Ohio, 2019

Coastal Flood in Ohio, April 14, 2019

April 14, 2019 · NWS CLE · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A meteotsunami edge wave affected Lake Erie on the evening of April 14, 2019 and caused damage along the shoreline and flooding of homes. The event occurred at approximately 7:17 PM EDT and affected the shores from Madison Township, Ohio to Conneaut, Ohio.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
$160,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

A meteotsunami edge wave affected Lake Erie on the evening of April 14, 2019 and caused damage along the shoreline and flooding of homes. The event occurred at approximately 7:17 PM EDT and affected the shores from Madison Township, Ohio to Conneaut, Ohio. Eyewitnesses reported a series of 3 waves that moved onshore and were approximately 10 to 12 feet high. Debris lines on the shore confirmed the estimated wave heights. The entire event lasted about 10 minutes.

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 Apr 14, 6:15 AM EST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 14, 6:15 AM EST, 0 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 14, 3:20 AM EST, 2 hours 55 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

OHZ003-007-008-150830-
Lucas-Ottawa-Sandusky-
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

...LAKESHORE FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Ohio.

.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.

   Lakeshore Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

OHZ006-017-150830-
Wood-Hancock-
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Ohio.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

LEZ142-143-162-163-150830-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Reno Beach to The Islands OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH-
Lake Erie open waters from Reno Beach to The Islands OH-
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Lake Erie.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

OHZ009-150830-
Erie-
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

...LAKESHORE FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Ohio.

.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.

   Lakeshore Flood Watch.

There is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms today. The main
threats will be strong damaging winds, large hail, and possibly a
tornado.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

OHZ010>014-018>023-027>033-036>038-047-089-PAZ001>003-150830-
Lorain-Cuyahoga-Lake-Geauga-Ashtabula Inland-Seneca-Huron-Medina-
Summit-Portage-Trumbull-Wyandot-Crawford-Richland-Ashland-Wayne-
Stark-Mahoning-Marion-Morrow-Holmes-Knox-Ashtabula Lakeshore-
Northern Erie-Southern Erie-
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Ohio, northeast
Ohio, northwest Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

There is an enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms southeast of a
line from Knox County to Wayne, Summit, Portage, and Trumbull
Counties. Otherwise, to the northwest and north of this line there is
a slight risk for severe thunderstorms.

A warm front is expected to move north of the area and the
atmosphere will become unstable and has the potential to support the
threat for strong damaging winds, large hail, and even tornadoes;
especially in the enhanced threat area.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will likely be needed.

LEZ061-144>149-164>169-150830-
Lake Erie open waters from Ripley to Buffalo NY-
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 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-
420 AM EDT Sun Apr 14 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Lake Erie.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

There is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms today. Strong
thunderstorm winds and large hail are possible. There is also the
possibility for a tornadic waterspout.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.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

2 coastal flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Coastal Flood, Lake

When
April 14, 6:15 AM EST to 6:25 AM EST
Where
Lake forecast zone
Property damage
$75,000
Reported by
Coast Guard
Coordinates
41.714, -81.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Damage that occurred at the Madison Township park beach at the end of Hubbard Road (Route 528) included large trees washed on the beach, debris from the shore west of the park pushed onshore, 4000 pound blocks of concrete moved 10 feet, a newly built wooden stairway platform was lifted and damaged, and a debris line was left behind 12 feet above the water level on the bank. Further east, homes were completely surrounded by water that rushed onshore. Eyewitness reported they returned home just as the wave began to retreat back into the lake. The water surrounded their home.

Coastal Flood, Ashtabula Lakeshore

When
April 14, 6:15 AM EST to 6:25 AM EST
Where
Ashtabula Lakeshore forecast zone
Property damage
$85,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
41.896, -80.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Geneva-on-the-Lake State Park marina sustained considerable damage to their docks inside of the well protected marina. Water levels rose 4 feet causing damage to the docks. The water level settled back down within about 10 minutes. Damage to a marina in Conneaut was also similar to the Geneva-on-the-Lake marina.

What these are

Coastal Flood
Flooding of coastal land by the sea, from storm surge, onshore wind or high tides.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Ohio in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, April 2019

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: 820766, 820767.