An EF0 tornado struck east of Upper Arlington on Aug. 11, injuring two people and traveling 2.7 miles into Grandview Heights. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado Aug. 27, reversing its own preliminary finding that the damage came from straight-line winds.

The NWS Wilmington office's final damage survey classified the event as a tornado with estimated peak winds of 80 mph and a maximum path width of 150 yards. The tornado lasted about three minutes, from 10:05 a.m. to 10:08 a.m.

That finding directly contradicts the agency's Aug. 13 preliminary assessment, which stated there were no visible signs of tornadic circulation in Upper Arlington and attributed the damage to straight-line winds of 90 to 100 mph. The City of Upper Arlington relayed that preliminary finding on social media the same day.

At a joint press conference on Aug. 12, NWS meteorologist Kristen Cassady said the agency's "primary concern was the widespread damaging straight winds, which we saw in central Ohio in the morning." That focus on straight-line winds shaped the preliminary finding the agency has now reversed.

According to the NWS survey, the tornado likely began near Kenny Road, crossing Route 315 on the east side of Upper Arlington. Video footage captured it moving east on the south side of Ackerman Road, where tree damage showed convergent wind patterns near Fred Taylor Drive.

After crossing the Olentangy River, the tornado damaged trees on North High Street and caused minor roof damage and broken windows at several businesses. It then followed Glen Echo Creek eastward, damaging trees along the creek and Olentangy Street. Several homes were damaged by fallen trees.

The tornado moved northeast along US-23, causing additional tree damage in surrounding neighborhoods and minor roof damage to a building on Silver Drive. Video from an Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) traffic camera captured the tornado crossing Interstate 71 at the Weber Road exit, flipping a single vehicle.

The tornado likely dissipated near Beulah Road and East Weber Road in the Grandview Heights area, where tree and minor home damage was found.

Even in areas where tornadoes developed, the NWS said the majority of damage was caused by straight-line winds of 60 to 80 mph, with isolated gusts reaching 90 to 100 mph, ABC6 reported. The worst tree damage in Upper Arlington's residential core, near Upper Arlington High School along Mount Holyoke Road, Wellesley Drive, Halstead Road, Pickwick Drive and North Star Road, was attributed to those straight-line winds in the earlier survey.

The agency cautioned that its findings remain preliminary and subject to change pending final publication in NWS Storm Data. No date for that final report has been announced.

The identities and conditions of the two people injured have not been released. Neither the City of Upper Arlington nor the City of Grandview Heights has issued a public response to the updated finding as of Aug. 28.