Strong thunderstorms evolved across western Ohio during the afternoon and moved into central Ohio around 6-6:30 pm. Severe storms with winds and hail were prevalent.
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.
Strong thunderstorms evolved across western Ohio during the afternoon and moved into central Ohio around 6-6:30 pm. Severe storms with winds and hail were prevalent. By the evening the storms began train along a warm front and old lake breeze boundary over the Central Highlands of Morrow and Richland counties. Storms intensified and slowed along this boundary, with the heaviest rainfall localized over Lexington. Flash flooding resulted.
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 21, 4:46 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Cleveland OH 546 PM EDT Mon May 21 2018 .SYNOPSIS... High pressure over the Lake Huron will move off the New England Coast overnight. This will allow low pressure to track NE across the Lower Lakes Tuesday. High pressure will build in Wednesday and linger through the end of the work week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the southwest corner of the forecast area until 11 PM this evening. This includes Hancock, Crawford OH, Marion, Morrow, and Wyandot Counties. Thunderstorms continue to develop and move northeast toward the area this evening. Will continue to monitor for severe potential as the evening progresses. There is the possibility that the severe threat could extend further northeast overnight. Made some adjustments to weather to account for severe threat and also to hourly temperatures to reflect transition of the warm front lifting north across the area. Previous Discussion... Showers and thunderstorms near the IN/OH border will intensify and move across the forecast area this evening, ahead of approaching low pressure system. SPC has most of area in marginal risk with area SW of FDY-MFD-MT Vernon line in a SLT Risk. Low pressure West Central IL will track into the Central Lakes overnight, lifting a warm front, now across Central Ohio, across the forecast area. Dew points south of the front in the lower 60s so capes will approach 1000 j/kg across the southern portion of the forecast area this evening. Combined with approximately 30 knots of shear and some lift from 300mb jet will be enough to sustain convection tonight. Setting up to be a marginal wind event, but with the warm front cant rule out the chance of an isolated tornado. Low forecast to be SRN Lower Michigan by daybreak with cold front extending into SERN IL. The front will track east dragging the cold front across the forecast area tomorrow. showers will linger across the east half of the area tomorrow morning. The potential for more convection tomorrow afternoon/evening will depend upon how much debris clouds insulate area tomorrow afternoon. Everything should move east of the forecast area by tomorrow evening, as high pressure builds in from the West. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... High pressure will expand south into the Great Lakes region on Wednesday, slowly shifting to the Mid-Atlantic through Friday. Dry conditions with low humidity expected Wednesday and Thursday before dewpoints starts to creep back up with southwest flow on Friday. Some clouds may linger into Wednesday morning but will scatter out through the afternoon with increasing subsidence. Temperatures will drop back a few degrees across the eastern half of the area on Wednesday into the lower 70s, with mid 70s still likely in the west. A warming trend will resume on Thursday with lots of sun and heights building aloft. By Friday most of the area will be in the 80s except for the northeast lakeshore. Raised highs on both Thursday and Friday but they may even need to go a little higher. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Models indicate that we should be between storm systems Friday night. A weakening cold front will settle into the central Great Lakes on Saturday with an increased chance of thunderstorms, especially Saturday evening into Sunday. Models are struggling with how far south the frontal boundary will move on Sunday. By Monday the boundary will be lingering over Ohio with an increase in Gulf of Mexico moisture a possibility. We will watch this potential over the next week. Saturday looks to be the warm day of the long term with most locations warming into the 80s. Still warm on Sunday but with increased cloud cover near the frontal boundary highs should range from the mid to upper 70s north to around 80 south. Cooler Monday with highs range from the upper 60s NW PA to the upper 70s NW OH. && .AVIATION /18Z Monday THROUGH Saturday/... A warm front across southern Ohio will lift across the forecast area late this evening. Timing of convection appears NW OH late this afternoon, then moving east of the forecast area toward midnight local. OUTLOOK...Non VFR probable in showers and thunderstorms Tuesday, mainly across eastern sites. && .MARINE... Aside from the potential for thunderstorms tonight and again over the weekend, generally good marine conditions expected on Lake Erie this week. Northeast winds of 5 to 15 knots are in place across Lake Erie this evening but will shift to the south overnight as a warm front lifts north of the lake. Winds will shift to the north late Tuesday as low pressure moves to the east and pulls a cold front south behind it. High pressure will expand across Lake Erie on Tuesday, pulling a weak cold front back south. High pressure will build southeast into the Great Lakes region Wednesday then to Mid- Atlantic coast through Friday. A cold front will sink south across the lake over the weekend. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. MARINE...None. && .CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OH...None. PA...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS...DJB NEAR TERM...DJB/Lombardy SHORT TERM...KEC LONG TERM...Mullen AVIATION...DJB MARINE...KEC
