Flash Flood — Trumbull, Ohio

2003-07-21 to 2003-07-22 · near Countywide, Trumbull, Ohio

Event narrative

Heavy thunderstorm rains fell on Trumbull County during the evening hours. This was the second round of heavy precipitation during the day. The southern portion of the county experienced devastating flooding. As much as seven inches of rain was reported on the 21st with the southern half of the county generally seeing four to six inches of rain. Three inches of rain was reported in Warren between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. A new all time calender day rainfall record of 4.65 inches was established at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna Township. Over 7 inches of rain fell in the southeastern corner of the County with several five inch reports in Warren and 4.60 inches measured at Farmdale. Sections of Brookfield were flooded when Yankee Run Creek left it's bank. Flood waters up to five feet deep were reported with many cars swept off roads. Evacuations occurred at an apartment complex in Brookfield and also in portions of Hubbard where Mud Run left it's bank. Devastating flooding also occurred further west in the Girard, McDonald and Liberty Township areas. Dozens of roads were washed out and numerous evacuations occurred in the these areas. All roads were closed in Girard at 9:30 p.m. Dozens of homes were flooded in Liberty Township with damages to public property and roads topping $1 million. Damages in Girard were also well into the millions. Flood waters up to four feet deep were observed in Vienna Township just south of the airport. Significant flooding occurred in Warren with dozens of homes affected. Two large factories in the city had to be closed and evacuated because of flooding. Finally, the Trumbull County 911 Center in Howland had to be evacuated around 9 p.m. when a basement wall collapsed allowing flood waters into the building. Flooding problems continued in the county until the 24th as the Mahoning River went into flood and caused even more damage. A total of 753 homes were damaged in Trumbull County by flash flooding on the 21st or the resulting river flooding. Of this total, 90 homes were declared destroyed or uninhabitable. Another 1400 homes experienced basement flooding.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5378142. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.