At the surface, a cold front moved southward across central Lower MI and southern ON toward southern Lower MI and southwestern NY during the evening of the 13th. Ahead of the front, a line of multicell thunderstorms persisted generally eastward across northwest OH during the early evening hours and generated small to marginally-severe hail and isolated straight-line convective wind damage amidst…
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.
At the surface, a cold front moved southward across central Lower MI and southern ON toward southern Lower MI and southwestern NY during the evening of the 13th. Ahead of the front, a line of multicell thunderstorms persisted generally eastward across northwest OH during the early evening hours and generated small to marginally-severe hail and isolated straight-line convective wind damage amidst moderate effective bulk shear and weak to moderate MUCAPE.
During the 14th, the aforementioned front shifted back northward to central Lower MI, the northern shore of Lake Erie, and near Lake Ontario, and then wavered in vicinity of those areas through the early afternoon of the 15th as multiple, weak surface lows moved generally eastward along the front. South of the front, northern OH resided in the warm and relatively-moist sector. Within this sector, a line of multicell thunderstorms persisted generally eastward across portions of northern OH during the early afternoon of the 14th. This line of storms generated isolated straight-line convective wind damage via an outflow surge in Greenwich, Huron County, OH. Then, during the early evening of the 14th, a cluster of multicell thunderstorms persisted generally east-northeastward and produced hail up to the size of quarters to ping pong balls in northeastern Crawford and northern Richland Counties, OH. All of these storms occurred in an ambient environment with moderate MUCAPE and effective bulk shear, respectively.
During the rest of the afternoon through early evening of April 15th, the aforementioned front continued to waver in vicinity of central Lower MI, the northern shore of Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario as multiple and weak surface lows continued to move generally eastward along the front. South of the front, scattered multicell and supercell thunderstorms developed and persisted generally eastward in the warm/moist sector in northern OH. The storms produced severe hail and damaging straight-line wind gusts amidst an ambient environment with primarily moderate MUCAPE and moderate to strong effective bulk shear. These storms included a prolific supercell that produced sporadic large hail in portions of Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Trumbull Counties, and likely caused millions of dollars in hail-related damage.
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 13, 1:16 PM EST, 6 hours earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
216 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
The bulk of the forecast remains unchanged regarding the upcoming
systems. It is worth noting that confidence in any severe potential
remains low, but is expected to increase with future model runs.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Multiple rounds of convection possible in the next 48 hours, but
there remains a high level uncertainty in the potential across the
area.
2) A strong low pressure system is expected to impact the area
late week into the weekend.
3) Above average temperatures are expected to persist through
Saturday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...
A boundary slowly sagging south today should stall just north of the
area. Multiple low pressure system are expected to travel along this
boundary through Thursday, resulting in multiple chances for
precipitation and thunderstorms. There are two notable periods of
potential strong to severe storms in the next 48 hours, but there
remains little confidence in the evolution of either system.
The first push of storms is expected late tonight into Tuesday
morning as decaying convection from the northern Great Lakes moves
into the area. Given the timing, limited instability will be
present, however a strong LLJ of 35-45 knots will assist in
maintaining some storms. Cannot rule out a couple strong to severe
thunderstorms, but highest confidence in this occurring would be
across the northwestern portion of the area. Primary threat will be
wind, although hail is not out of the question. Right now, SPC
highlights this potential over the area with a D1 Marginal Risk.
The tricky part of this forecast is figuring out how quickly this
morning convection pushes east and allows the atmosphere to rebound
ahead of the next system. Some hi-res guidance, including the HRRR,
suggest that there will be two lines of convection in the morning
which would result in storms lingering much longer. On the flip
side, models such as the ARW having convection moving east of the
area by late morning. If the HRRR is correct, thunderstorms will
likely still occur overnight but much of the severe potential will
remain limited. If the ARW is correct, then strong to severe
thunderstorms across the area is possible late Tuesday evening into
the overnight hours. With convection departing earlier in the day,
ample WAA and deep layer moisture will be able to surge across the
area, enhance by daytime heating and increasing instability. This
should provide a decent environment for strong to severe storms to
occur with the primary concern being strong to damaging winds. The
only common thing amongst the spread in models is that the
convection that does push into the area will likely be decaying
remnants of severe weather expected across the upper Midwest
tomorrow. SPC currently has a D2 Slight Risk to highlight this
potential threat.
