Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, February 25, 2011

Name: Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, February 25, 2011
Start: 2011-02-25T01:00
End: 2011-02-25T09:00
Location: Ohio

February 25, 2011 · NWS IWX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Moderate to heavy snow impacted much of northwest Ohio during the morning hours of February 25th as an area of low pressure tracked northeastward near the Ohio River. Snowfall amounts generally ranged between four and seven inches.

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 IWX wrote it up.

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 Feb 25, 12:31 AM EST, 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 25, 12:31 AM EST, 29 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1231 AM EST FRI FEB 25 2011

.AVIATION.../06Z TAFS/
DEEP SFC CYCLONE OVER WESTERN KY WILL CONTINUE TO QUICKLY PUSH NE
THROUGH THE PERIOD AS THE ASSOCIATED POWERFUL UPPER IMPULSE
TRAVERSES THE LOCAL AREA. INCREASING LARGE SCALE ASCENT WITH A
STRENGTHENING DEFORMATION ZONE WILL ALLOW FOR ENHANCED PRECIP
ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...OVERCOMING DRY AIR REMAINING IN THE
LL/S PER 00Z RAOB DATA. EXPECT A TREND TO IFR ACROSS THE MAJORITY
OF THE FA...ESP SOUTH OF THE IN/MI STATE LINE. LIFR CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED IN SOUTHERN AREAS...INCLUDING FWA GIVEN SNOWFALL AND
BLSN. WINDS OF 15-20 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 WILL CREATE NEAR
WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. VIS/CIGS WILL RAPIDLY IMPROVE LATE
FRI MORNING AS THE FAST MOVING IMPULSE EXITS THE REGION...WITH
WEAK SINK EXPECTED ON THE BACKSIDE OVER THE REGION.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1102 PM EST THU FEB 24 2011/

UPDATE...
MARKED ADJUSTMENTS WRT EVENING UPDATE WITH DECIDEDLY SRN TRACL PF
SFC LOW THRU KY INTO SRN OH BY DAYBREAK. ONSLAUGHT OF STRONG
CROSS ISOBARIC ISENT FLOW ON I295K SFC WITH 50KTS AT 06 UTC WITH
6-8 G/KG MIXR INTO SRN IN. LARGE DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS PER KDTX
AND LAPS CWA SNDGS TO ASSURE COOLING FOR MOSTLY ALL SNOW...SAVE
FOR A BRIEF ZR/IP CHC FAR SRN/SERN CWA BEFORE SHARP WETBULB
PROFILE COOLING. ERODING 0.5 DEGREE REF/SPOTTER REPORT AT 10 PM
IN WHITE CO. INDICATING VIRGA STILL HAVING DIFFICULTY REACHING
DOWN BLO SAT 850MB...THOUGH -SN NOW AT KIWX WITH FULL VWP PROFILE
AND WITH INCRSD MFLUX CONVG/LIFT SUSPECT RAPID REF FILL IN NEXT
TWO HOURS AND BORNE OUT IN HRR REFL GUID. CONFIDENCE SREF GRIDS
FOR SIG/GT 8/GT 12 EVENT ACCUMS TREND LWR AND GIVEN WEIGHT TO
HRR/RUC SUPPORT LESSER EVENT TOTALS FURTHER NORTH. HAVE VERY LW
CONF GIVEN TO 00 UTC NAM WITH COBB OUTPUT OF SNOINCR 4 FOR KFWA
AT BOTH 08 AND 09 UTC THIS AM...HIGHLY SUSPECT. ONLY MINISCULE
HUNDREDTH OR TWO LEFT FOR ZR POTNL IN EARLY MIX FAR SRN/SERN CWA
WITH AXIS OF HVST SNOWFALL OF QUICK 8 INCHES/PLUS MINUS 2 FM
MARION CO TO ADAMS CO TO OTTAWA OH CO AND SOUTHEAST. SIG GRADIENT
FM MONTICELLO TO WARSAW TO WAUSEON IN ON NRN FRINGE OF BEST
MSTR/LIFT. LESSER SNOWFALL GRADIENT FOR GNRL 2-5 AMOUNTS IN ADV
AREA WHERE DEEPER 100 MB PLUS DGZ DEPTH WITH HIR SWE RATIOS TO
OFFER OFFSET.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 242 PM EST THU FEB 24 2011/

SHORT TERM... TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

.WINTER STORM TAKING AIM ON THE AREA TONIGHT...

