Thunderstorm Wind in Cuyahoga County, Ohio

A thunderstorm downburst with peak winds estimated to be as much as 75 mph did extensive damage in Cleveland's western suburbs. Hundreds, if not thousands of trees were toppled in Bay Village, Rocky River and Lakewood. The damage was most concentrated near the Lake Erie shoreline. Lakewood was the hardest hit of the communities with hundreds of trees down in the northwest corner of the city alone. At least 15 intersections in the city had to be closed because of downed trees and power lines. Fallen trees damaged more than a 130 homes in Lakewood alone. Damage in Lakewood topped $4 million. Additional homes and buildings were damaged in Rocky River and the eastern portion of Bay Village. Dozens of automobiles were also damaged by the downburst. According to estimates, as many 200,000 people may have lost power during this event. It took over two days for power to be restored to all areas.

A very strong area of deepening low pressure moved east across northern Ohio during the evening hours of May 7th. By midday on the 8th, the low had reached northern New York state. Showers and thunderstorms associated with the low moved across northern Ohio during the evening hours of the 7th. Several of the thunderstorms became severe and at least one tornado was reported. An EF1 tornado moved across portions of eastern Wood County damaging a few homes and buildings. A downburst caused considerable damage in Erie County. There were dozens of reports of large hail and damaging winds elsewhere across northern Ohio. Estimates have indicated that as many as 5,000 homes and businesses in northern Ohio may have sustained damage during this event. At the peak of the storm more than 300,000 residents were without power in Northeast Ohio alone. A strong cold front trailing the low exited Ohio to the east early on May 8th. Gusty southwest to west winds occurred behind this front. Some wind damage was reported in a few northern Ohio counties during the early afternoon hours of the 8th.