Flash Flood and Flooding in Ohio, April 28, 2002

Name: Flash Flood and Flooding in Ohio, April 28, 2002
Start: 2002-04-28T03:55
End: 2002-04-28T15:00
Location: Ohio

April 28, 2002 · NWS ILN · 18 events in 15 counties and zones

8 hail, 5 flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 high wind, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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: 0
Property damage: $135,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 28, 2:37 AM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 2:37 AM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
337 AM EDT SUN APR 28 2002

SOMEWHAT ELEVATED NATURE OF CONVECTION MOVG INTO WESTERN OHIO
ATTM...AND EVEN WITH RADAR SHOWING 50-60 KTS ON THE BASE VEL SFC
REPORTS MAXING OUT ARND 35 KNTS(ALTHOUGH JUST WARNED FOR PREBLE WITH
STRONG REAR INFLOW SIGNATURE DVLPG).  BETTER POTNL FOR SFC BASED
CONVECTION OVER THE SW CWFA THIS MORNING...THEN AGAIN IN THE SOUTH
AND EASTERN CWFA THRU MIDDAY WITH FROPA.  WL MAINTAIN PREV SVR
MENTION ALL ZONES...AND USE MAINLY THIS MORNING WORDING OVER ALL BUT
THE SE.  A FEW MINOR FLOODING REPORTS ALREADY...AND WITH SVRL HOURS
OF DEEP CONVECTIVE POTNL WL MAINTAIN FFA IN THE SOUTH AS WELL.  NEXT
CONCERN IS WINDS.  TIMEHEIGHTS INDC THETA SFCS BECOME VERTICAL FROM
ARND 825 MB TO THE SFC ARND/AFTER 18Z...WITH WINDS OF 40-50 KTS IN
THIS LAYER.  THIS SUGGESTS A PRETTY GUD CHC FOR ADVSRY CRITERIA
WINDS...ESPLY ALONG AND IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT.  FROPA
TIMING IN THE LATE MORNING WEST TO MID AFTN SE WL SUPPORT SOME
WARMING TDY...AND HV GONE AOA THE FWC NUMBERS.

NOT ALOT OF CHGS TO THE REST OF THE FCST.  STRATO-CU WL LIKELY HANG
ARND IN THE CYCLONIC CAA TNGT...AND HV CHGD MOST OF THE AREA TO
MCLDY.  GUID TEMPS LK RSNBL.  NEXT CHC FOR PCPN LKS TO BE MON NGT.

.ILN...
IN...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS MORNING FOR ZONES INZ050...INZ058>059...
INZ066...INZ073>075...INZ080.

WIND ADVISORY FOR SUNDAY FOR ZONES INZ050...INZ058>059...INZ066...
INZ073>075...INZ080.

KY...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS MORNING FOR ZONES KYZ089>100.

WIND ADVISORY FOR SUNDAY FOR ZONES KYZ089>100.

OH...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS MORNING FOR ZONES OHZ060>062...
OHZ070>073...OHZ077>082...OHZ088.

WIND ADVISORY FOR SUNDAY FOR ZONES OHZ026...OHZ034>035...
OHZ042>046...OHZ051>056...OHZ060>065...OHZ070>074...OHZ077>082...
OHZ088.

JOHNSTONE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 27, 10:00 PM EST, 5 hours 55 minutes before

INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ026-034-035-042>046-
051>056-060>065-070>074-077>082-088-281100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED WORDING IN PARAGRAPH SIX.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1100 PM EDT SAT APR 27 2002

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY...

LOW PRESSURE OVER IOWA WILL TRACK TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES
OVERNIGHT...WHILE A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER
AND INTO INDIANA AND OHIO.  THIS WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN BOTH
MOISTURE AND UNSTABLE AIR.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE LOW OVER THE MID
MISSISSIPPI AND LOWER OHIO VALLEYS OVERNIGHT.  THE STORMS WILL THEN
MOVE EAST...AND ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT EASTERN INDIANA...NORTHERN
KENTUCKY AND OHIO AFTER 4 AM.

