On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at approximately 10:54 p.m., an unexpected EF1 tornado touched down at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) in Hebron, Kentucky. The tornado, with peak winds estimated at 105 mph, traveled 3.15 miles and had a width of 90 yards. This is the first tornado on record for 2025 so far.
Damage Reported:
- Industrial Site: The tornado initially touched down west of KY-237 at an industrial site, partially removing the roof of a building.
- Airport Impact: As it moved across Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, it caused extensive wall and roof damage to structures. Notably, a parked Boeing 747 was shifted approximately five feet from its position. About a dozen cars in a nearby parking garage suffered damage from flying debris, and parts of the airport’s HVAC system were affected.
PRO TIP: Don’t be stuck at the airport without this tool in your wallet for delays.
No Tornado Warning Issued – Why?
Despite the severity of the event, NOAA did not issue a tornado warning before the storm touched down. That meant no sirens, no emergency alerts, and no time for people to prepare. Naturally, the question on everyone’s mind is: How does an EF1 tornado hit a major international airport with no warning?
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. Many tornadoes go unwarned every year—even in a country with some of the best meteorologists and technology in the world. There are a few reasons why:
- Radar Limitations – Weather radar scans storms at different altitudes, meaning tornadoes that form quickly or remain low to the ground can be missed or not detected in time for a warning. This is especially common for brief, lower-end tornadoes like this one.
- Lack of Spotter Reports – While radar is a powerful tool, trained storm spotters play a key role in confirming tornadoes. If a storm develops in an area where spotters aren’t present—or if it happens at night, like this one did—verification becomes harder.
- Rapid Tornado Development – Some tornadoes form so quickly that even the best forecasting tools don’t have time to issue a warning before the storm is already causing damage.
- NOAA Staffing & Budget Cuts – Recently, NOAA has faced funding reductions that led to a 5% cut in its workforce, affecting meteorologists, radar technicians, and severe weather response teams. Some worry this has impacted the speed and accuracy of tornado warnings.
Did Recent NOAA Budget Cuts Play a Role?
In early 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) approved funding reductions that resulted in NOAA losing about 880 employees. These cuts impacted forecasting, radar maintenance, and warning coordination. While it’s unclear if these staffing shortages directly affected this event, they have raised concerns about NOAA’s ability to provide timely tornado warnings in the future.
Due to NOAA/NWS staffing issues, the following National Weather Service locations will launch only one weather balloon per day — rather than two. This also limits how much data is being fed into weather models, and may slightly decrease accuracy over the northern U.S. Weather balloons measure temperature, pressure, humidity and wind data at various levels of the atmosphere, producing a vertical take.
What Happens Now?
This incident is yet another wake-up call that highlights the need for constant improvements in weather monitoring and alert systems. While NOAA and local officials will likely review what went wrong, it’s also a reminder that people should have multiple ways to receive alerts—including weather radios, mobile apps, and local news sources.
At the end of the day, no one should be caught off guard by a tornado. Whether it’s improving radar coverage, maintaining NOAA funding, or advancing detection technology, there’s work to be done to ensure more people get the warnings they need when seconds matter most.