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Cleveland OH 552 PM EDT Mon May 21 2018 LEZ061-142>149-162>169-OHZ003-006>014-018>023-029>033-038-047-089- PAZ001>003-222200- Lake Erie open waters from Ripley to Buffalo NY- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Reno Beach to The Islands OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from The Islands to Vermilion OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Vermilion to Avon Point OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Avon Point to Willowick OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Willowick to Geneva-on-the Lake OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Geneva-on-the-Lake to Conneaut OH- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Conneaut OH to Ripley NY- Lake Erie open waters from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH- Lake Erie open waters from Reno Beach to The Islands OH- Lake Erie open waters from The Islands to Vermilion OH- Lake Erie open waters from Vermilion to Avon Point OH- Lake Erie open waters from Avon Point to Willowick OH- Lake Erie open waters from Willowick to Geneva-on-the-Lake OH- Lake Erie open waters from Geneva-on-the-Lake to Conneaut OH- Lake Erie open waters from Conneaut OH to Ripley NY-Lucas-Wood- Ottawa-Sandusky-Erie-Lorain-Cuyahoga-Lake-Geauga-Ashtabula Inland- Seneca-Huron-Medina-Summit-Portage-Trumbull-Richland-Ashland-Wayne- Stark-Mahoning-Holmes-Knox-Ashtabula Lakeshore-Northern Erie- Southern Erie-Crawford- 552 PM EDT Mon May 21 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Lake Erie, north central Ohio, northeast Ohio, northwest Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Thunderstorms will move northeast across the forecast area this evening. A few storms may become strong to severe. The greatest threat will be from downburst winds, although an isolated tornado is possible. The greatest threat will be southwest of a Mansfield to Findlay line. Spotter activation may be needed. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. OHZ017-027-028-036-037-222200- Hancock-Wyandot-Crawford-Marion-Morrow- 552 PM EDT Mon May 21 2018 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 113 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Ohio and northwest 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. Severe Thunderstorm Watch. Thunderstorms will move into Northwest Ohio this evening. A few storms may become strong to severe. The greatest threat will be from downburst winds, although an isolated tornado is possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
526 PM EDT MON MAY 21 2018
OHZ017-027-212230-
Wyandot-Hancock-
526 PM EDT MON MAY 21 2018
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WESTERN WYANDOT AND
HANCOCK COUNTIES...
At 525 PM EDT, strong thunderstorms were clustered near Ada, moving
northeast at 35 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for
northwestern Ohio.
LAT...LON 4099 8388 4117 8371 4116 8342 4099 8342
4099 8329 4069 8331 4069 8343 4070 8344
4071 8349 4082 8351 4082 8388
TIME...MOT...LOC 2125Z 218DEG 31KT 4082 8389
MullenSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
630 PM EDT MON MAY 21 2018
OHZ027-028-036-212315-
Crawford-Wyandot-Marion-
630 PM EDT MON MAY 21 2018
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHERN MARION...
WYANDOT AND WESTERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES...
At 629 PM EDT, radar indicated strong thunderstorms were located
along a line extending from near Upper Sandusky to near Marseilles to
near Kenton. Movement was east at 25 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph and dime size hail are possible with these
storms.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
LAT...LON 4090 8351 4091 8348 4099 8346 4099 8292
4062 8296 4062 8342 4068 8342 4070 8344
4071 8349 4082 8350 4082 8352
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 258DEG 22KT 4084 8336 4077 8341 4069 8353The Cleveland radar (KCLE), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:31 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm wind gusts downed trees across State Route 309 east of Caledonia in extreme northwest Morrow County.
Thunderstorm winds downed a tree along Martel Road (County Highway 171) just north of State Route 39.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees near the intersection of Graham Road and Marion Avenue.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees and limbs in Lexington and the surrounding area. At 1000 people lost power from the storms.
Penny sized hail was reported.
Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall caused washouts and flood damage in Lexington Ohio on the evening of May 21st. Heavy rain moved into the area between 830 and 930 pm with rainfall amounts measured at 3.58 . The heaviest rain fell within a 15 minute period between 840 and 855 pm. Significant flooding to recreational parks up to 6 feet of water from the Clear Fork. Overland flooding in west end of town. Otterbein Drive washout in parts off of State Route 97. Norfolk Drive had minor road damage. Lexington-Ontario Road washout not seen before by residents. 15-16 homes had flood damage, mainly to basements and garages with at least 1 first floor residence. Storage facility on Orchard Park Road flooded all units. . A rain gauge at Northmor High School in Morrow County went over 2 inches in approximately 1 hour between 830 and 930 pm. During this same time the heaviest rainfall was over Lexington Ohio.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, May 2018
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: 756687, 756688, 756689, 756692, 756697, 752923.