A strong surface low pressure system tracked from the southern plains to the gulf states on Monday, February 16th. A northward push of the system clipped the southern Ohio Valley, and significant snow fell along and particularly south of the Ohio River.
Every event with a place to put it; 25 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 ILN wrote it up.
A strong surface low pressure system tracked from the southern plains to the gulf states on Monday, February 16th. A northward push of the system clipped the southern Ohio Valley, and significant snow fell along and particularly south of the Ohio River.
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 Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 15, 7:00 PM EST, 3 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
700 PM EST SUN FEB 15 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL ALLOW FOR DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA THIS
EVENING AND MOST OF TONIGHT. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE
SOUTH OF THE REGION MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT BRINGING ACCUMULATING SNOW
TO THE AREA. A DISTURBANCE WILL WORK THROUGH THE REGION TUESDAY
INTO TUESDAY NIGHT BRINGING THE CHANCE FOR SOME SNOW SHOWERS AND
COLDER TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/...
DRY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING WITH
HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE. ALTHOUGH SOME WIND CHILL VALUES WILL REACH
WIND CHILL ADVISORY CRITERIA TONIGHT ACROSS THE NORTH...WINDS WILL
BE LESS THAN REQUIRED FOR A WIND CHILL ADVISORY AND THEREFORE HAVE
DECIDED AGAINST A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES
WILL DROP ACROSS THE AREA FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE NIGHT HOWEVER
EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO INCREASE SOME OVERNIGHT AS CLOUD COVER
INCREASES. PRECIPITATION WILL HOLD OFF FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT. SNOW
WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO SW PORTIONS OF THE FA BY THE END OF THE
NEAR TERM.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA ON MONDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON
MONDAY ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO BE IN THE TEENS. DUE TO THIS THERE
WILL BE HIGH SNOW RATIOS FOR THIS SYSTEM. MODELS HAVE COME INTO
MUCH BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THIS SYSTEM HOWEVER THERE ARE STILL
SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES IN STRENGTH AND NORTHWARD EXTENT OF THIS
SYSTEM.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW WITH THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BE ALONG AND
SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER WITH SNOWFALL TOTALS DECREASING FURTHER TO
THE NORTH. AROUND 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ALONG AND SOUTH OF
THE OHIO RIVER. NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 LESS THAN AN INCH OF SNOW
IS EXPECTED. IN BETWEEN THERE WILL BE A TIGHT GRADIENT IN SNOWFALL
VALUES. A SHARP CUT OFF IN THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF THE SNOWFALL IS
EXPECTED AND A SHARP GRADIENT IN SNOWFALL VALUES IS EXPECTED.
WENT WITH A WINTER STORM WARNING FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY INDIANA
EASTWARD TO HOCKING COUNTY OHIO. THESE LOCATIONS ARE IN THE 4 INCH
WINTER STORM WARNING CRITERIA. DUE TO THE RECENT NORTHWARD TREND
DECIDED TO HAVE A ROW OF COUNTIES NORTH OF THIS IN A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY. MORE CONFIDENT IN THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
FROM FAYETTE COUNTY OHIO TO FAIRFIELD COUNTY OHIO WHERE WINTER
WEATHER CRITERIA IS 2 INCHES. THERE IS LESSER CONFIDENCE IN THE
ADVISORY FROM FAYETTE COUNTY INDIANA EASTWARD TO GREENE COUNTY
OHIO WHERE THE ADVISORY CRITERIA IS 3 INCHES. AS MENTIONED HOWEVER
WITH THE NORTHWARD SHIFT AND VALUES NEAR CRITERIA DECIDED TO GO
WITH AN ADVISORY ACROSS THESE COUNTIES.
SNOW WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF
LULL BEFORE ANOTHER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO
TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING LIGHT SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY
TO THE AREA AND COLDER AIR TO THE REGION. WIND CHILL VALUES WILL
DROP BELOW ZERO TUESDAY NIGHT. MANY LOCATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE
WIND CHILL VALUES LOWER THAN NEGATIVE TEN AND THEREFORE FUTURE
FORECASTS WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR POTENTIAL WIND CHILL
ADVISORIES.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
ARCTIC AIR WILL WILL BE PERSISTENT FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK.
