Flash Flooding in Ohio, July 27, 2014

Name: Flash Flooding in Ohio, July 27, 2014
Start: 2014-07-27T16:30
End: 2014-07-27T18:30
Location: Ohio

July 27, 2014 · NWS CLE · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A cold front with a wave of low pressure moving along it into northern Ohio produced strong storms with heavy rain on July 27, 2014. High moisture content over the region, as indicated by dew points in the upper 60s, combined with some upslope and lake enhancement to cause flash floods.

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: $210,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

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 Cleveland, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 27, 2:15 PM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 27, 2:15 PM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
315 PM EDT SUN JUL 27 2014

.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW NEAR DETROIT WILL MOVE INTO NEW ENGLAND THROUGH MONDAY THEN
DRIFT NORTH INTO EASTERN CANADA BY THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. HIGH
PRESSURE OVER THE PLAINS WILL SPREAD UP THE OHIO VALLEY THURSDAY
THEN REMAIN OVER THE AREA INTO THE WEEKEND WHILE UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE IS STALLED OVER THE REGION.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY/...
A VIGOROUS S/W TROUGH WILL MOVE ESE ACROSS THE CWA TONIGHT. STRONG
DYNAMICS WITH THE TROUGH WILL ACT ON UNSTABLE AIR TO LIKELY PRODUCE
NUMEROUS STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS...ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE EVEN
POSSIBLE. RAIN MAY BE LOCALLY HEAVY...SO SOME LOCATIONS THAT SEE
REPEAT TSRA IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME COULD START TO SEE SOME
FLOODING ISSUES BUT DRY WEATHER OVER MOST OF THE PAST WEEK SHOULD
MEAN ANY FLOODING WILL BE ISOLATED. GENERAL AREA OF BIGGEST CONCERN
FOR FLOODING WILL BE THE SNOWBELT WHERE WRAP SHRA WILL BE MOST
CONCENTRATED FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE NIGHT THRU MON MORNING.
COOLER AIR MOVING IN FROM THE NW DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE NIGHT
SHOULD START TO STABILIZE THE AIRMASS TO END THE THUNDER THREAT FROM
WEST TO EAST.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
WRAP SHRA ARE SHOWN TO AFFECT THE SNOWBELT AREA IN THE MORNING
BECOMING LESS NUMEROUS DURING THE DAY AS THE S/W MOVES OFF TO THE
EAST TAKING THE DEEPER MOISTURE OUT OF THE AREA. A LITTLE THUNDER IS
POSSIBLE MONDAY BUT MOST PLACES SHOULD JUST SEE SHRA SO WILL
CONTINUE TO NOT MENTION TSRA. TEMPS WILL BE NOTICEABLY COOLER MON
WITH HIGHS MOSTLY FROM THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S.

MARGINAL LAKE EFFECT CONDITIONS MAY ALLOW A FEW SHRA TO HANG AROUND
IN THE SNOWBELT MON NIGHT INTO TUE MORNING. LATER TUE...ANOTHER
UPPER S/W DROPS INTO THE AREA SHARPENING THE MAIN TROUGH WHILE
INDUCING A SURFACE TROUGH. THERE SHOULD BE AN OVERALL PICKUP IN SCT
SHRA LATER TUE INTO TUE NIGHT. WILL MAKE THE THREAT FOR SHRA MORE
WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE CWA AND CONTINUE THIS THRU WED AS ANOTHER OF A
SERIES OF S/W'S WILL DIVE INTO THE MAIN TROUGH TO KEEP IT OVER THE
AREA. TEMPS TUE AND WED WILL STAY BELOW NORMAL

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
HARD TO GET TOO SPECIFIC IN THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST.
THE TROUGH ALOFT IS PROGGED TO DEEPEN MID WEEK AND THEN LINGER. THE
GFS HAS BACKED AWAY FROM THE PREVIOUS SOLUTION OF A LONG LASTING
CLOSED LOW BUT ALL OF THE MODELS MAINTAINS AN UNSEASONABLY DEEP
TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND AND BEYOND. IT WILL
BE DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT A DAY WITH NO CHANCE OF SHOWERS...PERHAPS
AT NIGHT WHEN CONVECTIVE PROCESSES DIMINISH. NOT GOING TO GO WITH
ANYTHING MORE THAN A "CHANCE" OF SHOWERS AT THIS POINT GIVEN THE
LACK OF DETAILS ALTHOUGH AT SOME POINT A TROUGH OR SHORT WAVE WILL
ROTATE THROUGH AND THERE WILL LIKELY BE MORE ORGANIZED ACTIVITY.

TEMPERATURES WILL DEPEND A LOT ON THE AMOUNT OF CLOUDS AND
SHOWERS BUT THE PATTERN SHOULD BRING TEMPERATURES AT LEAST A FEW
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AND PERHAPS AS MUCH AS 5 OR 6 DEGREES BELOW
NORMAL. DEWPOINTS WILL LIKELY BEGIN TO CREEP UP JUST A BIT SO THE
AIR MASS WILL LOOSE ITS CRISP AND COOL FEELING AND PROBABLY START TO
GET A DAMP AND COOL FEELING.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS AFTERNOON AND LIKELY
MERGE INTO A LARGE CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND STORMS BY EVENING ACROSS
THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES. WIND DIRECTION WILL BE TRICKY AT THE TAF
FORECAST SITES DEPENDING ON THE OUTFLOW OF NEARBY THUNDERSTORMS BUT
SHOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME NORTH TO NORTHWEST LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY
MORNING AS A COLD FRONT DROPS ACROSS THE AREA. CEILINGS WILL BECOME
IFR AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE.