WINDS IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE VERY STRONG...
AND THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRING THESE WINDS TO THE GROUND AS THEY
MOVE ACROSS THE REGION.  WIND DAMAGE WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF
THESE STORMS...AND COULD BECOME WIDESPREAD.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG A COLD FRONT
THAT WILL BE MOVING EAST ACROSS THE REGION.  THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE NORTHWEST OF I-71 LATE SUNDAY MORNING AND
SOUTHEAST DURING THE AFTERNOON.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO.

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA HAS PLACED A MODERATE
RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE REGION...MAINLY
WEST OF I-75.  FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA...THERE IS A SLIGHT
RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER TONIGHT AND DURING THE DAY ON
SUNDAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS WITH THIS
DEVELOPING SPRING STORM.

SITES

The radar

The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 5 flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Brown

When: April 28, 3:55 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.934, -83.867 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When: April 28, 3:59 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where: Brown County, 6 mi N of Ripley
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.817, -83.833

Trees and wires were downed at US 62 and Tri County Highway.

Flood, Highland

When: April 28, 4:00 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where: Highland forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.185, -83.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An area of showers and thunderstorms ahead of a strong cold front moved across southwest and south central portions of Ohio during the overnight and early morning hours. As much as two inches of rain fell across these areas, causing high water on roads and creeks and streams to rise out of their banks.

Flood, Pike

When: April 28, 4:15 AM EST to 6:30 AM EST
Where: Pike forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.077, -83.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Scioto

When: April 28, 4:38 AM EST to 6:00 AM EST
Where: Scioto County, 3 mi W of Portsmouth
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.804, -82.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Twenty roads were closed due to high water in the western part of the county. One family had to evacuate their home because of the rising water.

Flood, Adams

When: April 28, 5:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.846, -83.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clermont

When: April 28, 5:14 AM EST to 6:20 AM EST
Where: Clermont forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.047, -84.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Montgomery

When: April 28, 10:47 AM EST to 10:53 AM EST
Where: Montgomery County, Centerville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.617, -84.150

Hail, Greene

When: April 28, 11:05 AM EST to 11:13 AM EST
Where: Greene County, Jamestown
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.650, -83.733

Hail, Fayette

When: April 28, 11:30 AM EST to 11:35 AM EST
Where: Fayette County, Jeffersonville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.650, -83.567

Hail, Madison

When: April 28, 11:49 AM EST to 11:55 AM EST
Where: Madison County, Mt Sterling
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.717, -83.267

Hail, Pickaway

When: April 28, 11:51 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Pickaway County, South Bloomfield
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 39.717, -82.983

Hail, Fairfield

When: April 28, 12:24 PM EST to 12:30 PM EST
Where: Fairfield County, 3 mi N of Lancaster
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 39.767, -82.600

High winds associated with the hail producing thunderstorm caused a 60 foot wall at a school construction site in Amanda to collapse.

Thunderstorm Wind, Highland

When: April 28, 12:45 PM EST to 12:50 PM EST
Where: Highland County, Lynchburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.233, -83.800

Trees and telephone poles were knocked down through town.

Hail, Ross

When: April 28, 12:50 PM EST to 12:55 PM EST
Where: Ross County, 5 mi W of Chillicothe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.333, -83.083

Hail, Hocking

When: April 28, 1:22 PM EST to 1:27 PM EST
Where: Hocking County, Haydenville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.483, -82.333

High Wind, Hamilton

When: April 28, 2:15 PM EST to 2:30 PM EST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.196, -84.543 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous trees were downed across Clermont county. In Hamilton county, downed trees across the county caused road closures for a period of time.

High Wind, Clermont

When: April 28, 2:45 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Clermont forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 39.047, -84.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Ohio in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, April 2002

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: 5293193, 5293178, 5293191, 5293192, 5293190, 5293270, 5293269, 5293180, 5293179, 5293181, 5293182, 5293183, 5293184, 5293185, 5293186, 5293187, 5293188, 5293189.