Gusts up to 71 mph across Central Ohio
- Date of loss
- Friday, March 13, 2026 (strongest 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Type
- Non-thunderstorm high wind
- Peak measured gust
- 71 mph at the Ohio State University Airport
- Area
- All of Central Ohio
What happened
The National Weather Service says a low-pressure system moving through the Great Lakes brought high winds across its forecast area on March 13, 2026, with the strongest winds between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Measured gusts in Central Ohio:
| Station | County | Peak gust |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University Airport (Columbus) | Franklin | 71 mph |
| Union County Airport | Union | 70 mph |
| John Glenn Columbus International Airport | Franklin | 69 mph |
| Newark-Heath Airport | Licking | 69 mph |
| Fairfield County Airport | Fairfield | 62 mph |
| Madison County Airport | Madison | 61 mph |
| Delaware Municipal Airport | Delaware | 60 mph |
| Commercial Point | Pickaway | 55 mph |
Spectrum News reported more than 500,000 Ohio customers without power at the peak, and AEP Ohio called the damage the worst since the 2012 derecho.
Why a wind storm like this matters for your roof
Unlike a short thunderstorm, this storm blew for hours. Long periods of strong gusts work shingles loose, break their seals and crease them. A creased shingle can lie back down and look normal from the ground.
Weren't home, or not sure the storm hit your house?
That's common. Many storms hit at night or while people are at work, and roof damage is often hard to see from the ground. Signs you can check safely from the ground:
- Missing shingles, or shingle pieces in the yard or gutters
- Shingles that look lifted or out of line, especially along ridges, edges and corners
- Loose or bent flashing, vents or gutters, and siding pieces blown loose
- Broken limbs near the house, or neighbors getting roofs replaced
Before you file a claim
- Get the storm report for your address. Hail and wind vary street by street. We pull a storm report for your exact property so the date of loss you give your insurance company matches what actually happened at your home.
- Get a free inspection. We photograph and mark any damage we find. If we don't see storm damage, we'll tell you, and you won't need to file.
- Don't wait. Most policies require you to report damage promptly, and many set a time limit for filing a storm claim. Check your policy for its deadline.
- File with your insurer. We'll meet your adjuster at the house and point out the damage we documented.
A claim should only include damage the storm actually caused. That's why we check the storm report and inspect before you file. Lifetime Roofing Company is a roofing contractor, not a public adjuster.
This isn't the only storm that may have hit your home. Our storm dates list covers some of the larger, well-documented hail and wind storms in Central Ohio over the past year, and not every storm is listed. Storms that hit only a few neighborhoods often never make the news.