OUTLOOK...NON VFR IN SHOWERS TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

&&

.MARINE...
THE COLD FRONT SHOULD SLIDE ACROSS LAKE ERIE TONIGHT ALONG WITH A
SURFACE LOW. IN THE MEAN TIME WE WILL HAVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES FROM
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL BASIN OF THE LAKE SO THE
WIND WILL BE VARIABLE AND PERHAPS GUSTY AT TIMES THIS EVENING. STILL
NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE THE SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK...PROBABLY ACROSS
EASTERN LAKE ERIE... SO THE WIND SHIFT MAY TAKE UNTIL EARLY MONDAY
ON THE EAST END OF THE LAKE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL BE NEEDED
MONDAY AS THE COLD ADVECTION INCREASES BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AND IT
WILL NOT BE A GOOD DAY FOR RECREATIONAL BOATING. WATERSPOUTS ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE MONDAY...PERHAPS INTO TUESDAY... AS THE AIR ALOFT WILL
BE UNSEASONABLY COOL.

A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE
COUNTRY WILL TAKE ALL WEEK TO MOVE EAST AS THE TROUGH ALOFT DEEPENS.
THE END RESULT WILL BE A SURFACE FLOW VARYING FROM SOUTHWEST TO
NORTHWEST MUCH OF THE WEEK. EACH TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE THAT CROSSES
THE LAKE CAN RESULT IN A PERIOD OF HIGHER WINDS AND WAVES.

&&

.CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...NONE.
PA...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...ADAMS
NEAR TERM...ADAMS
SHORT TERM...ADAMS
LONG TERM...KOSARIK
AVIATION...KOSARIK
MARINE...KOSARIK

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 27, 4:02 AM EST, 12 hours 28 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
502 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2014

LEZ061-142>149-162>169-OHZ003-006>011-017>023-027>033-036>038-047-
281100-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM RIPLEY TO BUFFALO NY-
MAUMEE BAY TO RENO BEACH OH-RENO BEACH TO THE ISLANDS OH-
THE ISLANDS TO VERMILION OH-VERMILION TO AVON POINT OH-
AVON POINT TO WILLOWICK OH-WILLOWICK TO GENEVA-ON-THE LAKE OH-GENEVA-
ON-THE-LAKE TO CONNEAUT OH-CONNEAUT OH TO RIPLEY NY-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM MAUMEE BAY TO RENO BEACH-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM RENO BEACH TO THE ISLANDS-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM THE ISLANDS TO VERMILION-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM VERMILION TO AVON POINT-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM AVON POINT TO WILLOWICK-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM WILLOWICK TO GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE TO CONNEAUT-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM CONNEAUT OH TO RIPLEY NY-LUCAS-WOOD-
OTTAWA-SANDUSKY-ERIE OH-LORAIN-CUYAHOGA-HANCOCK-SENECA-HURON-MEDINA-
SUMMIT-PORTAGE-TRUMBULL-WYANDOT-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-ASHLAND-WAYNE-
STARK-MAHONING-MARION-MORROW-HOLMES-KNOX-
502 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE ERIE...NORTH CENTRAL
OHIO...NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST OHIO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE
SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL. A TORNADO IS POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

OHZ012>014-089-PAZ001>003-281100-
LAKE-GEAUGA-ASHTABULA INLAND-ASHTABULA LAKESHORE-NORTHERN ERIE-
SOUTHERN ERIE-CRAWFORD PA-
502 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST
PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE
SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL. A TORNADO IS POSSIBLE.

TONIGHT HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE. A FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED IF
CONFIDENCE IN THE HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT INCREASES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

OUDEMAN

The radar

The Cleveland radar (KCLE), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Geauga

When: July 27, 4:30 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Geauga County, 0.75 mi WSW of Middlefield to 0.41 mi NW of Mddlfld Geauga Co Ar
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.467, -81.084

Starting around 520 PM on the evening of the 27th storms associated with a cold front moving through the region produced torrential rain over the Middlefield area. Between 545 and 715 PM 4.13 of rain fell as reported by the CoCoRaHS observer in Middlefield. It was this heavy rain that caused the Tare Creek to overcome it's banks and flood a retirement community and an apartment complex. This was the first ever reported incident of the creek flooding the retirement home which was built in 1965. The flood waters filled the basement with seven feet of water and resulted in evacuations. Further downstream sat an apartment complex where the Fire Department performed water rescues of 8 residents. The flood waters were estimated at eight inches deep in the apartments. An additional 0.9 of rain fell between 8 PM and 8 AM but no additional flash flooding resulted. Numerous homes in the community had flooded basements.

Flash Flood, Trumbull

When: July 27, 5:45 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
Where: Trumbull County, Kinsman to 3.32 mi E of Kinsman
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.450, -80.600

Heavy rain fell along and just south of the Ashtabula/Trumbull County line. Most of the rain fell over the Stratton and Maple Creek basins, tributaries to the Pymatuning Creek, near Kinsman. The creek overflowed it's banks and washed out portions of Kinsman-Pymatuning Road between Route 7 and Delin Thomas Road. The local golf course sustained significant damage to culverts and roads caused by the flood waters.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Ohio in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, July 2014

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: 523747, 523750.