Cleveland, OH

Weather Forecast Office

February 24, 2019 High Wind Event

February 24, 2019 Wind Event

A long duration high wind event occurred across the area on Sunday February 24, 2019. A cold front moving west to east brought very strong southwest to westerly winds to the region during the morning hours. Strong winds behind the cold front began in Northwest Ohio around 8 AM, reached the greater Cleveland area after 9 AM, and then Northwest Pennsylvania by noon. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph were common through the afternoon and into the evening with some locations experiencing gusts of over 60 mph. Some of the peak wind reports included 67 mph in Cleveland, 67 mph in Elyria, 64 mph in Toledo, 63 mph in Findlay, and 61 mph at both Akron-Canton, and Youngstown.

The persistent battering of the very strong winds resulted in thousands of power outages to residents across the area. Early estimates include over 200,000 outages across Ohio and over 100,000 in Pennsylvania. Damage to trees were common, as large limbs were snapped or whole trees uprooted, exasperated by wet soil conditions that allowed trees to be toppled easily. In some cases trees fell on homes, power wires, and other structures. At least 2 semi-trucks were flipped on area roadways and a ban on empty semi-trucks was issued prior to the onset of strong winds for the Ohio Turnpike and I-90 in Pennsylvania by the Ohio and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation. Structural damage from the wind has also been reported to numerous structures. If you're interested in a list of the damage reports reported to the National Weather Service, please click here for an interactive map. The full list can also be viewed at the bottom of the article.

Below is a map of the observed wind gusts starting 6 AM Sunday and ending 3 AM Monday. Notice the onset of the red and orange colors around 9-10 AM, coincident with a line of showers associated with the main cold front pushing through the region.

Observed wind gusts from 6 am Sunday to 3 am Monday

Meteorology

Strong winds impacting the region were a result of a rapidly deepening low pressure system that tracked out of the southern Plains towards the Great Lakes Region. Low pressure originated over the panhandle of Texas on Saturday with central pressure of 998mb. The low tracked northeast to near Chicago by Midnight Saturday night, lifting a warm front across northern Ohio. Temperatures warmed through the overnight hours and were in the mid to upper 50s by Sunday morning. The low continued northeast towards eastern portions of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on Sunday morning, deepening to 974mb. The system underwent an occlusion process with both the occluded front followed by a strong cold front moving east across the area on Sunday morning. This system contained a very strong wind field with speeds of 60 knots near 4000 feet and over 100 knots with the upper level jet. As the cold front swept east across the area, an abrupt increase in downward momentum brought the first push of strong winds to the area. Temperatures fell approximately 20 degrees in only four hours. Damaging wind gusts continued through the afternoon and into the evening as cold advection contributed to a deepening boundary layer which allowed for strong wind gusts to frequently mix down to the surface.The low continued to move away from the area Sunday night, which allowed the winds to finally let up by Monday morning.

Surface Analysis Maps

7 PM Saturday

Surface Analysis at 7 PM on Saturday

7 AM Sunday

Surface Analysis at 7 AM on Sunday

7 PM Sunday

Surface Analysis at 7 PM on Sunday

Pictures of Wind Damage

Ravenna, Ohio Elyria, Ohio

Tree damage in Ravenna Tree damage in Elyria

Bradner, Ohio

Tractor Trailer flipped in Bradner, OH Tractor Trailer flipped with emergency crews on scene

Akron, Ohio

Tree limb down on wires and car Power pole snapped with wires hanging

Richfield Township, Ohio Broadview Heights, Ohio

Large pine tree down in Richfield Twp tree blown over in Broadview Heights

Tiffin, Ohio Broadview Heights, Ohio

Tree down in Tiffin Ohio tree down on shed in Broadview Heights, Ohio

North Canton, Ohio Geauga County, OH

Pine Tree on power lines in North Canton Portion of roof partially blown off a building in Geauga County

Summary of Local Storm Reports

Here is summary of the Local Storm Reports. For an interactive map, click here.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
237 PM EST MON FEB 25 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0655 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 S HOLLAND             41.60N 83.71W
02/24/2019  M45 MPH          LUCAS              OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION AU937, 1 S HOLLAND. 

0645 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 E CENTERBURG          40.30N 82.64W
02/24/2019  M45 MPH          KNOX               OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION F2264, 2 E CENTERBURG. 

1015 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WSW MADISON           41.77N 81.07W
02/24/2019  M46 MPH          LAKE               OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E2690, MADISON. 

0831 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SE MADISON            41.73N 80.99W
02/24/2019  M47 MPH          ASHTABULA          OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION F2430, 4 SE MADISON. 

0757 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 WNW PARMA HEIGHTS     41.39N 81.79W
02/24/2019  M47 MPH          CUYAHOGA           OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION D8932, 1 W PARMA HEIGHTS. 

0748 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 S WESLEYVILLE         42.08N 80.02W
02/24/2019  M47 MPH          ERIE               PA   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E4779, 3 S WESLEYVILLE. 

0631 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ENE HOLLAND           41.62N 83.68W
02/24/2019  M47 MPH          LUCAS              OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E7150, 1 E HOLLAND. 

