February 5-6 2008 Storm Summary

List of storm reports

Photos of the event (updated 2/7)

River data and forecasts

Radar Loop                                     Storm Total Precipitation
                    


A powerful storm system moved across the Ohio Valley February 5 and 6, producing widespread damage and flooding.  As low pressure deepened over the Middle Mississippi Valley late Tuesday, a warm front lifted north and stalled across northern Ohio.  This led to numerous rounds of showers and thunderstorms across much of the region, with the heaviest (4 to 7 inches) falling across west central and northwest Ohio.  This led to widespread flooding across Mercer and Auglaize Counties where countless roads were closed and dozens of people were evacuated. 

As the low moved eastward late Tuesday night, a cold front approached from the west, and a line of severe storms developed across the Mid-Mississippi and lower Ohio Valleys.  This line quickly raced eastward and moved into parts of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio after midnight.  The airmass ahead of the line of storms was very warm and humid for February (record highs were set at Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus on Tuesday).  This led to an unstable airmass, which combined with extreme low-level wind shear to sustain this line of storms as it moved across the Wilmington county warning area.  Numerous reports of wind damage were received, with some of the heaviest damage focused across parts of south central Ohio and northern Kentucky.

... Damage survey conducted by National Weather Service for storms of
February 6 2008...

The National Weather Service in Wilmington conducted damage surveys
in a number of locations on Thursday. These surveys were done on
damage which resulted from storms that occurred during the early
morning hours on February 6. Indications are that all storm related
damage in the Wilmington NWS forecast area was the result of straight
line winds.

Brown County...

A damage location in Aberdeen was surveyed in southeastern Brown
County. Damage occurred to a motel...apartment building and church.
A number of cars also had their windows damaged. In
addition...a number of trees were snapped off or blown down. The
winds with the storm in this area were estimated to be about 80 to 90
mph.

In an area just east and northeast of Fivemile a significant amount
of damage occurred to farm buildings...barns were blown over and
grain silos were destroyed. A significant amount of damage occurred
to several houses. Also trees were uprooted. Winds of 80 to about 100
mph were estimated with the storm in this area.

Adams County...

Damage in the Cherry Fork area of Adams County included the roof
blown off a gymnasium and damage to a number of homes. Several barns
were destroyed or damaged and a number of trees were blown down. The
damage resulted from winds estimated at about 80 to 90 mph.

Damage in the Manchester area of Adams County included trees down
and a few mobile homes damaged. The damage resulted from winds
estimated at about 70 to 80 mph.

Clermont County...

In the Bethel area damage included several barns destroyed and a
large number of trees and some power poles downed. A few of the trees
fell on structures. A 25 foot block wall was blown into a grocery
store...a plate glass window was blown out...and a porch was severely
damaged. Some of the damage resulted from winds estimated to be
around 80 to 100 mph.