Stay tuned for the latest forecast as this system continues to evolve
and models hopefully get into a better agreement in handling what
will happen in the next 48 hours.
KEY MESSAGE 2...
A deepening upper level trough is expected to push south across the
central CONUS on Friday into the weekend, moving a strongest low
pressure system and associated boundaries through the area. This
system may once again pose a severe weather risk, although
confidence is fairly low this far out. There is high confidence that
areawide showers will occur this weekend as a strong cold front
moves east. On the backside of that boundary, temperatures will once
again dip, although this time to near normal, with highs falling
into the 50s by Sunday.
KEY MESSAGE 3...
Temperatures are expected to remain above normal for the bulk of
this week with highs consistently in the 70s, possibly touching 80
at times. Overnight lows will remain mild with temperatures only
falling into the 60s. CPC has highlighted the area in a potential
for prolonged above average temperatures for the next two week. It
is worth noting that after the cold front Saturday, temperatures
will briefly fall back to near normal (in the 50s) before once again
increasing next week.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z Monday THROUGH Saturday/...
Low-end VFR is observed across the majority of the terminals
with pockets of MVFR ceilings occurring occasionally. Expect to
remain VFR through tonight and tomorrow morning ahead of
showers/thunderstorms. There is still quite a bit of uncertainty
in the spatial extent of the thunderstorms tonight so continued
the PROB30 lines. Timing wise, the potential has remain
consistent, starting at 01Z for the western sites and then 06Z
for the eastern sites. Non-VFR visibility and ceilings will be
possible in thunderstorms if they move over stations. Early
morning tomorrow, non-VFR ceilings are probable across the
region and should persist through the end of the TAF period,
though KCLE will rise to VFR given the longer period. There is
potential for another round of showers/thunderstorms mid-
morning tomorrow, though confidence again is low in the timing
and spatial extent so opted to add a PROB30 for those as well.
Winds will be gusting up to 25 knots out of the southwest
through around 00Z tonight before subsiding. Overnight winds
will be sustained around 10-12 knots then begin gusting again in
the morning up to 20-25 knots. Little directional change is
anticipated, though winds could vary within
showers/thunderstorms.
Outlook...Occasional non-VFR conditions are expected in periodic
showers and thunderstorms through Thursday.
&&
.MARINE...
Southwest winds remain elevated at 20-25 knots early this
morning before wind speeds diminish from west to east through
this afternoon. Small Craft Advisory for the western basin will
expire at 10 AM this morning with the remainder of the lake
expiring at 4 PM this afternoon. Southerly to southwesterly
winds 12-18 knots will remain in place through the end of the
week as multiple systems move across the region. Periodic
shower and thunderstorm chances will be present through
Thursday.
&&
.CLE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...None.
PA...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM EDT this afternoon for
LEZ146>149.
