Flash Flood — Summit, Ohio

2013-07-10 · near Barberton, Summit, Ohio

Event narrative

Torrential rainfall on July 10th ended the streek of 13 days of measurable rain in the Barberton-Norton region, and ending it with the highest rainfall amounts measuring during that time. Almost seven inches of rain fell in the two weeks prior, and on the 10th rainfall amounts in the basin measured between 2 to 3 inches which fell in the hour between 230 and 330 PM. This extreme rainfall rate fell over already saturated ground and swollen stream and creeks, resulting in rapid runoff and flooding. Heavy rainfall of this magnitude overwhelmed the existing stormwater systems with extensive street flooding throughout Barberton. In many areas of Barberton the flooded streets drained within a few hours leaving many flooded basements, garages and yards. After the flash flooding had stopped, the upstream routed water caused the flood waters to continue a slow rise in Barberton. These areas began flooding during the night of July 10 and by the morning of July 11th flooding was reaching into new areas. Flood waters in most areas receded by Sunday July 14th leaving behind large areas of the City needing clean-up operations. The City estimates that over 700 buildings suffered some form of water intrusion including sewage backups.

14TH, 15TH & 16TH STREETS NW 'WOLF CREEK

Flooding began during the intense rain on the afternoon of July 10th and the area remained underwater for three days. The flooding closed bridges across Wolf Creek at Wooster Road West, Brady Ave., Norton Ave., and Barber Road in the City of Norton leaving only the Hopocan Ave. bridge crossing Wolf Creek in Barberton accessible. Over sixty businesses and residences reported flooding issues.

NORTON AVE. BARBER ROAD, MIAMI ST. - WOLF CREEK

Rising waters of Wolf Creek over the night of July 10-11 flooded the commercial area on Norton Ave. Residents of the Shamrock Motel were evacuated on July 11 and businesses along the north side of Norton Ave. experienced up to two feet of flooding. Over thirty business and residences experienced flooding problems.

30th and 31ST STREETS NW, SOUTH AVE. - HUDSON RUN

Hudson Run experienced a rapid rise in floodwaters during the heavy rainfall in northwest Barberton and Norton. Flood conditions developed rapidly and affected a large Senior Citizen Complex that required evacuation by Barberton Safety Forces on the evening of July 10th along with a number of residences on 31st St. NW and South Ave. Floodwaters overtopped the spillway at the Columbia Lake Dam, about three-quarters of a mile downstream from Wooster Road and closed Hudson Run Road for a short period of time until gates on the dam were opened.

COVENTRY ROAD , EAGON STREET INDUSTRIAL AREAS ' MUD RUN

Six businesses and three residences were affect by the floodwaters of Mud Run.

5TH ST. NE INDUSTRIAL AREA ' TUSCARAWAS RIVER

Three large industries were affected by flooding of parts of their complexes.

Wider weather episode

A hot and humid airmass over the Ohio Valley was broken up on the 10th by a shortwave trough and a surface cold front that came moved through during the afternoon hours. Storms developed ahead of the cold front around noon, and ended with the exit of the cold front through northwest Pennsylvania around 7 pm. The humid and unstable airmass supported intense rainfall rates verified with reports of 0.75 in 15 minutes. These storms moved over an area that was already saturated from weeks of hit and miss storms and floods, and could not support the additional runoff produced during this event. The result was widespread flash flooding as the storms affected every county in the WFO Cleveland county warning area.

In addition to the flooding, widespread severe weather including three tornadoes occurred on July 10th. A line of intense thunderstorms developed ahead of the advancing cold front during the afternoon hours. Thunderstorm wind gusts in excess of 70 mph were reported. Seneca and Sandusky Counties in north central Ohio were especially hard hit. Thousands of downed trees and widespread power outages were reported. The Bellevue area was especially hard by the combination of straight line winds and a weak tornado. Nearly every street in the city had damage of some sort and it took five days for power to be restored to the majority of the city. Another tornado formed in northeastern Seneca County and moved in Huron County. A third tornado affected portions of rural Ashland County. Large swaths of corn were flattened across northern Ohio and nearly every county reported severe weather. As many as 250,000 electric customers lost power during this evening.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.0000, -81.6300)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 469945. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.