WITH SNOW COVER EXPECTED ACROSS MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE AREA...
TEMPERATURES WILL BE APPROACHING RECORD COLD...BOTH FOR MAXES AND
MINS. CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SNOW SHOWERS ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE BETTER
POTENTIAL ACROSS FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES DOWNSTREAM OF THE FETCH OFF
LAKE MICHIGAN. AS LOW LEVEL FLOW BACKS FURTHER THE CHANCE OF
LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS WILL END. CENTER OF THE ARCTIC HIGH WILL PASS
ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. NEXT SYSTEM DEVELOPING
IN THE PLAINS WILL SPREAD MOISTURE INTO THE AREA ON SATURDAY.
TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE SOMEWHAT ALTHOUGH STILL BE BELOW NORMAL.
A COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT BUT MIGHT
NOT MAKE IT MUCH FURTHER SOUTH ON SUNDAY. CURRENTLY APPEARS THAT
THERE COULD BE AN EXTENDED CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE
WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE COLD ENOUGH FOR PRECIPITATION TYPE
TO BE SNOW ALTHOUGH THERE COULD BE A MIX WITH RAIN IN THE SOUTH.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS EVENING WILL GIVE WAY
TO INCREASING MID CLOUDS FROM THE WEST LATER THIS EVENING INTO THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. AN INVERTED TROUGH WILL NOSE UP TOWARD OUR AREA
LATE TONIGHT AND THEN SHIFT EAST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE DAY
ON MONDAY. AS DEEPER MOISTURE SPREADS IN LATE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY
MORNING...EXPECT SNOW TO DEVELOP FAIRLY QUICKLY WEST TO EAST
ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR AREA WITH CIGS/VSBYS DROPPING INTO
IFR AT KCVG/KLUK AND REMAINING THERE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY.
THERE WILL BE A SHARP NORTHERN CUT OFF WHICH WILL PUT THE I-70 TAF
SITES ON THE EDGE OF SNOW/NO SNOW. AS A RESULT...WILL LIMIT
KDAY/KCMH/KLCK TO MVFR CONDITIONS...BUT CIGS/VSBYS WILL ULTIMATELY
BE DEPENDENT ON EXACTLY WHERE THIS NORTHERN CUTOFF SETS UP.
SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY AFFECT GROUND
OPERATIONS AT KCVG/KLUK THROUGH THE DAY ON MONDAY.
&&
.ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY
FOR OHZ060>065.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY FOR
OHZ070>074-077>082-088.
KY...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY FOR
KYZ089>100.
IN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY
FOR INZ058-059.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY FOR
INZ066-073>075-080.
&&
SYNOPSIS...NOVAK
NEAR TERM...NOVAK
SHORT TERM...NOVAK
LONG TERM...
AVIATION...JGLHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 444 PM EST SUN FEB 15 2015 INZ066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ070>074-077>082-088-162145- FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE- KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT-PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS- BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING-HAMILTON-CLERMONT-BROWN-HIGHLAND- ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- 444 PM EST SUN FEB 15 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO AND SOUTHWEST OHIO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER STORM WARNING. DANGEROUS SUB ZERO WIND CHILL VALUES WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING TIME PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. INZ058-059-OHZ060>065-162145- FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-FAYETTE OH-PICKAWAY- FAIRFIELD- 444 PM EST SUN FEB 15 2015 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM MONDAY TO 5 AM EST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA...CENTRAL OHIO AND MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL BE LIGHT...SUB ZERO WIND CHILLS WILL BE PRESENT TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. DANGEROUS SUB ZERO WIND CHILL VALUES WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING TIME PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. INZ050-OHZ026-034-035-042>046-051>056-162145- WAYNE-HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-DARKE-SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE- MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON-FRANKLIN OH-LICKING- 444 PM EST SUN FEB 15 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA...CENTRAL OHIO...MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL BE LIGHT...SUB ZERO WIND CHILLS WILL BE PRESENT TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. LIGHT SNOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. LESS THAN AN INCH OF SNOW IS EXPECTED NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70. AROUND 1 TO 2 INCHES IS EXPECTED NEAR INTERSTATE 70. DANGEROUS SUB ZERO WIND CHILL VALUES WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR MUCH OF THE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING TIME PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
16 winter weather, 9 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
The observer located 3 miles west-southwest of Potsdam measured 1.1 inches of snow.