WARMER AIR SLOWLY EDGING NORTH ACROSS THE AREA WITH EVERYONE NOW
ABOVE FREEZING. DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL UNTIL TOWARDS EVENING
WHEN LARGE AREA OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY MOVING NE ACROSS MISSOURI
DRAWS CLOSER. MOST NCEP MODELS SEEM TO KEEP ANY PRECIP HOLDING OFF
TILL THE 3 TO 6Z TIME FRAME. CONCERNED THAT WITH SUCH STRONG LIFT
AND DYNAMICS COMING INTO PLAY BY EVENING THAT PRECIP COULD BREAK OUT
AHEAD OF THIS MAIN AREA. 4KM SPC WRF SUGGESTS THIS WITH DEVELOPMENT
IN THE 23 TO 01Z TIME FRAME. AS A RESULT HAVE LEFT START TIME OF
HEADLINES AS IS. CHANGES WERE MADE EARLIER TO ADD MORE DETAIL IN
MIXTURE IN SE AREAS AND BETTER FOCUS OF HEAVIEST SNOW SWATH. MUCH
UNCERTAINTY REMAIN AS TO WHERE THE HEAVIEST BANDS WILL BE WITH GFS
AND LOCAL WRF BRINGING THE BAND FURTHER NORTH AND NAM ON TRACK WITH
PRESENT LOCATION. HAVE KEPT SPIRIT OF PREV GRIDS AND FINE TUNED
AMOUNTS TO LINE UP WITH MODELS TRENDS. THE WARM NOSE THAT HAS BEEN
ADVERTISED THE PAST SEVERAL RUNS MAY BE DEPARTING BY THE TIME THE
STEADIER PRECIP ARRIVES. HOWEVER...THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES THAT THE
MODELS ARE UNDERDONE ON THE AMOUNT OF WARM AIR ALOFT AND ITS
EFFECTS. TOP DOWN PROCEDURES SUGGEST LIMITED ICING POTENTIAL WITH
MORE SLEET IN SE AREAS. NOT READY TO FULLY DROP ICE MENTION SO HAVE
LOWERED ICE ACCUMS IN THE SE AND NUDGED UP SNOW FALL. SNOW WILL BE
FALLING EVERYWHERE AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN THE HEAVIEST ACCUMS ARE
EXPECTED. HRRR MODEL SHOWS HEAVIER SNOW COULD EXTEND EVEN INTO
CURRENT ADVISORY COUNTIES. WILL DEFER ANY FURTHER CHANGES TO EVENING
SHIFT TO MONITOR TRENDS.

LONG TERM...
FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...
FCST PERIOD TO BEGIN WITH WEAK SFC RIDGING WITH PROGRESSIVE ZONAL
FLOW ALOFT...PROVIDING ONLY A BRIEF BREAK BEFORE ANOTHER DISTURBANCE
MOVES THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION. LITTLE SFC REFLECTION BUT
SHORT WAVE...DECENT JET DYNAMICS AND SUFFICIENT RESIDUAL MOISTURE
WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO MUCH OF THE FCST AREA ON SATURDAY.
PROVIDED ADDED EMPHASIS TO GRIDS IN NORTHERN CWA WITH LIKELY POPS
AND 2-3INCHES OF ACCUMULATION. MEANWHILE A VERY STRONG UPPER LOW
WILL COME ONSHORE IN THE SW US THIS WKND AND LEAD TO ANOTHER STRONG
SYSTEM FOR OUR AREA SUNDAY NITE AND MONDAY. STRONG WAA AIDED BY
50KT+ LLJ AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL FAVOR RAIN AS THE PRIMARY PRECIP
TYPE...ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF MODEL TRENDS FAVORING ONSET OF PRECIP
MORE TOWARD SUN AFTN WHEN ENTIRE CWA SHOULD BE ABOVE FREEZING.
POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL WITH THIS SYSTEM WITH PW FCST
OVER 1.25IN SUNDAY NITE. LATEST TRENDS FROM MEDIUM RANGE MODELS
SUGGEST SFC LOW WILL PASS THROUGH DURING THE DAY MONDAY WITH COLD
AIR LAGGING JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP PRECIP AS ALL RAIN DURING THE DAY.
SYSTEM QUICKLY EXITS MONDAY NIGHT BUT WILL LEAVE A SMALL CHANCE FOR
LIGHT SNOW BEFORE MIDNIGHT WITH SHARPLY COLDER AIR ON THE BACKSIDE
OF THIS SYSTEM. SFC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE TN/OH VALLEY IN
THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM...COLD AIR TO BE SHORT LIVED AS ZONAL FLOW
RE-ESTABLISHES AND BRINGS SEASONAL TEMPS TO THE AREA WITH HIGHS
MAINLY IN THE U30S-L40S TUE-THU. THERE WILL BE A NORTHERN STREAM
SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES ON TUE AND DRAG A COLD
FRONT THROUGH THE AREA BUT ATTM APPEARS TO BE SUFFICIENTLY LACKING
IN MOISTURE TO KEEP FCST DRY.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR INZ008-009-
     013-015>018-020-022>027-032>034.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST /9 AM CST/ THIS MORNING
     FOR INZ003>007-012-014.

MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR
     MIZ077>081.

OH...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING FOR OHZ001-002-
     004-005-015-016-024-025.

LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR LMZ043-046.

&&

SHORT TERM...FISHER
LONG TERM...LOGSDON
AVIATION...JC
UPDATE...MURPHY

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 24, 10:41 PM EST, 2 hours 19 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1041 PM EST THU FEB 24 2011

LMZ043-046-260345-
NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-
1041 PM EST THU FEB 24 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT WILL PERSIST TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY INTO
FRIDAY EVENING.

HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT ARE EXPECTED AGAIN SUNDAY
NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/?N=MARINE

INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-260345-
LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE-
PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-
MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-BERRIEN-
CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-
HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND...
MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...ANGOLA...
KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...AUBURN...GARRETT...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON...
WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...ROCHESTER...WARSAW...
WINONA LAKE...COLUMBIA CITY...SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE...
MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...LOGANSPORT...PERU...WABASH...
NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...
BERNE...MARION...HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...NILES...
BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS...
STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...WAUSEON...
ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA...
PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA
1041 PM EST THU FEB 24 2011 /941 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011/

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A WINTER STORM TAKING SHAPE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER
VALLEY WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY OVERNIGHT. A
MIX OF SLEET...SNOW...AND FREEZING RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD AREAS
SOUTH OF A MARION INDIANA TO LIMA OHIO LINE...WHILE MAINLY SNOW
OVERSPREADS THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA OVERNIGHT.
THE WINTRY MIX ACROSS THE SOUTH WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW OVERNIGHT.
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ROUGHLY SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM GRISSOM INDIANA TO DEFIANCE OHIO BY MORNING...WITH
LESSER ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES NORTH OF THIS LINE.
INCREASING NORTH WINDS OVERNIGHT WILL ALSO PRODUCE AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW INTO FRIDAY MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO THE
WINTER WEATHER PRODUCT ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SNOW WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FRIDAY MORNING WITH LIGHT ADDITIONAL
ACCUMULATIONS. GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL RESULT IN CONTINUED BLOWING
AND DRIFTING SNOW FRIDAY MORNING.

SOME LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT
THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO
EARLY MONDAY WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. PRECIPITATION WILL
CHANGE TO SNOW AS THIS SYSTEM PULLS OFF TO THE EAST ON MONDAY.
SNOW MELT AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN A POTENTIAL OF
FLOODING. THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE EXACT TRACK AND
STRENGTH OF THIS STORM. SMALL SHIFTS IN THE FORECAST TRACK WILL
RESULT IN CHANGES TO THE PRECIPITATION TYPE AND AREAS OF HEAVIEST
PRECIPITATION. FUTURE FORECASTS SHOULD BE MONITORED REGARDING THIS
STORM.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL REPORTS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY.

&&

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

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Allen

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Allen forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.772, -84.106 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Allen County were generally between 6 and 7 inches, with a trained spotter in Spencerville reporting 6.5 inches of total snow accumulation. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Heavy Snow, Van Wert

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Van Wert forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.855, -84.586 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Van Wert County were generally between 6 and 7 inches, with the emergency manager reporting 6.2 inches of total snow accumulation in Van Wert. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Heavy Snow, Putnam

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.022, -84.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Putnam County were generally between 6 and 7 inches, with a trained spotter reporting 6.5 inches of total snow accumulation in Columbus Grove. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Heavy Snow, Paulding

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Paulding forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.117, -84.580 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Paulding County were generally between 4 and 6 inches. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Heavy Snow, Henry

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Henry forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.334, -84.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Henry County were generally between 5 and 7 inches, with a CoCoRaHS observer reporting 5.6 inches of total snow accumulation in Napoleon. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Heavy Snow, Defiance

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Defiance forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 41.324, -84.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Defiance County were generally between 4 and 6 inches. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Heavy Snow, Fulton

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Fulton forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 41.602, -84.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate to heavy snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Fulton County were generally between 5 and 7 inches, with a COOP observer reporting 6.5 inches of total snow accumulation 2 miles south of Wauseon. The heavy snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

Winter Weather, Williams

When: February 25, 1:00 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.560, -84.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Moderate, to at times heavy, snow developed during the early morning hours of February 25th and continued through approximately 9:00 am ET that morning. Snowfall rates near an inch per hour were reported. Snowfall totals across Williams County were generally between 3 and 5 inches. The snow resulted in accidents and slide-offs across the region, along with school delays and closures.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Ohio in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, February 2011

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: 276177, 276178, 276179, 276180, 276181, 276182, 276183, 276184.