Winter Storm — Cuyahoga, Ohio

2008-03-07 to 2008-03-08 · Cuyahoga, Ohio

Event narrative

Snow began during the morning hours of the 7th and continued for the most part for the next day and a half. During the afternoon of the 7th, visibilities were reduced down to around a mile or less with the snow. However, during the evening hours the snow let up a bit with mainly flurries across the area for several hours. During the overnight hours into the 8th, the snow picked up again with visibilities dropping to a mile or less again. Moderate to heavy snow continued through the daytime hours of the 8th with visibilities dropping to a quarter mile or less at times. Also, a peak wind of 40 mph was measured at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Snow tapered off quickly during the late evening hours of the 8th. Snow totals for the event include 21.5 inches in Broadview Heights, 14.8 inches officially at Cleveland Hopkins Airport, 17.0 inches in Garfield Heights, and 16.3 inches in Lakewood. Numerous accidents were reported, along with stranded cars in roadways as many roads became impassable especially from blowing and drifting snow.

Wider weather episode

On the morning of March 7th, low pressure was located along the Gulf Coast States. Snow spread into the region during the morning and afternoon hours, then tapered off a bit during the evening and overnight into the 8th. Snow intensified across the area as low pressure moved north into the Carolinas by the morning of the 8th. Snow persisted across much of the area, but did mix with sleet and freezing rain at times across far eastern Ohio. By the evening hours of the 8th, snow began tapering off from west to east. Any areas of mixed precipitation across far eastern Ohio changed back to snow before ending. The low pressure continued intensifying as it moved into New England by the morning hours of the 9th. Some light snow and flurries persisted overnight, mainly from around Cleveland and points east, but by midday on the 9th the snow tapered off across the entire area. Throughout this event, locations across northwest Ohio picked up between 5.0 and 10.0 inches. Those locations experienced a rather steep gradient for snowfall totals. In eastern Ohio, snowfall amounts were slightly lower as sleet and freezing rain mixed in at times causing reduced snowfall amounts. Locations across northeast and north-central Ohio saw the greatest snowfall amounts with 21.5 inches in Broadview Heights in Cuyahoga County, and 21.0 inches in Galion located in Crawford County.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 89562. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.