Power Outage in Port Clinton, OH

An Arctic cold front swept through the area around midnight December 23rd. Low pressure along this front tracked over Lake Erie early in the morning on December 23rd and rapidly intensified through the day while slowly lifting northeast across Ontario. With the frontal passage rain changed to snow with temperatures dropping from the upper 30s and lower 40s to sub-zero in about 8 hours. A period of mainly light snow occurred behind the front across the county through the morning hours of December 23rd before tapering to flurries. The period of snow and rapidly falling temperatures led to a flash freeze and icy conditions on area roadways. While the falling snow became lighter through the daytime hours of December 23rd, winds began increasing during the pre-dawn hours and occasionally gusted over 50 MPH through the day. The highest gust measured on land was a 62 MPH gust measured at Port Clinton Airport at 10:35 AM. A few thousand power outages resulted across the county, with some lasting over 24 hours. Wind gusts very gradually subsided into December 24th, though gusts didn���t drop below 30 MPH until that evening. This led to a prolonged period of widespread blowing and drifting snow beginning early in the morning December 23rd and continuing through the afternoon and evening, with some patchy blowing and drifting snow continuing all the way through Christmas Eve. On December 23rd, a combination of falling/blowing snow and strong wind gusts led to visibility remaining at or below one-quarter of a mile at Port Clinton Airport from 7:35 AM through 2:55 PM, meaning that blizzard conditions were observed. The greatest impact from this storm was to travel due to the flash freeze and extensive blowing and drifting snow, to go along with low visibility. Minor accidents, slide-offs and disabled vehicles were reported throughout the area on December 23rd and 24th. The Ottawa County Sheriff declared a Level 3 snow emergency the morning of December 23rd, which closes all roads in the county to non-emergency travel. This was not lifted until the next morning. Wind chills plunged below 0 by 4 AM December 23rd and did not rise above 0 until the early morning hours of December 26th. The lowest wind chill observed in the county was -37F on a weather station in Martin at 11:39 AM. Port Clinton Airport recorded a minimum wind chill of -36F at 12:15 PM. About one-dozen people took shelter at a warming center in Port Clinton due to losing power in those frigid conditions. A number of burst pipes were reported across northern Ohio due to this cold, with temperatures remaining in the single digits until Christmas morning. A trained spotter measured 2.0��� of snow near Gypsum with this storm.

Wind chills plunged below 0 by 4 AM December 23rd and did not rise above 0 until the early morning hours of December 26th. The lowest wind chill observed in the county was -37F on a weather station in Martin at 11:39 AM. Port Clinton Airport recorded a minimum wind chill of -36F at 12:15 PM. About one-dozen people took shelter at a warming center in Port Clinton due to losing power in those frigid conditions. A number of burst pipes were reported across northern Ohio due to this cold, with temperatures remaining in the single digits until Christmas morning.

Multiple trees and power lines down in the Port Clinton area.

Ottawa County Emergency Management, Sheriff Dispatch, and several trained spotters reported widespread wind damage across Ottawa County. Tree damage and downed power poles and lines were reported in Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Catawba Island, and Marblehead in the mainland portions of the county. Several of the downed trees were quite large, as much as three and a half feet in diameter, and several were reported to be snapped. Outside of a few trees falling onto structures, some homes reported wind damage with a roof removed from a garage and others having miscellaneous roof and shingle damage. An automated wind sensor at Carl R Keller Field reported a 60 mph wind gust during the event. Power outages in the area lasted several days.

High wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph downed trees, large limbs and power lines throughout the county. Scattered power outages were also reported. A tree fell across Hetrick Road near Oak Harbor and a vehicle struck the downed tree. A peak wind gust of 64 mph was recorded on an automated wind sensor at Port Clinton Carl R Keller Airport.

Several trees and power lines were blown down.

Erie-Ottawa Airport reported a 59 mph wind gust at 10:35 am local time. Several trees and power lines were reported down across the area. Several buildings in Port Clinton had notable roof or wall damage due to the high winds. Scattered power outages were reported in the area.

Winds estimated to be 60 mph downed a few trees and power lines in Ottawa County. Scattered power outages were reported. A peak measured gust of 59 mph was measured by an automated sensor near Marblehead.

High winds of at least 60 mph downed trees and limbs throughout Ottawa County. Some homes and buildings lost sections of roofing or siding. The damage was most concentrated on the west end of the county. Scattered power outages were reported.

Snow began before daybreak and continued into late afternoon. The snow increased in intensity during the late morning hours with visibilities less than one half mile. North to northeast winds increased as the low passed to the south of the area. Winds gusted to more than 45 mph during the early afternoon hours. Winds continued to gust to more than 30 mph through the evening hours. The strong winds combined with the snow to create significant blowing and drifting and very treacherous driving conditions. 6 to 8 inches of snow was reported in Ottawa County with the greater amounts at the western end of the county. Schools across most of northern Ohio were closed on the 12th and the evening commute was very difficult. Dozens of accidents and a some power outages were reported.

Winds in Ottawa County gusted to 60 mph for a few hours. A measured peak gusts of 60 mph was measured at South Bass Island with a 59 mph gust at the Marblehead Lighthouse. Hundreds of trees were downed in the county with most of the damage near the Lake Erie shoreline. Scattered power outages were reported. There were reports of trees on houses and vehicles. Some homes also lost sections of roofing and siding. A lot of streets had to be closed because of downed trees and power lines.

