Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 4 to 5, 2012

Name: Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 4 to 5, 2012
Start: 2012-05-04T20:51
End: 2012-05-05T04:30
Location: Ohio

May 4 to 5, 2012 · NWS RLX · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

Convection dropped from northwestern Ohio during the late afternoon and reached into southeast Ohio during the evening hours of the 4th. This was south of an east to west cold front in northern Ohio.

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: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $760,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 RLX wrote it up.

Convection dropped from northwestern Ohio during the late afternoon and reached into southeast Ohio during the evening hours of the 4th. This was south of an east to west cold front in northern Ohio. That front was sinking slowly south. Surface dew points were in the mid 60s.

The convection consolidated into large cold clusters, first in eastern Ohio. As these weakened, the clusters of showers and thunderstorms to their southwest got stronger. These moved through southeast Ohio. Rain amounts of 1.5 to 2 inches fell in less than 2 hours. A few very localized amounts around 2.25 inches were likely. The Jackson cooperative observer measured 2.03 inches.

One fatality occurred in Athens County. Most of the flooding was confined to roads. Damage occurred to vehicles that stalled when motorists drove through flooded roads. Several motorists were rescued in Jackson and Gallia Counties.

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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 4, 6:46 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 4, 6:46 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
746 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES ACTING ON VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR...WILL
YIELD REPEATED THREATS FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO SATURDAY.
DRIER AIR TRIES TO FORM A BREAK SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
UPDATE TO INCLUDE REST OF SE OH ZONES IN THE FFA. LINE OF STORMS
TO THE WEST AS WELL AS COMPLEX COMING DOWN FROM THE GREAT LAKES IS
STARTING TO GET THEIR ACTS TOGETHER. PW VALUES 1.5 TO 1.6 AND
STORMS SLOWING A BIT. ALSO, BACK BUILDING STARTING TO FORM BEHIND
THESE STORMS AS WELL.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
DUE TO RECENT RAINFALL...FLASH FLOOD
GUIDANCE IS SCARY LOW. SOME AREAS ARE 0.75 IN THREE HOURS. EVEN A
REGULAR THUNDERSTORM COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THESE AREAS. IN
ADDITION...A VORTICITY LOBE WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION
TONIGHT...AND COULD CREATE A GOOD THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX. MODELS
DISAGREE ON WHERE THIS COMPLEX WILL GO...BUT THUNDERSTORMS ARE
FORMING TO THE WEST WITH THIS FEATURE...SO WILL TIME SYSTEM OFF OF
THE STORMS. A COLD FRONT ALSO PUSHES INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT AND
COULD PRODUCE A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR THUNDERSTORMS. THEREFORE
WILL ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA LATE
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
PESKY FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTH OF THE AREA REDEVELOPS OVER CWA AS A
WARM FRONT IN RESPONSE TO NEXT SYSTEM ORGANIZING OVER THE PLAINS
STATES. HOWEVER...MOISTURE DEPTH REMAINS MEAGER SO KEPT POPS
CONFINED TO MTN COUNTIES FOR ELEVATED HEAT SOURCE REASONS. SOME
TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH COLD FRONT SO KEPT INHERITED POPS BASICALLY
THE SAME HEADING INTO MONDAY AFTERNOON.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
MODELS CONTINUE TO CARRY A STRONG AND SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT ACROSS
THE AREA TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...IN RESPONSE TO AN AMPLIFYING
NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVE DIVING OUT OF THE UPPER MIDWEST. THE NAM
APPEARS A LITTLE FAST WITH THE FRONT...SO GOING WITH THE SLOWER GFS
AND EURO FRONTAL SOLUTIONS. THIS WILL BRING THE FRONT EAST OF THE
MOUNTAINS TUESDAY NIGHT. GOOD UPPER SUPPORT AND MOIST UNSTABLE
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BRING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRECEDING THE
FRONT MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY.

