Weather service confirms 6 tornadoes hit Thursday in Northeast Ohio

The National Weather Service confirmed Friday afternoon that at least six tornadoes touched down Thursday as severe storms moved through the area in the afternoon and evening.

Tornadoes touched down in Hudson in Summit County; Hinckley in Medina County; Jackson Township in Stark County; Wickliffe in Lake County; and in Johnson Township and the Mecca area of Trumball County.

More: Tornado damages homes, topples trees and tosses boat in Jackson Township

Beacon Journal partner News 5 Cleveland reported the tornado that touched down near Hudson was a weak EF0 twister that landed at 5:08 p.m. with 80 mph winds. It traveled about three-quarters of a mile with a path width of 25 yards in about three minutes. It moved from near the intersection of state Route 91 and Middleton Road to the Country Club of Hudson, causing damage to trees, and dissipated over the golf course.

The tornadoes in Hinckley and Wickliffe were classified as EF1 storms with wind speeds of around 96 mph, said meteorologist Brian Mitchell of the National Weather Service. The twisters caused structural damage to some homes.

Another tornado confirmed:National Weather Service confirms Aurora tornado touchdown on Thursday

An EF1 tornado also touched down in Jackson Township, according to Freddie Zeigler, National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist.

The storm had winds of 86 to 110 mph, said Zeigler, who estimated the tornado covered 1½ to 2 miles and stretched about 50 yards — or 150 feet — wide.

Elsewhere, "a lot of it's been just tree damage," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said investigators looked at reports of severe weather on a line stretching from Richfield and across northern Summit County to Aurora in northwest Portage County.

There were no reports of injuries.

Zeigler toured with Stark County Emergency Management Agency Director Tim Warstler and other officials Friday to survey damage there.

Storm chaser Dan Fouts reported seeing a funnel at 5:14 p.m., as it dropped down to the ground behind the Jackson Township safety center.

David Ruwadi, director of the township's Parks and Recreation Department, said park video clearly shows it dropping down onto a field "right by the pond. It took out the dugout, twisted the A/C unit on top of the amphitheater, damaged the lights under its canopy and skipped over the pond."

The blast of the tornado threw a portable toilet at least 75 feet.

North Park and Fisher Park in Jackson were closed due to storm damage. The Jackson area had other reports of damaged roofs and downed trees.

More: Meteorologists will investigate, see if any tornadoes touched down Thursday

After 11 tornado warnings across the area Thursday, meteorologists worked into late Friday afternoon to confirm the tornadoes. The 11 tornado warnings were the most in a single day for the first time since 2005.

Eric Marotta can be reached at 330-541-9433, or emarotta@gannett.com.