&&
DISCUSSION...04
AVIATION...23
MARINE...13Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Cleveland OH 244 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026 OHZ003-006>014-017>023-027>033-036>038-047-089-PAZ001>003-141845- Lucas-Wood-Ottawa-Sandusky-Erie-Lorain-Cuyahoga-Lake-Geauga- Ashtabula Inland-Hancock-Seneca-Huron-Medina-Summit-Portage-Trumbull- Wyandot-Crawford-Richland-Ashland-Wayne-Stark-Mahoning-Marion-Morrow- Holmes-Knox-Ashtabula Lakeshore-Northern Erie-Southern Erie- 244 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Ohio, northeast Ohio, northwest Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Scattered thunderstorms are likely late Tuesday into Tuesday night. Isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are possible with damaging wind gusts and large hail being the primary threats. A few tornadoes cannot be ruled out, mainly across northern Ohio. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. LEZ061-142>149-162>169-141845- Ripley to Buffalo NY extending from 5NM off shoreline to US- Canadian border-Maumee Bay to Reno Beach OH- Reno Beach to The Islands OH-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- Detroit River Lt. to Maumee Bay OH to Reno Beach OH beyond 5NM offshoreline to US-Canadian border- Reno Beach to The Islands OH beyond 5NM off shoreline to US- Canadian border- The Islands to Vermilion OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US- Canadian border- Vermilion to Avon Point OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US- Canadian border- Avon Point to Willowick OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US- Canadian border-Willowick to Geneva-on-the- Lake OH beyond 5NM off shoreline to US-Canadian border-Geneva-on-the- Lake to Conneaut OH beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US-Canadian border- Conneaut OH to Ripley NY beyond 5 nm off shoreline to US- Canadian border- 244 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Lake Erie. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Scattered thunderstorms are likely late Tuesday into Tuesday night. Isolated to scattered storms may produce strong winds on Lake Erie. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
749 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026
OHZ003-006-007-140030-
Wood OH-Ottawa OH-Lucas OH-
749 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT OTTAWA...NORTHERN WOOD AND
NORTHWESTERN LUCAS COUNTIES THROUGH 830 PM EDT...
At 748 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Waterville, or 8 miles northwest of Bowling Green, moving east at 25
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Toledo, Perrysburg, Oregon, Rossford, Waterville, Northwood,
Whitehouse, Genoa, Elmore, Maumee, Walbridge, Millbury, Haskins,
Luckey, Tontogany, Clay Center, Williston, and Stony Ridge.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4169 8343 4169 8334 4146 8323 4146 8334
4150 8335 4150 8341 4145 8341 4144 8342
4140 8379 4153 8387
TIME...MOT...LOC 2348Z 250DEG 21KT 4148 8373
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
GaruckasSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Cleveland OH
810 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026
OHZ003-006>008-017-018-140115-
Seneca OH-Wood OH-Hancock OH-Ottawa OH-Sandusky OH-Lucas OH-
810 PM EDT Mon Apr 13 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT OTTAWA...NORTHWESTERN SENECA...
WESTERN SANDUSKY...WOOD...HANCOCK AND LUCAS COUNTIES THROUGH 915 PM
EDT...
At 810 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Blissfield to near Whitehouse to Glandorf.
Movement was east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Toledo, Findlay, Bowling Green, Fostoria, Swanton, Perrysburg,
Oregon, Sylvania, Rossford, Waterville, Northwood, Whitehouse, North
Baltimore, Oak Harbor, Gibsonburg, Genoa, Woodville, Holland, McComb,
and Weston.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4172 8388 4173 8346 4173 8345 4172 8347
4169 8343 4169 8335 4171 8334 4164 8323
4162 8313 4152 8311 4148 8313 4099 8342
4099 8346 4095 8346 4096 8388
TIME...MOT...LOC 0010Z 264DEG 31KT 4186 8387 4148 8382 4104 8407
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
GaruckasThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 158 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:14 UTC.
31 hail, 23 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Shed damaged at farmstead along County Road 53 near McComb.
Hail up to penny-size in Rossford.
Hail up to quarter-size in Northwood.
Six power poles downed near Eisenhower Intermediate School several miles east of Oregon.
Utility pole downed in Greenwhich.
Hail up to ping pong ball-size about 1.5-miles SSE of New Washington.
Hail up to quarter-size about two-miles SSW of Plymouth.
Tree downed in Milton Center.
A downed tree clipped a passing car and caused minor damage to the vehicle. This occurred along OH Route 281, between Milton and Weston Roads, east of Custar.
A personal weather station located about 1-mile NNW of Martin recorded a peak straight-line convective wind gust of 70-mph from a line of thunderstorms.
Hail up to quarter-size near County Road 50 and South Township Road 159, about 3.5-miles ESE of Tiffin.
Hail up to half dollar-size near Swander Road and County Road 50 in the Ink area.
Hail up to penny-size about 0.7-miles north of Middleburg Heights.
Hail up to nickel-size in Parma Heights.
Hail up to quarter-size in Parma Heights.
Hail up to quarter-size in Parma.