THE ECMWF THEN TRIES TO CLOSE THE UPPER SYSTEM OFF OVER THE MID
ATLANTIC STATES BY WEDNESDAY. SO AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE TUESDAY
NIGHT...A COMPROMISE IS IN ORDER FOR WEDNESDAY...GOING WITH A
SLOWER BUT PROGRESSIVE GFS SOLUTION. WHILE SCATTERED SHOWERS
CONTINUE WEDNESDAY IN THE MOIST AND MUCH COOLER WRAPAROUND
FLOW...CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WITH DRIER AIR WILL BUILD IN FOR
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

HPC TEMPS LOOK GOOD...NEAR SEASONABLE TEMPS PRECEDING THE FRONT
WITH ALL THE CLOUDS AND SHOWERS...BUT BELOW NORMAL BEHIND THE FRONT
FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL PRODUCE MORE ORGANIZED MVFR TO IFR
IN CIGS AND VSBYS IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT...WITH A
COLD FRONT ALSO SLIDING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH. SOME MVFR
FOG POSSIBLE WHERE SITES RECIEVE ANY RAIN. TIMING OF THESE STORMS
TRICKY AND CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM. VFR CIGS RETURN FROM NORTH TO
SOUTH LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS FRONT MOVES SOUTH AND HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER THE REGION.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY...

FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM.

ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: TIMING AND INTENSITY OF THUNDERSTORMS COULD
VARY.

EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH:   TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW:    TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.

DATE                                                            SAT 05/05/12
UTC 1HRLY       00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11
EDT 1HRLY       20   21   22   23   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07
CRW CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M
HTS CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M
BKW CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M
EKN CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    M    M    M    L    H    L    L    L    L
PKB CONSISTENCY  M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M    M
CKB CONSISTENCY  L    M    M    M    M    L    L    H    H    H    H    H

AFTER 00Z SUNDAY...
WIDESPREAD IFR CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EDT SATURDAY FOR WVZ005>011-
     013>020-024>032-037>040-046-047.
OH...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EDT SATURDAY FOR OHZ066-067-075-
     076-083>087.
KY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EDT SATURDAY FOR KYZ101>103-105.
VA...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...JS/RPY/JMV/30
NEAR TERM...JS
SHORT TERM...30
LONG TERM...JMV
AVIATION...JS

Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 1:42 PM EST, 7 hours 9 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
242 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ083-085>087-WVZ005>011-013>020-024>032-037>040-046-
047-051845-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-JACKSON OH-MEIGS-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-
WAYNE-CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-WOOD-PLEASANTS-TYLER-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-
KANAWHA-ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-DODDRIDGE-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-
BRAXTON-GILMER-LEWIS-HARRISON-TAYLOR-NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-UPSHUR-BARBOUR-
POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
242 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST
KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO AND MUCH OF WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ON SATURDAY...WHICH MAY
CONTINUE THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ066-067-075-076-084-VAZ003-004-WVZ033>036-051845-
PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-VINTON-DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-MCDOWELL-
WYOMING-RALEIGH-FAYETTE-
242 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST OHIO...SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT MAY RESULT IN A FLASH
FLOOD THREAT. IF CONDITIONS INDICATE EXCESSIVE RAIN POTENTIAL ON
ACCOUNT OF REPEATED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY
BE NECESSARY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 4, 7:07 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
807 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

OHZ066-067-075-050100-
ATHENS OH-MORGAN OH-PERRY OH-
807 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MORGAN...NORTHERN ATHENS AND
PERRY COUNTIES...

AT 804 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP IN
AND JUST WEST OF PERRY AND MORGAN COUNTIES.

VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3991 8217 3983 8216 3982 8208 3978 8207
      3976 8164 3959 8158 3959 8171 3948 8171
      3949 8182 3943 8185 3940 8228 3947 8229
      3947 8218 3955 8217 3960 8239 3973 8238
      3975 8241 3983 8241 3984 8248 3993 8247

28

Special weather statement, May 4, 7:39 PM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
839 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

OHZ075-083>086-050145-
ATHENS OH-GALLIA OH-JACKSON OH-MEIGS OH-VINTON OH-
839 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT JACKSON...NORTHWESTERN
GALLIA...NORTHWESTERN MEIGS...SOUTHWESTERN ATHENS AND VINTON
COUNTIES...

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE PEA-SIZED HAIL WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
FROM THESE STORMS. THIS WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND
QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. EXPECT INTENSE
LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK
SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A
THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3937 8264 3938 8263 3938 8252 3940 8251
      3939 8230 3941 8229 3941 8217 3903 8220
      3881 8227 3884 8257 3892 8268 3918 8273
      3937 8273

28

Local storm report, May 4, 7:50 PM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
850 PM EDT FRI MAY 04 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0849 PM     HAIL             COALTON                 39.11N  82.61W
05/04/2012  E0.25 INCH       JACKSON            OH   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

EVENT NUMBER RLX1200270

LZ

Special weather statement, May 4, 8:17 PM EST, 34 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
917 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

OHZ066-067-075-076-050315-
ATHENS OH-MORGAN OH-PERRY OH-WASHINGTON OH-
917 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WILL AFFECT MORGAN...NORTH CENTRAL
ATHENS...NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON AND PERRY COUNTIES...

