A severe thunderstorm occurred in northwest Ohio during the early evening of May 13th as a cold front moved into the area from the west. A warm and unstable airmass was in place ahead of the cold front and a few trees and limbs were brought down by thunderstorm winds in Toledo in Lucas County and Grand Rapids in Wood County.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS CLE wrote it up.
A severe thunderstorm occurred in northwest Ohio during the early evening of May 13th as a cold front moved into the area from the west. A warm and unstable airmass was in place ahead of the cold front and a few trees and limbs were brought down by thunderstorm winds in Toledo in Lucas County and Grand Rapids in Wood County.
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 May 13, 2:22 PM EST, 1 hour 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
322 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014
.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST INTO WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA TONIGHT AND
STALL THEN LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVER NORTH ALONG THE FRONT WEDNESDAY
NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EASTERN CANADA FRIDAY. UPPER LEVEL
LOW PRESSURE WILL STALL OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES INTO THROUGH
EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY/...
THE COLD FRONT WILL BE SLOWLY MOVING EAST ACROSS THE AREA PUSHING
INTO WARM...MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR. THE THREAT FOR SOME SEVERE
STORMS STILL LOOK REASONABLE ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. WITH
THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS ON TOP OF AREAS THAT HAVE HAD HEAVY TO
LOCALLY FLOODING RAIN OVER THE PAST DAY...A FLOOD WATCH IS NEEDED.
TEMPS TONIGHT WILL START TO COOL WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BUT ONLY
AS MUCH AS THE MID 50S IN THE FAR NW.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
THE FRONT WILL BE STALLED SOMEWHERE NEAR THE EAST FRINGE OF THE CWA
ON WED. THE ENERGY WITH THE FRONT WILL GET STRETCHED AS THE NORTHERN
SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE NE AND ENERGY WITH THE DEVELOPING WAVE
STARTS TO FOCUS SOUTH OF THE AREA. THUS SHOULD SEE A GENERALLY
LESSENING OF THE RAIN FOR A WHILE ON WED WITH THE SECOND SURGE
STARTING TO PUSH IN FROM THE SW DURING THE AFTERNOON.
THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO PULL THE FRONT BACK WEST WITH THE LOW MOVING
NNE ACROSS THE WEST PART OF THE CWA LATE WED NIGHT THROUGH THU
EVENING. THERE WILL BE WIDESPREAD SHRA DURING THIS PERIOD ALONG WITH
TSRA AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. WILL LIKELY NEED A FLOOD WATCH FOR
THIS TIME PERIOD BUT WILL HOLD OFF AND LET THE CURRENT ONE PLAY OUT
THEN THE SECOND CAN BE ISSUED FOR THE WED NIGHT THRU THU NIGHT
PERIOD. SOME OF THE STORMS IN THE SE HALF OF THE AREA COULD EVEN BE
SEVERE.
THE THREAT FOR RAIN WON'T END AS THE LOW MOVES OFF NNE OF THE AREA
FRI BECAUSE...AS USUAL THIS TIME OF THE YEAR THE UPPER LOW WILL FIND
ITS WAY INTO THE GREAT LAKES WHERE IT WILL STALL FOR THE WEEKEND.
