Alert archive / Ohio / Flash Flood Warnings in 2020

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Cleveland, OH

May 15, 20206 counties in Ohio

NWS Cleveland, OH issued this flash flood warning at May 15, 2020, 5:13 PM EDT for 6 counties in Ohio. It was in force for 5 hr. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 2020, 5:13 PM EDT (21:13 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 2020, 10:15 PM EDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Cleveland, OH
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Cuyahoga County, OH, Geauga County, OH, Lake County, OH, Lorain County, OH, Medina County, OH, Summit County, OH

The radar

The Cleveland radar (KCLE), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:15 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 15, 5:27 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 Sw Linndale, OHTWO VEHICLES TRAPPED DUE TO FLOODING ON W 130TH ST NEAR I-480. WATER RESCUE IN PROGRESS.
May 15, 6:02 PM EDTFLOOD2 Nne Brecksville, OHWATER OVER THE ROAD AT THE INTERSECTION OF WIESE AND RIVERVIEW IN BRECKSVILLE.
May 15, 6:22 PM EDTFLOOD2 Wnw Olmsted Falls, OHBAGLEY ROAD CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. SEVERAL BASEMENTS IN AREA ARE REPORTED TO BE FLOODED.
May 15, 6:44 PM EDTFLOOD2 Ne North Ridgeville, OHCAR SUBMERGED IN SEVERAL FEET OF WATER ON MILLS CREEK LANE.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 176 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 2020-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 5 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 2020-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 198 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-112 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1310 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
198 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
220 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

178 
WGUS51 KCLE 152113
FFWCLE
OHC035-055-085-093-103-153-160215-
/O.NEW.KCLE.FF.W.0003.200515T2113Z-200516T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
513 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

The National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Geauga County in northeastern Ohio...
  Cuyahoga County in northeastern Ohio...
  Northeastern Medina County in northeastern Ohio...
  Lake County in northeastern Ohio...
  Northern Summit County in northeastern Ohio...
  Lorain County in north central Ohio...

* Until 1015 PM EDT.

* At 512 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain falling across 
  the warned area. Up to one and a half inches of rain has already 
  fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, 
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other 
           drainage and low lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Cleveland, Lorain, Elyria, Painesville, Willowick, Vermilion,
  Chardon, Fairport Harbor, Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Mentor,
  Cleveland Heights, Strongsville, Brunswick, Westlake, North
  Royalton, North Ridgeville, Solon and Avon Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

&&

LAT...LON 4185 8101 4135 8101 4135 8139 4121 8139
      4120 8169 4122 8209 4120 8234 4143 8234
      4143 8227 4154 8194 4154 8175 4169 8150

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
EXPECTED RAINFALL...1-2 INCHES IN 1 HOUR

$$
3 follow-up statements
081 
WGUS71 KCLE 152242
FFSCLE

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
642 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

OHC035-055-085-093-103-153-160215-
/O.CON.KCLE.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200516T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Geauga OH-Cuyahoga OH-Medina OH-Lake OH-Summit OH-Lorain OH-
642 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EDT FOR
GEAUGA...CUYAHOGA...NORTHEASTERN MEDINA...LAKE...NORTHERN SUMMIT AND
LORAIN COUNTIES...

At 636 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated light to moderate rain across 
much of the Flash Flood area. The heaviest rainfall was located 
across southern Cuyahoga County to Southern Geauga County. Up to two 
inches of rain have already fallen. Flash flooding is already 
occurring. The worst of the flooding seems to be near and south of a 
line from Oberlin to North Ridgeville to North Olmsted to Brooklyn 
Heights to Lyndhurst.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, 
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage 
         and low lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Cleveland, Lorain, Elyria, Painesville, Willowick, Vermilion,
Chardon, Fairport Harbor, Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Mentor, Cleveland
Heights, Strongsville, Brunswick, Westlake, North Royalton, North
Ridgeville, Solon and Avon Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

&&

LAT...LON 4185 8101 4135 8101 4135 8139 4121 8139
      4120 8169 4122 8209 4120 8234 4143 8234
      4143 8227 4154 8194 4154 8175 4169 8150

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED 
EXPECTED RAINFALL....5 to 1 inch.

$$
529 
WGUS71 KCLE 160018
FFSCLE

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
818 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

OHC035-055-085-093-103-153-160215-
/O.CON.KCLE.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200516T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Geauga OH-Cuyahoga OH-Medina OH-Lake OH-Summit OH-Lorain OH-
818 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EDT FOR
GEAUGA...CUYAHOGA...NORTHEASTERN MEDINA...LAKE...NORTHERN SUMMIT AND
LORAIN COUNTIES...

At 813 PM EDT, Doppler radar and automated gauges indicated that 2 
to 3 inches of rain fell across the warning area with significant 
flooding from central Lorain County near Oberlin eastward across the 
southern half of Cuyahoga County into Geauga County. Flash flooding 
is already occurring. Water levels will continue to lower through 
the evening as the water moves to the creeks and rivers. Expect high 
water in all creeks and rivers through the evening. 

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.

SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, 
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage 
         and low lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Cleveland, Lorain, Elyria, Painesville, Willowick, Vermilion,
Chardon, Fairport Harbor, Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Mentor, Cleveland
Heights, Strongsville, Brunswick, Westlake, North Royalton, North
Ridgeville, Solon and Avon Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

&&

LAT...LON 4185 8101 4135 8101 4135 8139 4121 8139
      4120 8169 4122 8209 4120 8234 4143 8234
      4143 8227 4154 8194 4154 8175 4169 8150

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED

$$
637 
WGUS71 KCLE 160217
FFSCLE

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
1017 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

OHC035-055-085-093-103-153-160226-
/O.EXP.KCLE.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200516T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Geauga OH-Cuyahoga OH-Medina OH-Lake OH-Summit OH-Lorain OH-
1017 PM EDT Fri May 15 2020

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR GEAUGA...CUYAHOGA...NORTHEASTERN
MEDINA...LAKE...NORTHERN SUMMIT AND LORAIN COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

Flood waters have receded. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed any remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 4185 8101 4135 8101 4135 8139 4121 8139
      4120 8169 4122 8209 4120 8234 4143 8234
      4143 8227 4154 8194 4154 8175 4169 8150

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Cleveland, OH issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 3:34 PM EDTLakeshore Flood WatchCLEErie, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky24 hr
May 15, 4:31 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCLEAshtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain89 min
May 15, 4:51 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCLEAshtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Lake, Lorain3 hr
May 15, 6:08 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCLETrumbull4 hr
May 15, 6:41 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningCLELorain15 hr
May 15, 7:43 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCLEAshtabula2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Ohio, 2020Every flash flood warning in 2020

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.