VAN WERT COUNTY, OHIO — In a matter of minutes, winds topping 100 mph twisted across northwest Ohio farmland on Wednesday night, leveling barns, mangling trees, and ripping the tops off grain silos. Now, amid broken beams and bent metal, residents like Dewey Van Wynsberghe are in a battle—not just with debris, but with the clock.

With tens of thousands of bushels of corn and soybeans exposed to the elements and more rain on the way this weekend, farmers are working furiously to clean up and protect what’s left. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed two EF-1 tornadoes touched down across Van Wert County, bringing widespread destruction to this tight-knit rural community.

“It’s a considerable amount of grain, or money, however you want to look at it,” said Van Wynsberghe, standing amid twisted steel and battered bins on his property. “The damage to the bins—it’s pretty severe.”

Two Tornadoes, One Night of Destruction

The two twisters were both rated EF-1, with winds estimated between 86 and 110 mph. While not the strongest on the Enhanced Fujita scale, the tornadoes left a clear path of destruction, particularly near Glenmore, Ohio.

According to the National Weather Service of Northern Indiana, the tornadoes damaged silo roofs, tore apart barns, and scattered tree limbs across roads and homes. Some areas, including parts of southwestern Van Wert County, only reported damage two days later, prompting further aerial drone surveys by emergency crews.

“We’ve got some damage back in the southwestern part of the county with a barn destroyed,” said Rick McCoy, Director of the Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency. “It may have been a case where this tornado was skipping along its path.”

‘It’s Pretty Discouraging’

For farmers like Van Wynsberghe, the timing couldn’t be worse. With spring rains looming, exposed grain can easily mold or rot, risking catastrophic financial loss.

“I’ve probably got close to 40,000 bushels of corn and 40,000 bushels of beans,” he explained. “That’s a lot of money just sitting there under the sky.”

But amid the loss, there’s also community.
“I can’t say enough about all my friends that are chipping in,” he said. “I’ve got friends helping me truck. They’re not here right now—they’re on the road. But they’ve been here since day one.”

More Storms Possible

The cleanup effort could be complicated further by incoming weather. Meteorologists are forecasting additional rain for Van Wert County through the weekend, potentially slowing emergency response and compounding damage to grain stores and structures left exposed.

While utility crews and residents clear trees and wires from rural roads, local emergency officials warn the area may not be done with storm season just yet.

“This is already our eighth confirmed tornado in the 21Country region this past week,” said a National Weather Service official, referencing surrounding counties also hit during this wave of spring severe weather.

Resilience in Rural Ohio

Despite the challenges, locals say they’re determined to rebuild.

Van Wynsberghe hopes to have his silos repaired before harvest season. Others are relying on insurance adjusters, volunteer labor, and the kind of neighborly grit that defines small-town Ohio.

“It’s pretty discouraging to see this kind of thing,” Van Wynsberghe said quietly. “But we’ll get through it. You have to.”