National Weather Service meteorologists walked the storm damage path near Upper Arlington High School on Aug. 12, interviewing residents and examining downed trees to determine whether the Aug. 11 storm's destructive winds were caused by a tornado, microburst or straight-line winds.

The city confirmed the survey visit on its official account, saying NWS crews toured the damage area and spoke with residents about what they experienced. A final determination on what caused the damage is expected within "the coming days," according to the city.

That classification carries real weight for homeowners. Only NOAA's National Weather Service can officially confirm a tornado in the United States, and the designation can affect insurance claims and federal disaster assistance eligibility, NBC4 reported. NWS meteorologists look at patterns of uprooted trees and structural damage to distinguish between tornado rotation and straight-line winds.

The NWS office in Wilmington, which covers central Ohio, had signaled on Tuesday it might deploy surveyors later in the week, according to WOSU. Wednesday's visit confirmed that deployment.

No tornado watch or warning was issued for Franklin County on Aug. 11. The NWS did record an 82 mph wind gust at John Glenn Columbus International Airport during the storm, which knocked out power to more than 130,000 AEP Ohio customers across its service area. Upper Arlington canceled the first day of school that day because of storm damage and power outages.

The damage in Upper Arlington was concentrated near the high school. As we reported Wednesday, Halstead Road, Pickwick Drive and Wellesley Drive remained restricted to local traffic only while crews cleared debris. McCoy Road west of Clairmont Road was also closed, according to the city's alert center. A falling tree struck a UA police officer's cruiser near Riverside Drive and McCoy Road during the storm; the officer was not injured.

The city also announced curbside chipping service for storm-related tree limbs. Residents must have debris at the curb by Aug. 17. Crews will make one pass through Upper Arlington to chip or remove eligible material.