Power Outage in Sandusky, OH

An Arctic cold front swept through the area shortly before 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 light to moderate snow occurred behind the front into the morning hours of December 23rd before becoming much lighter by midday. 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 gusted over 50 MPH through the day. A weather station in Sandusky measured a peak wind gust of 51 MPH at 11:28 AM December 23rd. Nearby, Sandusky County Regional Airport clocked a peak gust of 58 MPH at 1:55 PM, with a 62 MPH gust measured at 10:35 AM at Port Clinton Regional Airport. Scattered tree damage and over 7,000 power outages resulted. 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. The Sandusky County Regional Airport reported visibility consistently at or below one-quarter of a mile in falling and/or blowing snow beginning around 4 AM December 23rd and continuing through 5 PM before gradually improving. At Port Clinton Airport, these conditions were observed from 7:30 AM through 3:30 PM. Wind gusts were well over 35 MPH for that entire period, meaning 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. Numerous minor accidents, slide-offs and disabled vehicles were reported throughout the area on December 23rd and 24th. The most significant incident occurred shortly before 12:30 PM December 23rd at Mile Marker 106 of the Ohio Turnpike, in Groton Township along the Sandusky County border. A deadly pile-up involving 48 vehicles occurred, resulting in 4 fatalities (a 59 year-old male, 30 year-old male, 37 year-old female and 19 year-old female). A total of 73 injuries occurred. At the time of the accident, blowing snow was resulting in near-zero visibility with winds gusting over 50 MPH and wind chills between -30 and -35 degrees. Due to the severity of the accident and harsh conditions, the Turnpike did not fully reopen in both directions until 5 PM December 24th. Elsewhere, Ohio Route 2 was closed in both directions near the city of Huron shortly before 1 PM December 23rd due to multiple accidents. The Erie County Sheriff called a Level 3 snow emergency the morning of December 23rd, which was not lifted until early December 24th. This closed all roads in the county to non-emergency travel. Wind chills plunged below 0 around 4 AM December 23rd and did not warm back above 0 until the early morning hours of December 26th. A wind chill of -31 degrees was reported at 12:00 PM December 23rd on a weather station in Sandusky. A warming center was opened in Sandusky in response to these 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 3.0��� of snow in Huron with this storm. CoCoRaHS observers reported 2.5��� of snow in Berlin Heights and 1.5��� in Vermilion Township.

Rain changed over to snow during the early afternoon hours of November 30 in North Central Ohio, as low pressure moved just east of the area. During the early morning hours of December 1, heavy, wet snow overspread the region with visibility dropping to one-quarter of a mile or less and snowfall rates up to one inch per hour. Travel was severely disrupted by this storm as heavy snow quickly accumulated on area roadways and any pre-treatment efforts were hampered by rain earlier on November 30. Due to the heavy, wet nature of the snow and only modest wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph, blowing and drifting snow was not a big issue during this event. However, snow easily collected on area trees, especially area evergreen trees, and the weight of the snow allowed for trees to fall onto area roads, power lines, and even some buildings. Schools and several businesses closed on December 1 and 2 due to the weather conditions. In Erie County, snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 11 inches of snow for the event. A peak total of 11.4 inches of snow was observed in Florence Township. Other selected snowfall totals include: 8.2 inches in Berlin Heights, 8 inches in Milan, 7 inches in Huron, 6.3 inches in Castalia, and 6.2 inches in Sandusky.

A social media report showed several power poles downed on US Route 6 near Ohio State Route 269, north of Castalia.

Erie County Emergency Management, Sheriff Dispatch, members of the media, and trained spotters reported several areas of wind damage in the Sandusky area. Wind damage generally spanned south to north across the city. Trees, power lines, and power poles were downed across the area. A fire station on US Route 250 lost portions of its roof. The most notable damage was to the Sandusky State Theater in Downtown Sandusky. Winds in excess of 70 mph allowed for a wall of the theater to collapse and the roof to sustain major damage.

Erie County Emergency Management, Sheriff Dispatch, members of the media, and trained spotters reported several areas of wind damage in the Sandusky area. Wind damage generally spanned south to north across the city. Trees, power lines, and power poles were downed across the area. A fire station on US Route 250 lost portions of its roof. The most notable damage was to the Sandusky State Theater in Downtown Sandusky. Winds in excess of 70 mph allowed for a wall of the theater to collapse and the roof to sustain major damage.

High wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph downed trees, large limbs and power lines throughout the county. Scattered power outages were also reported. The roof of an elementary school was heavily damaged in Milan. A peak wind gust of 71 mph was recorded on an automated wind sensor from a trained spotter in Sandusky.