The county garage 3 miles east of Eaton measured 3 inches of snow. A public report southwest of Eaton measured 2.5 inches, and the CoCoRaHS observer in Eaton measured 2 inches.
A spotter located 3 miles northwest of Bellbrook measured 3.3 inches of snow. Reports ranged from an inch in the northern section of the county to 3 inches in the southeast.
The observer near Kiser Lake State Park measured 0.8 inches of snow.
The county garage west of Springfield measured 1.3 inches of snow. The CoCoRaHS observer in town measured an inch.
The county garage in Xenia measured 3 inches of snow, as did a spotter in Bellbrook.
The observer located 4 miles north-northwest of Dublin measured 0.6 inches of snow.
The observer located 4 miles north of Granville measured an inch of snow.
A report near Wrightsville measured 2.8 inches of snow. The county garage near Lafayette measured 2 inches.
A spotter located 4 miles west of Canal Winchester measured 3 inches of snow, as did public reports from just northeast of Canal Winchester and downtown Columbus. The Columbus airport KCMH measured 1.7 inches of snowfall.
A report of 4 inches of snow was received from the Lancaster area. Another from Sugar Grove indicated 2.8 inches of snow had fallen.
A report of 3.5 inches of snow was received from a location 8 miles southeast of Washington Court House. The highway department 2 miles west of town measured 3 inches of snow.
The observer northwest of Circleville measured 3 inches of snow. The county garage northwest of town measured 2 inches.
The observer in Laurelville measured 3.4 inches of snow while another north of Logan measured 3 inches. The county garage west of Logan also measured 3 inches of snow.
Monroe received 3.5 inches of snow. Most of the rest of the county had snowfall reports right around 3 inches.
A report out of Lebanon and another out of Landen both had 3.5 inches of snow. Most of the rest of the county had snowfall reports between 2.5 and 3.5 inches.
A report from Massieville had 5 inches of snow, with 4 inches reported in Summit Hill and Chillicothe.
A spotter in Newtown measured 4.5 inches of snow. The CoCoRaHS observer in Wyoming measured 4.1 inches, while another 9 miles northwest of Cincinnati measured 4 inches.
A report of 4 inches of snow came from Cowan Lake State Park. The CoCoRaHS observer in Wilmington measured 3.7 inches, while a NWS employee northeast of Odgen measured 3.5 inches.
The county garage 2 miles northwest of Amelia measured 4 inches of snow, as did a public report from near the Clermont County Airport. Another close-by report from the public near Amelia showed 3.9 inches of snow had fallen.
The county garage east of Georgetown measured 6 inches of snow.
The county garage near West Union measured 6 inches of snow. The cooperative observer located 6 miles east of West Union measured 4.5 inches of snow.
The county garage southeast of Hillsboro measured 4 inches of snow.
A report from Waverly indicated that 7 inches of snow fell there. The county garage 5 miles south-southwest of Piketon measured 6.5 inches of snow, while the cooperative observer south of Waverly measured 4 inches.
A report from 2 miles east-northeast of Rarden indicated that 8 inches of snow fell there. The CoCoRaHS observer west of Rosemount measured 6 inches, and a spotter in Sciotoville measured 5.7 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, February 2015
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: 562461, 562462, 562467, 562471, 562474, 562478, 562480, 562481, 562482, 562483, 562485, 562486, 562487, 562488, 562490, 562491, 562492, 562493, 562494, 562495, 562496, 562497, 562498, 562499, 562502.