No weather survey planned after funnel cloud spotted in Champaign and Logan counties

UPDATE @ 8:53 a.m. (Aug. 1):

The National Weather Service said they have no plans at this time to conduct a storm survey in Champaign or Logan counties following Tuesday night’s tornado warning.

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The decision was made after the weather service spoke to local authorities who reported no damage from the storm, a spokesperson said.

There have been multiple reports of funnel clouds, but there have been no confirmed tornadoes. 

FIRST REPORT (July 31):

A tornado sighting in Urbana on Tuesday night, reported by Champaign County Sheriff Matthew Melvin, deputies and weather spotters, has yet to be confirmed, said National Weather Service forecasters in Wilmington.

Viewers sent in photos of a funnel cloud reportedly near Grimes Field Airport on U.S. 68.

Reports of the suspected twister came to this newsroom just before 9 p.m., moments ahead of a weather service-issued tornado warning for Champaign County. That warning expired about 9 p.m. and was extended into Logan County until 9:30 p.m.

>> SEE ALSO: The latest area weather report

There have been no reports of damage in Champaign County, according to sheriff's dispatch.

The funnel cloud reportedly was seen first in the area of Muzzy Road, then reportedly took a northeasterly path toward the Settler's Ridge Apartments on state Route 29, over the airport and was last seen over the Ohio Caverns south and east of West Liberty, a sheriff's dispatcher said.

A Logan County Sheriff's dispatcher said there were no reports of damage in that county.

Jackson Nunamaker and a friend thought it would be fun to get in their vehicle and follow what he said was a tornado.

“We saw it touch and then shoot back up,” the 18-year-old Urbana resident told WHIO-TV’s Sean Cudahy.

>> PHOTOS: Images from our viewers of funnel cloud

Nunamaker said the funnel cloud took them along U.S. 68, onto North Ludlow Road and into West Liberty.

They rolled down their windows, he said, and shot video of the funnel cloud. Nunamaker said he has never seen one that big.

“It was fun but at the same time scary,” he said, noting the wind lifted their vehicle for a second.

A weather service meteorologist in Wilmington said they had no confirmation of a tornado and were not sure whether any investigators would be sent to Champaign County on Wednesday.

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