High Wind in Ohio, March 5, 2004

Name: High Wind in Ohio, March 5, 2004
Start: 2004-03-05T12:30
End: 2004-03-05T17:00
Location: Ohio

March 5, 2004 · NWS CLE · 28 events in 28 counties and zones

Strong low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie. An associated occluded front stretching south from the low moved across northern Ohio during the morning of March 5th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 28 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: $2.4 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 28

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.

Strong low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie. An associated occluded front stretching south from the low moved across northern Ohio during the morning of March 5th. Very strong and gusty southwesterly winds occurred behind this front during the afternoon hours. Peak measured wind gusts include: 59 mph at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (Cuyahoga County); 59 mph at Mansfield Lahm Airport (Richland County); 59 mph at the Lorain County Airport; 53 mph at the Akron-Canton Airport (Summit County); 52 mph at the Wayne County Airport; 51 mph at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (Trumbull County); 51 mph at Findlay Airport (Hancock County); 49 mph at the Marion County Airport and 48 mph at Toledo Express Airport (Lucas County). Spotters measured a 60 mph gust in Bucyrus (Crawford County) and a 58 mph gust in Bowling Green (Wood County). Lorain County was especially hard hit with many homes damaged along and near Lake Erie. A police cruiser was hit by a falling tree in Amherst with the officer inside sustaining serious injuries. The roof of a retirement home in Sandusky County was torn off and a large business lost much of it's roof in Cuyahoga County. Hundreds of homes throughout northern Ohio sustained varying amounts of damage. Tractor trailers were overturned in Wood and Ottawa counties. Dozens of utility poles and hundreds of trees were also toppled. At the peak of the storm, over 250,000 customers were without electric service.

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.

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 5, 5:48 AM EST, 6 hours 42 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
548 AM EST FRI MAR 5 2004

OHZ003-006>014-017>023-027>033-036>038-047-089-PAZ001>003-051247-
ASHLAND OH-ASHTABULA INLAND OH-ASHTABULA LAKESHORE OH-CRAWFORD PA-
CRAWFORD OH-CUYAHOGA OH-ERIE OH-GEAUGA OH-HANCOCK OH-HOLMES OH-
HURON OH-KNOX OH-LAKE OH-LORAIN OH-LUCAS OH-MAHONING OH-MARION OH-
MEDINA OH-MORROW OH-NORTHERN ERIE PA-OTTAWA OH-PORTAGE OH-
RICHLAND OH-SANDUSKY OH-SENECA OH-SOUTHERN ERIE PA-STARK OH-
SUMMIT OH-TRUMBULL OH-WAYNE OH-WOOD OH-WYANDOT OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AKRON...ASHLAND...ASHTABULA...
BOWLING GREEN...BUCYRUS...CANTON...CHARDON...CLEVELAND...ELYRIA...
ERIE...FINDLAY...FOSTORIA...FREMONT...JEFFERSON...LORAIN...
MANSFIELD...MARION...MEADVILLE...MEDINA...MILLERSBURG...
MOUNT GILEAD...MOUNT VERNON...NORWALK...PAINESVILLE...PORT CLINTON...
RAVENNA...SANDUSKY...TIFFIN...TOLEDO...UPPER SANDUSKY...WARREN...
WOOSTER AND YOUNGSTOWN
548 AM EST FRI MAR 5 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTION OF NORTHERN OHIO AND A
PORTION OF NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

DEEP LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES WILL
PRODUCE STRONG WINDS OVER THE AREA TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT.  WINDS OF
25 TO 35 MPH WILL OCCUR WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
DURING SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

LIMITED SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY OR EARLY
TONIGHT.

ADAMS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

28 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Ashland

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Ashland forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.846, -82.271 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ashtabula

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Ashtabula forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.896, -80.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Crawford

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Crawford forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.851, -82.920 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cuyahoga

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Cuyahoga forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.479, -81.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Erie

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Erie forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.432, -82.700 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Geauga

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Geauga forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.500, -81.179 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hancock

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Hancock forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.002, -83.666 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Holmes

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Holmes forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.561, -81.929 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Huron

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Huron forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.146, -82.598 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Knox

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Knox forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.399, -82.421 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lake

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Lake forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.714, -81.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lorain

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Lorain forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.453, -82.151 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lucas

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Lucas forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.684, -83.468 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mahoning

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Mahoning forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.015, -80.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Marion

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Marion forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $70,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 40.587, -83.161 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Medina

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Medina forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.118, -81.900 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Morrow

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Morrow forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.524, -82.794 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ottawa

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Ottawa forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.497, -82.941 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Portage

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Portage forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.168, -81.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Richland

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Richland forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 40.775, -82.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sandusky

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Sandusky forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.357, -83.144 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Seneca

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Seneca forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.124, -83.128 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Stark

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Stark forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.814, -81.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Summit

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Summit forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.126, -81.532 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Trumbull

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Trumbull forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.317, -80.761 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wayne

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 40.829, -81.888 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wood

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Wood forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.362, -83.623 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wyandot

When: March 5, 12:30 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Wyandot forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.842, -83.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, March 2004

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: 5386687, 5386688, 5386689, 5386690, 5386691, 5386692, 5386799, 5386800, 5386801, 5386802, 5386803, 5386804, 5386805, 5386806, 5386807, 5386808, 5386809, 5386810, 5386811, 5386812, 5386813, 5386814, 5386815, 5386816, 5386817, 5386818, 5386819, 5386820.