Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Ashtabula Lakeshore, Ohio

2015-02-15 to 2015-02-16 · Ashtabula Lakeshore, Ohio

Event narrative

Sub zero temperatures and winds gusting to as much as 30 mph caused winds chills to get as cold as minus 30 degrees during the morning of February 15th. Winds lessened during the evening of the 15th allowing low temperatures on the 16th to dip to minus 10 or colder most areas.

Wider weather episode

An area of arctic high pressure moved from Canada to the western Great Lakes on February 15th. Very cold air surged into northern Ohio in response to this high and was accompanied by strong north to northwest winds. The combination of sub zero temperatures and winds gusting to as much as 30 mph created very dangerous wind chills over most of northern Ohio. Wind chill readings dipped below minus 25 degrees during the predawn hours of 15th and then continued for four to six hours. By midday, wind chills were back into the negative teens with slow improvement the remainder of the day. Winds finally lessened during the evening hours as the high approached from the northwest. By daybreak on the 16th, the high was centered over the Upper Ohio Valley resulting in clear skies and another frigid night. Lows on the 15th were mainly 5 to 10 degrees below zero but most of the area dipped below minus 10 on the 16th. The coldest wind chill reported was minus 30 at Toledo Express Airport (Lucas County) with minus 29 at the Northeast Ohio Regional Airport in Ashtabula County. Fortunately all of the schools in northern Ohio were closed on the 16th for the Presidents Day Holiday.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 562943. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.