COLDER AIR PROGRESSIVELY WRAPS SE INTO THE AREA THU NIGHT THRU FRI
NIGHT SO EXPECT FRI AND FRI NIGHT TO BE MOSTLY CLOUDY AND COOL WITH
SCT SHRA. SOME THUNDER COULD OCCUR DUE TO THE COLD POCKET OF AIR
ALOFT BUT FOR THE MOST PART MAINLY EXPECTING SHRA. THINK ENOUGH
CLOUDS WILL HANG AROUND FRI NIGHT TO KEEP TEMPS FROM BEING ABLE TO
DROP BELOW 40 DEGREES AND CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR TENDER PLANTS.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AN UPPER TROF WILL BE ACROSS THE AREA ON SATURDAY AND WILL MOVE
SLOWLY EAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SHOWERS WILL BE
ON SATURDAY AND THEN AFTER THAT A THREAT COULD LINGER MAINLY OVER
THE EXTREME EASTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE BIG CONCERN IS
WHAT WILL THE CLOUDS DO OVER THE WEEKEND. WITH THE HIGH BUILDING IN
THE WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND IF THE CLOUDS DECREASE LOWS COULD DIP
INTO THE UPPER 30S AND SOME PATCHY FROST IS POSSIBLE. THIS SITUATION
WILL BE MONITORED CAREFULLY THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
VFR WEATHER WILL BE COMING TO AN END THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DEVELOPING AHEAD OF A
COLD FRONT THAT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. BEHIND
THE FRONT CONDITIONS WILL DROP TO MVFR AND IFR. THE PRECIPITATION
WILL LAST 2 TO 3 HOURS. A WAVE WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT AND
SPREAD MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY.
.OUTLOOK...NON VFR IN PRECIPITATION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY.
&&
.MARINE...
A COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE LAKE OVERNIGHT AND THE WINDS
WILL NOT BE THAT STRONG UNTIL LOW PRESSURE MOVES ALONG THE FRONT
ESPECIALLY ON THURSDAY. SOME QUESTION AS TO THE LOCATION OF THE LOW
AND THAT WILL DETERMINE THE WIND DIRECTION AND STRENGTH. MORE THEN
LIKELY A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED ON THE LAKE.
FOR THIS EVENING SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS WILL BE NEEDED AS
THUNDERSTORMS CROSS THE LAKE.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE BUILD OVER THE GREAT LAKES STARTING SATURDAY
AND WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS WILL MEAN GENERALLY
LIGHT WINDS ON THE LAKES.
&&
.CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR OHZ009>014-020>023-
031>033-089.
PA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR PAZ001>003.
MARINE...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...ADAMS
NEAR TERM...ADAMS
SHORT TERM...ADAMS
LONG TERM...KIELTYKA
AVIATION...KIELTYKA
MARINE...KIELTYKAHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH 421 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014 OHZ009>014-020>023-031>033-089-PAZ001>003-142030- ERIE OH-LORAIN-CUYAHOGA-LAKE-GEAUGA-ASHTABULA INLAND-MEDINA-SUMMIT- PORTAGE-TRUMBULL-WAYNE-STARK-MAHONING-ASHTABULA LAKESHORE- NORTHERN ERIE-SOUTHERN ERIE-CRAWFORD PA- 421 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...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. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. WIDESPREAD RAIN IS EXPECTED FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WHICH COULD PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLOODING. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY EVENING COULD BE SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. OHZ003-006>008-017>019-027>030-036>038-047-142030- LUCAS-WOOD-OTTAWA-SANDUSKY-HANCOCK-SENECA-HURON-WYANDOT-CRAWFORD- RICHLAND-ASHLAND-MARION-MORROW-HOLMES-KNOX- 421 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST OHIO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. RAIN COULD BE LOCALLY HEAVY THIS EVENING AND SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. WIDESPREAD RAIN IS EXPECTED FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WHICH COULD PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLOODING. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE LATE WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. LEZ061-142>149-162>169-142030- 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- 421 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE ERIE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
435 PM EDT TUE MAY 13 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0745 PM TORNADO 2 SE ELYRIA 41.36N 82.08W
05/12/2014 LORAIN OH NWS STORM SURVEY
AN EF1 OCCURRED IN EATON TOWNSHIP. ESTIMATED WIND SPEED
86 MPH. MAX PATH WIDTH 100 YARDS WIDE. PATH LENGTH 1.02
MILES. DAMAGE CONSISTED MAINLY OF DOWNED TREES AND
SEVERAL BUILDINGS LOST SECTIONS OF ROOFING.
&&
KIELTYKAThe Detroit radar (KDTX), 147 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:05 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The park service reported large limbs brought down by thunderstorms winds near Grand Rapids.
Law enforcement reported a large tree down across the road near Detroit and Wildwood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, May 2014
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: 517449, 517451.