Hail up to hen egg-size in Seven Hills.
Hail up to ping pong ball-size in Seven Hills.
Hail up to golf ball-size about two-miles south of Maple Heights.
Multiple reports of hail up to golf ball-size to slightly larger than hen egg-size in Bedford. For example, received a picture of a 2.25 diameter hailstone, measured with a ruler, in Bedford. Also, wind-driven severe hail damaged some of the siding and a window of a house in the town. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Bedford's mayor estimated the severe hailstorm caused $1 million in damage to city hall and the surrounding city government complex alone.
Hail up to quarter-size in Peru.
Hail up to hen egg-size about one-mile NNE of Bedford.
Hail up to hen egg-size in North Randall.
Seven power poles downed in Tiffin.
Hail up to ping pong ball-size on the north side of Solon.
Received social media picture of hailstones slightly larger than hen egg-size in Solon. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Solon's mayor estimated hail-related damage totaled at least $500k.
Numerous trees downed (some onto houses) in Solon. Extent of damage to homes unknown.
Hail up to golf ball-size about two-miles northwest of Bainbridge.
Accumulating hail up to quarter-size in Bainbridge.
Hail up to golf ball-size about two-miles northeast of Bainbridge.
Hail up to hen egg-size about two-miles north of Auburn Center.
Several trees downed along U.S. Route 422, about one-mile ESE of Welshfield.
Hail up to golf ball-size in Kipton.
Hail up to half dollar-size about two-miles west of Grafton.
Hail up to quarter-size in Grafton.
Hail up to about hen egg-size (i.e. 2 in diameter) in Bristolville.
Downed trees and power poles in Bristolville. There was also significant damage to at least three vehicles and to siding, roofs, and windows of houses due to a combination of severe hail and severe straight-line wind gusts in the town.
Tree downed about two-miles SSW of Cortland.
Numerous tree branches broken about one-mile northeast of Cortland.
Hail up to quarter-size at OH Route 88 and Phillips Rice Road in Mecca Township.
Trees downed in Hartford.
Several trees downed in Boston Heights.
Hail up to quarter-size in Wadsworth.
Hail up to quarter-size about one-mile northwest of Barberton.
Several trees downed in Mantua.
Two trees downed in Hiram.
Trees downed in Sawyerwood.
Numerous trees downed and tree limbs snapped in Garrettsville.
Trees downed in Suffield, just ENE of Wingfoot Lake.
Hail up to quarter-size near Randolph and Hartville Roads on the northwest side of Randolph.
Several trees downed northeast of Craig Beach, near the Trumbull County line.
A swath of severe straight-line convective wind gusts affected Brookfield Township. Damage was observed along Everett East Road from west of County Route 167 to Greensleaves Circle East. Along Everett East Road, winds lifted a trampoline from a|backyard, deposited it in the front yard of a nearby residence, and blew down a fence. In the Trumbull County Metroparks, on the north side of Everett East Road, approximately 30 to 40 trees were downed, all oriented toward the southeast. Several healthy trees were snapped at their bases, supporting higher-end wind estimates. A large tree was downed on the north side of Everett East Road, clipped a home, and damaged the roof. Additionally, several large tree limbs fell onto two homes and caused minor structural damage. Other trees were downed on the south side of Everett East Road.
All observed tree damage and debris were consistently oriented toward the southeast, indicating straight-line wind damage from a microburst since the corridor of damage appeared to have a maximum width of 250 yards. Maximum wind gusts were estimated to have been 90-mph.
Trees downed in Brookfield.
Several trees downed in Hubbard.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, April 2026
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: 1328779, 1328782, 1328783, 1328796, 1329872, 1329875, 1329879, 1329911, 1329912, 1329915, 1329919, 1332279, 1329926, 1329927, 1329928, 1329929, 1329930, 1329931, 1329937, 1329932, 1329920, 1329933, 1329936, 1329918, 1329945, 1329939, 1329946, 1329976, 1329964, 1332268, 1330002, 1329977, 1332280, 1332281, 1332282, 1332265, 1332267, 1332269, 1332270, 1332271, and more.