Ohio, 1996

Heavy Snow in Ohio, January 7, 1996

January 7, 1996 · NWS CLE · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

Snow spread from south to north and heavy snow reached as far north as southern Huron and southern Medina counties. Accumulations averaged 4 to 8 inches with a maximum of 12 inches reported in southern Knox County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$1.1 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS CLE wrote it up.

Snow spread from south to north and heavy snow reached as far north as southern Huron and southern Medina counties. Accumulations averaged 4 to 8 inches with a maximum of 12 inches reported in southern Knox County. Northeast winds gusting to 30 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow, especially considering there was already a foot or more already on the ground in most of the area before the new snow began. Roads were closed and snow emergencies were declared in several counties. Major roof collapses occurred including a Service Merchandise store in Ontario (Richland County) where a woman was injured. A business in Canal Fulton had a roof collapse and a number of garages were damaged or destroyed in the Youngstown area from roof collapses. Hotels and motels filled up from stranded travelers, especially in the Youngstown area since virtually all roads to the east across Pennsylvania were closed due to heavy snow from what became known along the east coast as the blizzard of 96.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Huron

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Huron forecast zone
Property damage
$30,000
Coordinates
41.146, -82.598 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Medina

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Medina forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
41.118, -81.900 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Crawford

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Crawford forecast zone
Property damage
$70,000
Coordinates
40.851, -82.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Richland

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Richland forecast zone
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$300,000
Coordinates
40.775, -82.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Ashland

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Ashland forecast zone
Property damage
$80,000
Coordinates
40.846, -82.271 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Wayne

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Wayne forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
40.829, -81.888 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Stark

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Stark forecast zone
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
40.814, -81.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Mahoning

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Mahoning forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Coordinates
41.015, -80.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Marion

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Marion forecast zone
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
40.587, -83.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Morrow

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Morrow forecast zone
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
40.524, -82.794 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Knox

When
January 7, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Knox forecast zone
Property damage
$80,000
Coordinates
40.399, -82.421 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Ohio in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5537400, 5537401, 5537402, 5537403, 5537404, 5537405, 5537406, 5537407, 5537408, 5537409, 5537410.