Strong winds knocked down power lines in Milan, which prompted house fire. The house was a total loss.

Several power lines were knocked down on to utility poles.

Trees and power lines were downed across the county, including in Huron and Sandusky. A tree fell onto a camper in Huron, destroying the vehicle and damaging a nearby structure. A tractor-trailer was overturned on the Edison Bridge near Bay View. Scattered power outages were also reported in the area.

Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and some utility poles. The damage stretched from Main Street in Castalia north along State Route 269 to near U.S. Highway 6. Main Street (State Route 101) had to be closed because of downed trees and power lines. A vehicle was briefly trapped by downed lines. The occupant was not hurt. Power outages were reported throughout the area.

Thunderstorm downburst winds estimated to be at least 60 mph downed many trees in Sandusky. Damage was also reported in the downtown area. One building lost most of it's roof. A previously fired damaged building in the area partially collapsed. Scattered power outages were also reported.

Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and some power lines southwest of Huron along Huron Avery Road.

Interstate 71 corridor during the evening hours. A three to five hour period of freezing rain occurred from the Marion area northeast through the Bucyrus, Mansfield and Ashland areas to as far north as Sandusky, Lorain and Elyria. The first report of freezing rain occurred around 8 pm and the last around 3 am on the 18th. During that time more than a quarter inch of freezing rain was reported in nine counties, including Erie County. A few accidents and some power outages were reported during the event.

A thunderstorm downburst caused widespread wind damage in the northeast portion of Sandusky. The damage swatg was a half mile wide and approximately 2.25 miles long. Numerous large trees and limbs were brought down across the city with some falling on buildings causing roof damage. Numerous large trees were also downed at Battery Park and the Marina. Approximately 30 power poles were blown over on the causeway to Cedar Point. Some power lines landed on cars trapping 15 to 20 people in their vehicles. Power outages due to the downed lines caused Cedar Point to be closed for the following day. At least one site measured a wind gust to 76 mph. Estimated wind speeds based on damage were 70 to 80 mph in downtown Sandusky and as high and greater than 80 mph on the causeway.

A thunderstorm downburst caused widespread wind damage in the northeast portion of Sandusky. The damage swatg was a half mile wide and approximately 2.25 miles long. Numerous large trees and limbs were brought down across the city with some falling on buildings causing roof damage. Numerous large trees were also downed at Battery Park and the Marina. Approximately 30 power poles were blown over on the causeway to Cedar Point. Some power lines landed on cars trapping 15 to 20 people in their vehicles. Power outages due to the downed lines caused Cedar Point to be closed for the following day. At least one site measured a wind gust to 76 mph. Estimated wind speeds based on damage were 70 to 80 mph in downtown Sandusky and as high and greater than 80 mph on the causeway.

Thunderstorm wind gusts downed several trees and power lines in Sandusky.

High winds of at least 60 mph downed trees and limbs throughout Erie County. Scattered power outages were reported.

Mixed precipitation spread across the area early on the 12th and then transitioned to snow from west to east. Much of the area also saw a period of freezing rain. 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 40 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. Snowfall totals of up to 6 inches were reported along with a glaze of ice in many areas. 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.

Sheriff reported trees down with power outages in Florence and Vermilion.

Winds in Erie County gusted to over 60 mph for a few hours. A peak gust of 62 mph was measured by an automated sensor at the Huron Lighthouse. Hundreds of trees were downed in the county with most of the damage near the Lake Erie shoreline. Up to 4,000 electric customers lost power. There were reports of trees on houses and vehicles. Many homes also lost sections of roofing and siding. A lot of streets had to be closed because of downed trees and power lines.

High winds downed numerous power poles and tree limbs. Wind gusts were estimated to be between 50mph and 60mph.

Thunderstorm winds downed a tree and a power pole.

A thunderstorm downburst with estimated peak wind gusts of between 70 and 80 mph caused extensive damage in western Erie County. The downburst damage path began southwest of Sandusky along Homegardner Road where a barn was damaged and many trees toppled. The damage path continued northeast across State Routes 2 and 101 and through the City of Sandusky. The damage path ended at the Lake Erie shoreline and was approximately seven miles in length. The most concentrated damage was along State Route 101 between State Route 2 and the Sandusky city limits. Many trees and tree limbs were downed in this area along with 13 utility poles. A few homes and buildings sustained roof damage in this area as well. Damage in the City of Sandusky was sporadic and consisted mainly of downed trees and limbs. Widespread power outages were reported in the area with at least 10,000 people loosing power. Fourteen people were stranded at a restaurant and gas station on the southwest side of Sandusky for seven hours because access was blocked by downed power lines.

