Lake Erie, 2016

Waterspouts in Lake Erie, August 21, 2016

August 21, 2016 · NWS CLE · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

Several waterspout were reported on Lake Erie as a cold front crossed the lake during the evening hours. Waterspouts were reported off shore of both Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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.

Several waterspout were reported on Lake Erie as a cold front crossed the lake during the evening hours. Waterspouts were reported off shore of both Cleveland, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania.

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 Aug 21, 5:08 PM EST, 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 21, 5:08 PM EST, 52 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 21, 3:20 AM EST, 14 hours 40 minutes before
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The radar

The Cleveland radar (KCLE), 19 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Waterspout, Avon Point to Willowick Oh

When
August 21, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Avon Point to Willowick Oh forecast zone, 12.02 mi WSW of Willowick
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
41.533, -81.702

FAA Staff at Burke Lakefront Tower reported seeing a waterspout offshore.

Waterspout, Avon Point to Willowick Oh

When
August 21, 6:15 PM EST
Where
Avon Point to Willowick Oh forecast zone, 5.37 mi WNW of Willowick
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
41.642, -81.600

Picture posted to social media of a waterspout off of East 140th near the Northeast Yacht Club.

Waterspout, Conneaut Oh to Ripley Ny

When
August 21, 6:40 PM EST
Where
Conneaut Oh to Ripley Ny forecast zone, 30.22 mi WSW of Ripley
Reported by
Mariner
Coordinates
42.095, -80.241

Walnut Creek Marina reported seeing a waterspout offshore.

Waterspout, Avon Point to Willowick Oh

When
August 21, 7:06 PM EST
Where
Avon Point to Willowick Oh forecast zone, 10.01 mi ENE of Avon Point
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
41.503, -81.850

A picture of a waterspout was posted to social media offshore of Rocky River.

Waterspout, Conneaut Oh to Ripley Ny

When
August 21, 7:20 PM EST
Where
Conneaut Oh to Ripley Ny forecast zone, 36.91 mi WSW of Ripley
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
42.043, -80.352

Broadcast media relayed a report of a waterspout off of Lake City.

Waterspout, Conneaut Oh to Ripley Ny

When
August 21, 7:30 PM EST
Where
Conneaut Oh to Ripley Ny forecast zone, 32.96 mi WSW of Ripley
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
42.068, -80.283

Broadcast Media relayed reports of two waterspouts off of Avonia Beach.

What these are

Waterspout
A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Erie in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather history

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 657419, 657420, 657421, 657422, 657429, 657433.