Storm Surge/Tide, Sandusky
- When
- March 13, 6:00 PM EST to March 14, 6:00 AM EST
- Where
- Sandusky County, Erie Lakeshore
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Coordinates
- 41.357, -83.144 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Storm Surge in Ohio, March 13 to 14, 1997
Gale force east winds to 35 knots caused the water level at the west end of Lake Erie to rise to 79 inches above low water datum, around 35 inches above the recent average lake level. Flooding and considerable beach erosion occurred along the lakeshores of Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Erie Counties.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Gale force east winds to 35 knots caused the water level at the west end of Lake Erie to rise to 79 inches above low water datum, around 35 inches above the recent average lake level. Flooding and considerable beach erosion occurred along the lakeshores of Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Erie Counties. In Toledo (Lucas County), roads and a parking lot were water covered, including Monroe and Second Streets, and at Point Place on Maumee Bay. Water was also over a road in Jerusalem Township. In Ottawa County, roads were flooded in Port Clinton and sandbagging was done at some local businesses. Also, on Catawba Island, waves were coming over at least one road. At Bayview (Sandusky County), County Road 259 was flooded.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 storm surge/tide. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Storm Surge/Tide
- Water pushed ashore above the normal tide by a storm’s winds and low pressure.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Ice Storm in Michigan, March 13 to 14, 1997
- Tornado in Georgia, March 13, 1997
- Ice Storm in Ohio, March 13 to 14, 1997
- Storm Surge in Ohio, March 13 to 14, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Alabama, March 13, 1997
- Ice Storm in Minnesota, March 13, 1997
- Storm Surge in Ohio, March 13 to 14, 1997
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 13 to 14, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 13 to 14, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 13, 1997
- Winter Storm in Michigan, March 13 to 16, 1997
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, March 13 to 14, 1997
More
Every storm in Ohio in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, March 1997The 1997 hurricane season
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5593642.