1036 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SSW MOUNT VERNON      40.33N 82.52W
02/24/2019  M49 MPH          KNOX               OH   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION 4I3, KNOX COUNTY AIRPORT. 

0947 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 WSW AUSTINTOWN        41.08N 80.80W
02/24/2019  M49 MPH          MAHONING           OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E5224, 3 W AUSTINTOWN. 

0825 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 ESE BAINBRIDGE        41.36N 81.27W
02/24/2019  M49 MPH          GEAUGA             OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E0520, 4 ESE BAINBRIDGE. 

0715 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 ENE FREMONT           41.36N 83.08W
02/24/2019  M49 MPH          SANDUSKY           OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E9501, 1 ENE FREMONT. 

0649 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNW NEWTON FALLS      41.20N 80.97W
02/24/2019  M49 MPH          TRUMBULL           OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION E2974, NEWTON FALLS. 

1016 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 WNW HILLS AND DALES   40.85N 81.51W
02/24/2019  M51 MPH          STARK              OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION D0019, 3 WNW HILLS AND 
            DALES. 

0342 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SE BARBERTON          40.99N 81.58W
02/24/2019  M51 MPH          SUMMIT             OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION D2323, 2 SE BARBERTON. 

0622 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SW PERRYSBURG         41.55N 83.64W
02/24/2019  M52 MPH          WOOD               OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION AR605, PERRYSBURG. 

0604 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SW ERIE               42.08N 80.16W
02/24/2019  M52 MPH          ERIE               PA   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION F3741, 4 WSW ERIE. 

0604 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NNW LORAIN            41.47N 82.19W
02/24/2019  M53 MPH          LORAIN             OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION D4937, 1 NNW LORAIN. 

0800 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ENE HURON             41.40N 82.55W
02/24/2019  M54 MPH          LEZ144             OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION HHLO1, HURON HARBOR LIGHT. 

0400 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 W HARBOR VIEW         41.69N 83.47W
02/24/2019  M54 MPH          LUCAS              OH   BUOY             

            BUOY STATION THRO1, 1 W HARBOR VIEW. 

1215 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SE WILLOUGHBY         41.64N 81.40W
02/25/2019  M55 MPH          LAKE               OH   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION LNN, WILLOUGHBY. 

1055 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SW ERIE               42.08N 80.16W
02/24/2019  M55 MPH          ERIE               PA   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION F3741, 4 WSW ERIE. 

0402 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SSE KIPTON            41.24N 82.29W
02/24/2019  M55 MPH          LORAIN             OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION C9769, 2 SSE KIPTON. 

0450 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 16 NE HARBOR VIEW       41.83N 83.20W
02/24/2019  M56 MPH          LEZ162             OH   BUOY             

            BUOY STATION THLO1, 8 SSE STONY POINT. 

0317 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNE SHELBY            40.89N 82.66W
02/24/2019  M56 MPH          RICHLAND           OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION D6062, SHELBY. 

0330 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 N MANSFIELD           40.82N 82.52W
02/24/2019  M60 MPH          RICHLAND           OH   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION MFD, LAHM MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. 

0724 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 SSW GREEN             40.92N 81.44W
02/24/2019  M61 MPH          SUMMIT             OH   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION CAK, AKRON-CANTON REGIONAL 
            ARPT. 

0710 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 N CLEVELAND           41.52N 81.68W
02/24/2019  M61 MPH          CUYAHOGA           OH   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION BKL, BURKE LAKEFRONT AIRPORT. 

0700 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 N CONNEAUT            41.98N 80.56W
02/24/2019  M62 MPH          LEZ149             OH   BUOY             

            BUOY STATION CBLO1, 3 N CONNEAUT. 

0412 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 WNW VERMILION         41.43N 82.36W
02/24/2019  M63 MPH          LEZ145             OH   MESONET          

            MESONET STATION XVRM, 2 WNW VERMILION. 

0433 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 N WHITEHOUSE          41.59N 83.81W
02/24/2019  M64 MPH          LUCAS              OH   ASOS             

            ASOS STATION TOL, TOLEDO EXPRESS AIRPORT. 

0539 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 3 ESE SOUTH AMHERST     41.34N 82.18W
02/24/2019  M67 MPH          LORAIN             OH   AWOS             

            AWOS STATION LPR, LORAIN COUNTY REGIONAL 
            AIRPORT. 

0850 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 N CONNEAUT            41.98N 80.56W
02/24/2019  M69 MPH          LEZ149             OH   BUOY             

            BUOY STATION CBLO1, 3 N CONNEAUT. 

0800 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NW MARBLEHEAD         41.63N 82.84W
02/24/2019  M69 MPH          OTTAWA             OH   BUOY             

            BUOY STATION SBIO1, 9 NW MARBLEHEAD. 