AT 913 PM EDT...THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WERE LOCATED OVER MUCH OF
THE AREA...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO FALL FROM THESE
STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL
ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3991 8216 3983 8216 3982 8207 3978 8207
      3975 8165 3940 8176 3947 8217 3955 8217
      3955 8226 3959 8227 3960 8239 3973 8238
      3975 8241 3983 8241 3984 8248 3993 8246

21

Special weather statement, May 4, 8:33 PM EST, 18 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
933 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

OHZ067-075-076-084-085-050330-
ATHENS OH-MEIGS OH-MORGAN OH-VINTON OH-WASHINGTON OH-
933 PM EDT FRI MAY 4 2012

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ATHENS...NORTHEASTERN VINTON...
NORTHERN MEIGS...SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN AND SOUTHWESTERN WASHINGTON
COUNTIES...

AT 927 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 3 MILES WEST OF
NELSONVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO
POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE ELEVATED LEVELS ON
SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND PONDING OF WATER ON COUNTRY ROADS AND
FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3955 8175 3916 8178 3920 8229 3937 8251
      3940 8249 3939 8230 3947 8229 3948 8228
      3947 8218 3956 8216 3955 8204 3957 8204

21

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 136 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Athens

When: May 4, 8:51 PM EST to May 5, 2:30 AM EST
Where: Athens County, Nelsonville to Carbondale
Cause: Heavy Rain
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 39.470, -82.230

Small streams across the northern portion of the county flooded.

An elderly couple was driving home along Linscott Run. This is a small tributary to Federal Creek near Amesville. Close to home, the husband decided to stop his vehicle and wait out some high water. Their vehicle became surrounded by rising water. The couple made an attempt to walk to nearby higher ground. The wife was using a walker due to recent hip surgery. She slipped and the husband could not hold on to her. The current swept her away. The fire department located her body around dawn on the 5th, about a half mile downstream. The husband was helped to safety by neighbors using a garden hose. Route 550 was also flooded in Amesville.

Several streets in Nelsonville were flooded including along Dorr Run and Pleasant View Road. Large dump rocks, used in the bypass construction, were even moved by the water. A wall to a garage was knocked over by the water. A house foundation was damaged.

A vehicle was flooded along Margaret Creek near Albany. The occupants were unhurt at a nearby home when the local fire department arrived.

Lightning, Athens

When: May 4, 9:13 PM EST
Where: Athens County, Athens
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 39.330, -82.100

A feed store was struck.

Thunderstorm Wind, Vinton

When: May 4, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Vinton County, Mc Arthur
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.250, -82.480

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: May 4, 9:32 PM EST
Where: Jackson County, 1.66 mi E of Chapmans
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 39.076, -82.570

Several trees were blown down around the Fairgreens Country Club.

Flash Flood, Jackson

When: May 4, 9:45 PM EST to May 5, 4:30 AM EST
Where: Jackson County, 3 mi W of Grahamsville to 4.56 mi E of Oak Hill
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 38.950, -82.756

Many roads were impassible. Several water rescues occurred from stalled vehicles. A woman was stranded in a park by high water and was rescued by boat. Businesses in the community of Jackson saw urban runoff get inside. This included the state motor vehicle registration building on Huron Street. Condominiums were also flooded on Huron Street.

Flash Flood, Vinton

When: May 4, 9:45 PM EST to May 5, 2:30 AM EST
Where: Vinton County, Jimtown to 2.5 mi NNE of Zaleski
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.350, -82.730

Streams such as Pretty Run, Salt Creek, Middle Fork of Salt Creek, Raccoon Creek, and Puncheon Fork, flooded and damaged roads. Culverts under some roads were damaged. Private bridges were damaged. Near MacArthur, some residents in a trailer park were evacuated. The American Red Cross gave assistance to 14 families in Vinton County.

Flash Flood, Gallia

When: May 4, 11:30 PM EST to May 5, 4:30 AM EST
Where: Gallia County, 1 mi W of Sand Fork to 1 mi NNW of Chipper Mills
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $95,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.720, -82.399

Small streams flooded roads, such as State Route 141 and 325. Several water rescues took place around Rio Grande.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Flash Flood, Athens	2012-05-04	74	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, May 2012

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: 372583, 372584, 372589, 372586, 372585, 372587, 372594.