south of Norwalk. Additional Tornado Warned storms are ongoing closer to Dayton and Cincinnati.
We really dodged a bullet in Lima... while there was a report of tree damage in Bluffton, we dodged a monumental bullet today.
06/18/2026
*** Wind Damage Reported in Bluffton, Ohio (Allen County Side) ***
Posted: 11:56 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Friends, I just received these pictures from Margie Woodruff in Bluffton, approximately at the intersection of Columbus Grove Road and Tom Fett Road. Multiple trees appeared to have been downed from the storm that went through Allen County late this evening. Margie reports this happened around 10:45 PM. She also reports her neighbor's 3 cars were smashed by the falling debris.
If you have any additional reports, please forward them along. Margie, I greatly appreciate your report! This is incredibly helpful!
US National Weather Service Northern Indiana
Allen County EMA
*** Sub-Severe Storms Entering Hancock County ***
Posted: 10:55 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
The strong storms that went through Allen County have now entered southern Hancock County southeast of I-75 and just north of US Route 30. Areas like Jenera, Arlington, Mt. Blanchard and over towards Carey in Wyandot County are expected to see some heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds. I'll keep watching, but it does not look severe.
*** Sub-Severe Storms Affecting Allen County ***
Posted: 10:24 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Much of Allen County is now being affected by some strong thunderstorms. While they have lots of heavy rain and lightning, they do NOT show signs of turning severe at this time. Don't worry, I will watch radar just in case, but there is not any imminent concern for severe weather.
*** Absolutely Wonderful Trend: Severe Weather Threat Rapidly Decreasing for the Greater Lima Region ***
Posted: 9:21 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
While showers and thunderstorms are still ongoing, I am now very confident that the severe weather threat is rapidly decreasing for the Greater Lima Region tonight. While it is still not 100% zero, I do not expect a major severe weather event for us. The persistent rain we have had this afternoon and evening has really hampered the northward movement of surface-based instability and the warm front in general. Due to this, we were saved from a potentially dangerous severe weather and tornado event, and I am 1000% thankful for that.
The best severe weather risk now exists along/south of the Interstate 70 corridor from Indianapolis to Dayton and points southward.
I will still watch trends, just in case- but I recommend you counting your lucky stars that we did not observe anything significant!
*** The Trend is Our Friend- Still Stay Weather Aware as Severe Weather Risk Still Remains ***
Posted: 6:33 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
I am growing increasingly confident that the Greater Lima Region will be spared from a major severe weather event tonight! HOWEVER, I am not ready to give the "all clear" as the extreme wind dynamics and an *attempt* to pump in some instability later this evening will still prompt a risk for a few severe storms between 7 PM and 2 AM (most likely between 9 PM and 1 AM). Should severe storms occur, damaging winds and an isolated tornado risk are the main concerns. Localized flooding cannot be ruled out.
Stay weather aware, but I am liking what I am seeing! You can thank the rain falling now as it is slowing the northward progression of the warm front!
06/17/2026
*** Latest Updates for Severe Weather Tonight- Trends are Lowering for Intense Severe Weather, BUT We are NOT out of the Woods Yet ***
Posted: 4:42 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Good afternoon, friends! I have the latest information ready to share with our severe weather potential tonight, and trends are ***cautiously*** promising.
Right now, we have widespread stratiform rain across all of the Greater Lima Region. This is our friend, helping to keep things stable for now and limiting the effective northward movement of the warm front thus far. Therefore, the most extreme corridor of severe weather has trended further southwest toward central Illinois into central Indiana from Springfield, Illinois to Bloomington, Indiana and Indianapolis, Indiana.
While this will prevent extreme destabilization and instability, we are NOT out of the woods yet for severe weather. The risk for intense severe weather is lower compared to yesterday; however, the extreme dynamics of this storm system cannot be ignored. Additionally, with strengthening winds above the ground, that may try to pump in some instability through the late evening hours.
Therefore, a Slight to Enhanced Risk of Severe Weather remains in effect with a main concern of window from 7 PM Wednesday to 2 AM Thursday. There is still a risk for damaging winds, hail, a few tornadoes and flash flooding- but I am hopeful we may escape the very worst.
Regardless, I still want you to have your ways to receive watches and warnings just in case. We have to be weather smart and weather aware should stuff fire off tonight. I will keep providing updates and monitoring through the night.
Stay tuned,
Chief Meteorologist Conner Prince
06/17/2026
*** Updated Discussion for Severe Weather Risk ***
Posted: 1:40 PM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Hey friends! I have an update I would like to pass along.
While we still definitely have a severe weather threat in play, I am *** cautiously optimistic *** with some of the latest trends.
Notice the large blob of stratiform rain across Indiana? That rain is expected to move eastward into Ohio, and what it may do is it could hamper the effective northward movement of the warm front (we have discussed this for many days). What does that mean? It means it could restrict instability somewhat and keep a more volatile environment just outside of the Greater Lima Region.
However, weather models still insist that some instability will develop later this evening. With the exceptional wind shear, the severe weather risk is 100% NOT zero, and we still have to remain alert late this afternoon into tonight.
I’ll keep monitoring things and provide updates as I interpret the latest data! Stay tuned!
*** UPDATED Weather Forecast for Wednesday ***
Posted: 12:08 AM Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Before I log off social media for the night and ***TRY*** to get some rest, I wanted to post a fresh weather forecast for Wednesday and Wednesday Night.
Please remember: while the most major threat for severe weather and violent tornadoes will be across northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, the Greater Lima Region absolutely may very well still have a decent severe weather environment. As of now, we should be dry and quiet through 2-3 PM Wednesday. By late afternoon or early evening, expectations are for a warm front to surge northward. This is going to be critical as to (1) how far north the warm front surges, (2) how much destabilization we acquire, and (3) how does early storm activity modulate the existing environment.
Tomorrow afternoon, we have to watch the radar and observations like a hawk. I will be monitoring upstream across Illinois and Indiana to see how those storms behave and trend. I will also be monitoring our local environment to see warm front progression. *** IF *** we were to get significant severe thunderstorms, I am thinking between 5 PM Wednesday and 3 AM Thursday as the broad window. This will be refined tomorrow.
Should we realize a scenario where significant severe weather is possible, all modes of severe weather including tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, large hail and flash flooding will be threats.
Get some rest tonight! I will try to do the same as tomorrow will be a very long day!
Sleep well, friends!
- Chief Meteorologist Conner Prince
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