0836 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNW FAIRPORT HARBOR   41.76N 81.28W
02/24/2019  M71 MPH          LAKE               OH   BUOY             

            BUOY STATION FAIO1, FAIRPORT HARBOR. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG UPPER SANDUSKY          40.83N 83.28W
02/25/2019                   WYANDOT            OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANIES REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 1,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            WYANDOT COUNTY OUT OF POWER. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG TIFFIN                  41.11N 83.17W
02/25/2019                   SENECA             OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 1,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            SENECA COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG CHARDON                 41.58N 81.21W
02/25/2019                   GEAUGA             OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 5,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            GEAUGA COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MILLERSBURG             40.56N 81.92W
02/25/2019                   HOLMES             OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 3,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            HOLMES COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG BUCYRUS                 40.81N 82.97W
02/25/2019                   CRAWFORD           OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 1,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            CRAWFORD COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG YOUNGSTOWN              41.10N 80.65W
02/25/2019                   MAHONING           OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 1,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            MAHONING COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 CANTON                40.80N 81.39W
02/25/2019                   STARK              OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT WIDESPREAD POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 12,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            STARK COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG RAVENNA                 41.16N 81.24W
02/25/2019                   PORTAGE            OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 2,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            PORTAGE COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MARION                  40.59N 83.12W
02/25/2019                   MARION             OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 1,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            MARION COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 CLEVELAND             41.50N 81.71W
02/25/2019                   CUYAHOGA           OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT WIDESPREAD POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 20,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            CUYAHOGA COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG ASHLAND                 40.87N 82.31W
02/25/2019                   ASHLAND            OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 2,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            ASHLAND COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 FINDLAY               41.03N 83.65W
02/25/2019                   HANCOCK            OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANY REPORT NUMEROUS POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 1,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            HANCOCK COUNTY. 

1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG ASHTABULA               41.89N 80.79W
02/25/2019                   ASHTABULA          OH   UTILITY COMPANY  

            UTILITY COMPANIES REPORT WIDESPREAD POWER 
            OUTAGES WITH OVER 6,000 CUSTOMERS ACROSS 
            ASHTABULA COUNTY OUT OF POWER. 

1000 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG HURON                   41.39N 82.56W
02/24/2019                   ERIE               OH   PUBLIC           

            TREE FELL ON A CAMPER, WHICH WAS CRUSHED, 
            AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ADJACENT STRUCTURE. 

0724 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 NW UPPER SANDUSKY     40.86N 83.32W
02/24/2019                   WYANDOT            OH   AMATEUR RADIO    

            SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK BLOWN OVER. 

0724 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG UPPER SANDUSKY          40.83N 83.28W
02/24/2019                   WYANDOT            OH   AMATEUR RADIO    

            METAL ROOF BLOWN OFF BUILDING. 

0621 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW BAY VIEW          41.48N 82.83W
02/24/2019                   LEZ144             OH   PUBLIC           

            SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK BLOWN OVER ON THE EDISON 
            BRIDGE. 

0615 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MILLERSBURG             40.56N 81.92W
02/24/2019                   HOLMES             OH   PUBLIC           

            UTILITY POLES REPORTED DOWN ALONG N. CLAY 
            STREET. 

0537 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 WNW EUCLID            41.60N 81.54W
02/24/2019                   CUYAHOGA           OH   PUBLIC           

            MULTIPLE POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN ON 
            LAKESHORE BLVD. BETWEEN E. 200 AND E. 185. 

0532 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 SW CAMPBELL           41.07N 80.60W
02/24/2019                   MAHONING           OH   PUBLIC           

            ROOF DAMAGE ALONG WITH GUTTERS BLOWN OFF OF 
            HOUSE REPORTED. MULTIPLE TREES DOWN. 

0519 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 NW ORANGEVILLE        41.38N 80.57W
02/24/2019                   TRUMBULL           OH   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE 

            REPORTS OF LIVE POWER LINES DOWN ON STATE 
            ROUTE 7 IN VERNON TOWNSHIP. 

0500 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 WSW NORWALK           41.24N 82.62W
02/24/2019                   HURON              OH   PUBLIC           

            SHINGLES HAVE BEEN BLOWN OFF AN APARTMENT 
            COMPLEX. MULTIPLE TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN 
            IN THE AREA. 

0422 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 SW PEMBERVILLE        41.36N 83.51W
02/24/2019                   WOOD               OH   PUBLIC           

            TREE DOWN ACROSS ROAD AT ROUTE 6 AND 199. 

0419 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 ENE CHARDON           41.59N 81.17W
02/24/2019                   GEAUGA             OH   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE 

            ROOF BLOWN OFF OF STRUCTURE AND LANDED ON 
            NEARBY WIRES. 

0409 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG WOODMERE                41.46N 81.48W
02/24/2019                   CUYAHOGA           OH   PUBLIC           

            ROOF BLOWN OFF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, LANDING 
            ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES. 

0408 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NE BRADNER            41.34N 83.42W
02/24/2019                   WOOD               OH   PUBLIC           

            SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK BLOWN OVER ON US 23. 

0330 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 ENE CHARDON           41.61N 81.14W
02/24/2019                   GEAUGA             OH   LAW ENFORCEMENT  

            ROOF DAMAGE TO BUILDING ON CUTTS ROAD IN 
            HAMBDEN TWP.