Ohio Fireworks Derecho

Map and track of the Ohio Fireworks Derecho

The Ohio Fireworks Derecho (or also the Ohio Independence Day derecho of 1969), was a severe wind event that took place during the evening hours of July 4, 1969. It affected the northern half of the state of Ohio as well as portions of Pennsylvania, southern Michigan and extreme southwestern New York. It was one of the numerous events of that type that hit a region in the United States during its national holiday, the others being in 1977, 1980 and 1999.

Event

The event started out during the afternoon hours as a line of thunderstorms developed in southern Michigan. At about 6 p.m., as it reached the southern suburbs of the Detroit Metro area in Lenawee and Genesee counties, it quickly became a major derecho. It entered northwestern Ohio near the Toledo area packing winds that locally exceeded 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) which downed scores of trees all over the city.

Moving at a fairly quick pace, the mesoscale then hit the Sandusky and Cleveland areas creating extensive damage to some of its suburbs, including Lakewood, Rocky River and Linndale. Major damage was also reported over communities right along the Lake Erie shoreline. Winds also peaked near 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) in Cleveland, causing extensive power outages.

At about midnight, after affecting northeastern Ohio and the Pittsburgh area, the storm weakened and dissipated near the borders of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland.

Aftermath

This derecho event, although short compared to other events, was one of the deadliest ever. Eighteen people were killed in Ohio alone, including seven in Cleveland. Many of them were from toppled trees. There were also several fatalities over Lake Erie. Several people were watching holiday fireworks from their boats. At least three people drowned after they were thrown off their boats by the violent winds.^[1]. Over 100 boats were destroyed or flipped over on Lake Erie.^[2] There were also injuries reported in western Pennsylvania.

Today an exhibit stands in Edgewater Park (part of Cleveland Lakefront State Park) in Cleveland commemorating the event.^[3]

An eyewitness account

"July fourth, 1969"

Our group of seventeen adults and teenagers was spending a hot summer holiday at Cedar Point Amusement Park outside Sandusky, Ohio. Most of our group were from out of state and had never been to a park like this one. They wanted to see everything.

After criss-crossing the main causeway for several hours, they decided to ride the "Space Needle." This ride took you up ten stories and rotated twice before bringing you back down. On that ride we saw the line of extremely dark clouds on the northern horizon over Lake Erie. Since showers had been predicted, we didn't pay much attention.

Less than two hours later, the storm slammed into the little peninsula. Everything that was not secured was blown ahead of the winds that we now know were in excess of one hundred miles an hour.

To the tune of concession stands being banged shut, we ran for the picnic pavilions near the front gate. Once there, we watched the storm which included lightning and waterspouts dancing over the lake.

When the park closed, about three hours later, we started the adventure of finding our cars. Carrying two eighty quart coolers, and what had been dry clothing and towels, it only took another half an hour.

Our trip back to Mansfield was interrupted by inland flooding and power outages. After a night in a, thankfully, open Baptist Church, we followed a few flooded roads until we arrived just after noon the next day (July fifth).

See also

• List of derecho events

References

1. ^ American Museum of Natural History - Science Bulletins
2. ^ The Ohio Fireworks Derecho
3. ^ Scott, Michael (2009-07-16). "Cleveland Metroparks unveil Lake to Lake Trail at Big Creek Reservation: 1969 storm recalled". The Plain Dealer. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/07/cleveland_metroparks_unveil_la.html. Retrieved 2009-07-18. 

External links

• NOAA Webpage on the derecho
• The Toledo Blade's coverage of the aftermath, July 5, 1969
• Heaton, Michael (2009-07-02). "40 years ago, holiday storm ravaged Northeast Ohio". The Plain Dealer. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/07/40_years_ago_holiday_storm_rav.html. Retrieved 2009-07-07.