Strong thunderstorm winds caused downed power lines.

High winds downed a few trees across the county. A house near Clay Center was damaged by a fallen tree. A few power outages were also reported.

Thunderstorm winds caused widespread wind damage in the area. Numerous trees and limbs were downed. Several power lines were downed during this event as well.

High winds toppled a power pole near Port Clinton.

Thunderstorm winds downed several large tree limbs. Scattered power outages were reported.

A strong cold front moved across Ottawa County during the late morning hours of December 9th. Southwest winds behind the front rapidly increased. By midday, wind gusts were in excess of 40 mph. Gusts increased further during the early afternoon hours with peak gusts of around 60 mph reported during the late afternoon hours. Winds continued to gust to as much as 50 mph through 10 pm. The high winds downed trees, utility poles and power lines in Ottawa County. Scattered power outages were reported. Some homes and buildings in the county sustained minor damage. Most of this was from lost siding or roofing.

Several power poles were reported down.

A strong cold front moved across Ottawa County during the evening of February 11th. West to southwest winds gusted to more than 60 mph behind the front. Winds finally diminished a few hours before daybreak on the 12th. Hundreds of trees and utility poles were downed in the county causing scattered power outages. At one time, over 4,000 households were without power in the county. Many buildings in the county sustained damage from the strong winds. Most of this was from lost shingles, but a few buildings lost gutters or sections of siding. The Port Clinton School District canceled classes on the 12th because of power outages.

High winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ike began during the early evening hours of September 14th and continued through late evening. Peak wind gusts were estimated to be around 60 mph with the strongest winds occurring between 6 and 8 pm. Damage in the county was extensive with hundreds of trees and many utility poles downed. Widespread power outages occurred as well with some customers without power for a few days. Many homes and buildings were damaged across the county. The damage ranged from a few shingles torn off to significant structural damage caused by fallen trees landing on roofs. Numerous vehicles were damaged by fallen trees and limbs and also from flying debris. This storm hampered travel as downed trees and power lines forced the closure of many roads. Substantial clean up costs were incurred by local governments. Some of the schools in the county were forced to close on Monday the 15th because of the power outages.

Large limbs and power lines were reported down. Also, a few windows were broken at a hotel.

Large limbs were reported down countywide. Numerous power outages were also reported.

Snow began in Ottawa County during the afternoon hours of December 15th and changed to freezing rain towards midnight. The freezing rain changed back to snow during the early morning hours of the 16th. The snow intensified during the late morning hours with visibilities of less than a half mile reported. Winds gusted to nearly 40 mph on the 16th which caused considerable blowing and drifting. The snow finally tapered off to flurries during the afternoon of the 16th. Around a quarter inch of ice accumulation and around 6 inches of snow was reported over most of the county. Many accidents and a few power outages were reported.

Several telephone poles were snapped along with downed power lines.

A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Ottawa County and downed a couple dozen trees. A few power outages were also reported.

A tornado touched down south of Port Clinton and then moved northeast entering the city just west of the intersection of Wilcox Road and Fulton Road. The tornado moved through the heart of the city reaching Lake Erie at Lakeview Park. From there, the tornado moved northeast over Lake Erie to Catawba Island where it finally dissipated after a ten mile long damage path. Four people suffered minor injuries as a result of the tornado. Hardest hit was the Lakeview Park area where two condominiums were blown off their stilts into Lake Erie and many other structures where destroyed. The initial storm damage in Port Clinton occurred along 11th Street where several homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. Significant damage also occurred near 8th and Fulton Streets. As the tornado moved through the city, it damaged the local high school and a hospital. Significant damage also occurred on Catawba Island with several homes damaged and destroyed before the tornado finally dissipated. A total of 24 homes and 16 apartments were destroyed along the damage path with approximately 60 additional homes damaged enough to be deemed uninhabitable. Another 80 structures sustained minor to moderate amounts of damage. The damage path was typically no more than 50 yards in width. Dozens of vehicles were damaged or destroyed by the tornado and hundreds of trees and power poles were toppled.

Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power poles along Lake Erie from Long Beach to Port Clinton. A 64 mph thunderstorm wind gust was measured in Port Clinton by an observer. Also in Port Clinton, a roof was torn off of a building and at least one car was damaged by trees. Many trees were also downed on Catawba Island.

By the middle of April Lake Erie was observing water levels 2 feet above normal, and rising. Lake Erie is in the midst of its seasonal rise and its mean monthly level surged 7 inches upward from March to April. The lake���s April monthly mean level was 2 inches above its level of a year ago, and 6 inches below its record high. Lake Erie���s precipitation in April was over 35% above average, leading to above average net basin supplies.||The National Weather Service had issued lakeshore flood warnings for Lake Erie���s west end on April 20th because of the strong winds associated with a powerful storm tracking near Lake Huron. North winds around 25 mph on the 19th switched to the northeast on the 20th, pushing lake water on shore. Lake Erie water levels were well above normal having risen eight inches higher than March, with water levels 28.3 inches above average. Lake levels on the western basin rose between 60 and 72 inches above low water datum. The high lake levels, combined with 8 to 10 foot waves caused lakeshore additional flooding and erosion. This resulted in widespread minor to moderate coastal impacts to the region including several flooded marinas, businesses in Port Clinton, road closures, and erosion impacts to the beachfront.