A thunderstorm downburst with estimated peak wind gusts of between 70 and 80 mph caused extensive damage in western Erie County. The downburst damage path began southwest of Sandusky along Homegardner Road where a barn was damaged and many trees toppled. The damage path continued northeast across State Routes 2 and 101 and through the City of Sandusky. The damage path ended at the Lake Erie shoreline and was approximately seven miles in length. The most concentrated damage was along State Route 101 between State Route 2 and the Sandusky city limits. Many trees and tree limbs were downed in this area along with 13 utility poles. A few homes and buildings sustained roof damage in this area as well. Damage in the City of Sandusky was sporadic and consisted mainly of downed trees and limbs. Widespread power outages were reported in the area with at least 10,000 people loosing power. Fourteen people were stranded at a restaurant and gas station on the southwest side of Sandusky for seven hours because access was blocked by downed power lines.

A strong cold front moved across Erie County during the late morning hours of December 9th. Southwest winds behind the front rapidly increased with gusts in excess of 45 mph by early afternoon. Gusts continued to increase the remainder of the afternoon 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. A 61 mph gust was measured in Sandusky at 4:19 pm. The high winds downed a few trees, utility poles and power lines in Erie County. A few power outages were reported. Some homes and buildings in the county sustained minor damage. Most of this was from lost siding or roofing.

A strong cold front moved across Erie County during the evening of February 11th. West to southwest winds gusted to more than 60 mph behind the front. A peak gust of 61 mph was measured at a yacht club in Sandusky. Winds finally diminished a couple hours before daybreak on the 12th. Hundreds of trees and utility poles were downed in the county causing scattered power outages. Many buildings in the county sustained damage. Most of this was from lost shingles, but a few buildings lost gutters or sections of siding. A business in Sandusky suffered damage when an awning and part of a wall were blown down. A large tree fell on a home in Sandusky causing extensive damage.

Precipitation began as a mix of snow and sleet during the overnight hours of the 19th but quickly changed to freezing rain prior to daybreak. The freezing rain lasted for several hours, and between a quarter and a half an inch of ice was reported by trained spotters. However, with temperatures only slightly below freezing prior to daybreak, and then rising to around the mid thirties during the morning, the impact of ice across the area was rather minimal. A few accidents were reported, and some small branches were reported down. Power outages were also not widespread.

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. Significant crop losses occurred as well. Corn yields were reduced between 3 and 5 percent in many areas with lesser losses to the soybean crop.

Freezing rain began in Erie County late in the morning on March 4th. The freezing rain continued into the evening hours with a brief lull during the early afternoon hours. Conditions quickly deteriorated after sunset as surface temperatures dropped off a few degrees. Over a quarter inch of ice accumulation was reported by early evening. The freezing rain changed to sleet for a time during the evening with some sleet accumulation reported. The precipitation eventually changed to light snow around midnight on the 5th. The snow finally ended around daybreak on the 5th. Many accidents and a few power outages were reported during this event. A few trees and limbs were reported down across the county as well.

Numerous power lines and trees were reported down countywide.

A few trees and power lines were reported down countywide.

Numerous large limbs, several trees and power lines were reported down around Sandusky.

Numerous trees and power lines were reported down.

Severe thunderstorm downburst winds caused substantial damage in Perkins Township, just south of the City of Sandusky, during the late evening hours of the 22nd. The damage was concentrated in an area just west of the Sandusky Mall. The thunderstorm winds were estimated to be around 70 mph. Forty to fifty homes in Perkins Township were damaged. A few homes had moderate damage but most of the damage was minor. A house nearly one hundred and fifty years old had its chimney knocked down from the severe winds. Another house had a roof collapse into the living room. A garage at another location collapsed after the roof was completely torn off. Other houses primarily had damage to their roofs. A church had two sections of it's roof torn off, and four windows blown out of it. Fifteen to twenty trees were completely uprooted in the area, and hundreds of other trees were knocked down or sustained major damage from large limbs broken off of them. Along with trees, many areas had power lines that were downed.

A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Erie County and downed a few dozen trees. Scattered power outages were also reported. A spotter in Vermilion estimated winds at 60 mph.

A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Erie County during the early morning hours causing widespread damage and scattered power outages. The Milan, Sandusky and Berlin Heights areas were especially hard hit. A 65 mph thunderstorm gust was measured at Huron at 4:47 a.m. Other measured gusts included 57 mph at Sandusky and 56 mph at Berlin Heights. Dozens of trees were downed and many homes damaged. Three vehicles were destroyed by fallen trees and several others damaged.

Thunderstorm winds toppled two power poles.