Flood — Ottawa, Ohio

2011-08-19 · near Port Clinton, Ottawa, Ohio

Event narrative

An official NWS observer measured 6.58 inches over Port Clinton on the 14th. Emergency Management estimates at least half the town experienced some form of flooding as storm sewer systems were overwhelmed. The H.B. Magruder Hospital was inundated with ankle deep flood waters. Many homes and businesses in Port Clinton observed water in their basements, garages, or into their first floors. Many residents report this to be the worse flooding since the July 4-5th storm of 1969. EMA estimated a lot of property was affected with minor flooding, very few major, and no destroyed.

Wider weather episode

Between five and seven inches of rain fell over Ottawa County, with the highest amounts in Port Clinton. The rain fell as a result of an area of low pressure moving over the lakeshore, producing onshore winds out of the northeast. With water temperatures near 80 over Lake Erie any convection was able to support torrential rain. A line of storms moved over Ottawa County for about five hours, overwhelming drainage systems.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.5200, -82.9500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 332153. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.