Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, July 20, 2003

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, July 20, 2003
Start: 2003-07-20T15:15
End: 2003-07-20T16:26
Location: Ohio

July 20, 2003 · NWS IWX · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 20, 3:00 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 3:00 PM EST, 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
300 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON BUT AS OF YET
ONLY ONE STORM HAS FIRED UP IN OUR NORTHEAST. THE FUEL IS THERE BUT
AS OF YET NOTHING TO KICK OF A BUNCH OF STORMS. LAPS CAPE FROM 600
IN OUR NORTHEAST TO 3000 IN OUR SOUTHWEST AND LI RANGING FROM -2 TO
-5. THERE WAS SOME ROTATION IN THAT ONE STORM BUT LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE MAIN THREATS INTO THE EVENING.

OVERNIGHT A LOW PRESSURE CENTER AND COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH THE CWA GIVING US A VERY GOOD CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. FWC AND MAV ARE SHOWING 1 TO 2 INCHES FOR OVERNIGHT
AND 60 TO 80 POP. WITH ONGOING INSTABILITY AND A STRONG INDICATION
FOR STORMS TONIGHT KEPT CATEGORICAL POPS FOR TONIGHT. THE COLD FRONT
WILL BE MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD OF THE CWA LATE TOMORROW CONTINUING A
CHANCE FOR STORMS DURING THE DAY MONDAY. THE GREATER CHANCE SHOULD
BE TONIGHT AHEAD AND ALONG THE COLD FRONT. MAV IS SHOWING 30 TO 50
POP FOR MONDAY WITH A 60 POP AT AOH AND FWC IS SHOWING 50 TO 70 POP.
BUFKIT INDICIES ARE SHOWING A GREATER CHANCE FOR TONIGHT THAN DURING
THE DAY MONDAY. AGREE WITH THIS AS AM THINKING THAT THE GREATEST
INSTABILITY APPEARS TO BE AHEAD AND ALONG THE FRONT. WE WILL ALSO BE
ON THE RIGHT REAR OF A JET STREAK TONIGHT. THEN FOR TUESDAY JUST
EXPECTING RAIN SHOWERS AS MODELS ARE STILL SHOWING SOME INSTABILITY
AND LIFT WITH SUFFICIENT MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SHORTWAVE
MOVES THROUGH. FOR TUESDAY NIGHT GFS IS PROJECTING A LOW PRESSURE
CENTER TO MOVE NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY AND THEN
TO PENNSYLVANIA BY LATE WENESDAY. THIS COULD GIVE OUR EASTERN
COUNTIES A CHANCE ON WEDNESDAY.

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...

NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THIS FORECAST PERIOD. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED
TO BE AROUND NORMAL.

.IWX...
IN...NONE.
MI...NONE.
OH...NONE.

LOTHAMER/LASHLEY

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 11:39 AM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-210915-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1139 AM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN INDIANA...NORTHWEST
OHIO AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...SOUTHERN MICHIGAN AND NORTHWEST
OHIO. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST TONIGHT.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE FRONT TODAY. SOME
OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON WITH LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.  AS THE STRENGTHENING COLD FRONT APPROACHES OUR AREA
TONIGHT...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM INTO A LINE MOVING
SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA.  SEVERE STORMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE.
DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE MAIN THREAT TONIGHT. FORECAST WIND PROFILES
INDICATE THAT ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.  HEAVY RAIN WILL
LIKELY ACCOMPANY THE STORMS...HOWEVER...MOVEMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE SUFFICIENT TO AVOID EXCESSIVE
RAINFALL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY BE
ONGOING MONDAY MORNING ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS
OF NORTHEAST INDIANA.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH
DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM HUNTINGTON INDIANA
TO ARCHBOLD OHIO.

ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY...POSSIBLY
CAUSING THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY EITHER THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT OR
BOTH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES, OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/IWX

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 20, 2:09 PM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0209 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0202 PM    12 NE COLDWATER           MI   0.75 IN HAIL
07/20/03   BRANCH

0159 PM    12 NE COLDWATER           MI   1.75 IN HAIL
07/20/03   BRANCH

STEVENS

Local storm report, Jul 20, 2:23 PM EST, 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0223 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0219 PM    ALLEN                     MI   1.50 IN HAIL
07/20/03   HILLSDALE                      VERY HEAVY ROTATION
                                          OVERHEAD. REPORTED BY ALLEN
                                          FIRE DEPARTMENT.

STEVENS

Local storm report, Jul 20, 2:38 PM EST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0238 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0232 PM    12 NE COLDWATER           MI   0.75 IN HAIL
07/20/03   BRANCH

STEVENS

Local storm report, Jul 20, 3:10 PM EST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0310 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0252 PM    5 SE CAMDEN               IN   0.75 IN HAIL
07/20/03   CARROLL                        REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

STEVENS

Local storm report, Jul 20, 3:14 PM EST, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0314 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

STEVENS

Local storm report, Jul 20, 3:15 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT : CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
0315 PM EST SUN JUL 20 2003

TIME(EST)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0252 PM    5 SE CAMDEN               MI   0.75 IN HAIL
07/20/03   HILLSDALE                      REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

STEVENS

The radar

The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 120 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Fulton

When: July 20, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Fulton County, Fayette
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.667, -84.317

Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton

When: July 20, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Fulton County, 12 mi W of Wauseon
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.550, -84.367

Law enforcement reported trees down west of Wauseon.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton

When: July 20, 3:59 PM EST
Where: Fulton County, 2 mi SW of Wauseon
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.533, -84.167

Law enforcement reported trees down and a barn destroyed southwest of Wauseon.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: July 20, 4:25 PM EST
Where: Henry County, 2 mi W of Mc Clure
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.367, -83.967

Law enforcement reported trees down west of McClure.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: July 20, 4:26 PM EST
Where: Henry County, Liberty Center
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.433, -84.017

Law enforcement reported trees down in Liberty Center.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Ohio in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, July 2003

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: 5372637, 5372638, 5372639, 5372640, 5372641.