Pennsylvania, 2015

High Wind in Pennsylvania, October 28, 2015

October 28, 2015 · NWS CLE · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An area of strong low pressure moved northeast across the western Great Lakes on October 28th. The strong pressure gradient resulting from the low caused damaging down sloping southeast winds to develop before daybreak across northern Erie County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
$150,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

An area of strong low pressure moved northeast across the western Great Lakes on October 28th. The strong pressure gradient resulting from the low caused damaging down sloping southeast winds to develop before daybreak across northern Erie County. Wind gusts of 60 mph or greater downed dozens of trees and caused scattered power outages. Most of this damage occurred north of Interstate 90. As many as 10,000 customers were without electric power at the peak of the event. Presque Isle had to be closed because downed trees and power lines blocked roads. There were several reports of homes and vehicles damaged by fallen trees and limbs. A peak gust of 54 mph was measured at Erie International Airport.

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 Oct 28, 3:23 AM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 28, 3:23 AM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 28, 4:22 AM EST, 1 hour 38 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
522 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2015

OHZ003-006>011-013-017>023-027>033-036>038-047-PAZ003-290930-
LUCAS-WOOD-OTTAWA-SANDUSKY-ERIE OH-LORAIN-CUYAHOGA-GEAUGA-HANCOCK-
SENECA-HURON-MEDINA-SUMMIT-PORTAGE-TRUMBULL-WYANDOT-CRAWFORD-
RICHLAND-ASHLAND-WAYNE-STARK-MAHONING-MARION-MORROW-HOLMES-KNOX-
CRAWFORD PA-
522 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2015

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

RAIN WILL CONTINUE INTO TODAY WITH STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION OF 1
TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE BY THIS AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL IN
EXCESS OF AN INCH AND A HALF WILL BE FOCUSED ACROSS NORTHWEST
OHIO. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE TODAY.

A FEW STRONGER SHOWERS OR AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM THIS AFTERNOON
WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH IN
NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WESTERLY
WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT COULD GUST TO 35 TO 45 MPH ON THURSDAY. THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOCUSED ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO AND
EXTENDING EASTWARD ALONG THE LAKESHORE. SOME AREAS MAY NEED A WIND
ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ012-014-089-PAZ002-290930-
LAKE-ASHTABULA INLAND-ASHTABULA LAKESHORE-SOUTHERN ERIE-
522 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2015

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

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

   WIND ADVISORY.

RAIN WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION OF 1 TO 2
INCHES POSSIBLE BY THIS AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WESTERLY
WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT COULD GUST TO 35 TO 45 MPH ON THURSDAY. THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOCUSED ALONG THE LAKESHORE. SOME AREAS
MAY NEED A WIND ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

PAZ001-290930-
NORTHERN ERIE-
522 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2015

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

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

   HIGH WIND WARNING.

RAIN WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION OF 1 TO 2
INCHES POSSIBLE BY THIS AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WESTERLY
WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT COULD GUST TO 35 TO 45 MPH ON THURSDAY. THE
STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE FOCUSED ALONG THE LAKESHORE. SOME AREAS
MAY NEED A WIND ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

LEZ142-143-162-163-290930-
MAUMEE BAY TO RENO BEACH OH-RENO BEACH TO THE ISLANDS OH-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM MAUMEE BAY TO RENO BEACH-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM RENO BEACH TO THE ISLANDS-
522 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2015

...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE ERIE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

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

   GALE WATCH.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

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

   GALE WATCH.

PROLONGED SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL RESULT IN LOW WATER ON THE
WESTERN BASIN OF LAKE ERIE ON THURSDAY. A LOW WATER ADVISORY MAY
BE NEEDED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

LEZ061-144>149-164>169-290930-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM RIPLEY TO BUFFALO NY-
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 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-
522 AM EDT WED OCT 28 2015

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON...
...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE ERIE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

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

   GALE WARNING.
   GALE WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

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

   GALE WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Northern Erie

When
October 28, 6:00 AM EST to 10:00 AM EST
Where
Northern Erie forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.118, -80.098 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An area of strong low pressure moved northeast across the western Great Lakes on October 28th. The strong pressure gradient resulting from the low caused damaging down sloping southeast winds to develop before daybreak across northern Erie County. Wind gusts of 60 mph or greater downed dozens of trees and caused scattered power outages. Most of this damage occurred north of Interstate 90. As many as 10,000 customers were without electric power at the peak of the event. Presque Isle had to be closed because downed trees and power lines blocked roads. There were several reports of homes and vehicles damaged by fallen trees and limbs.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, October 2015

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 605611.