Lorain County Emergency Management Agency

04/13/2026

Strong to severe storms are expected to move into northern Ohio during the evening hours.

Strong to severe storms are expected to develop across Lower Michigan and northern Indiana late Tuesday afternoon and move into northern Ohio during the evening hours.

03/31/2026

Be sure to follow the National Weather Service for up-to-date weather announcements US National Weather Service Cleveland OH

03/26/2026

For up-to-date weather, be sure to follow the National Weather Service - Cleveland at www.facebook.com/NWSCleveland/

03/21/2026

Day 6 of severe weather awareness week, get involve by joining the Skywarn Spotter team.

SKYWARN Spotters
Real-time storm reports, coupled with Doppler radar technology, are critical when it comes to issuing timely and accurate severe weather warnings. Spotters play an important role in the warning process by reporting ground-truth information to the National Weather Service, such as hail size, wind speed, tornado development, and damage. These reports can trigger a warning which may ultimately save lives. Even as new technology allows the National Weather Service to issue warnings with greater lead time, spotters will always serve as a critical link between radar indications of severe weather and what’s actually happening on the ground.

Who Are Spotters?
Virtually every community has some form of spotter network. Often, local fire and police personnel are trained to observe and report severe weather, partly due to their extensive radio communication and 24-hour operations. Citizens may also be an active part of the spotter network, some with an avid interest in the weather and many without. Some spotters are amateur radio operators. All share a sense of responsibility to their communities.

What Is SKYWARN?
SKYWARN is a volunteer program sponsored by the National Weather Service with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters across the nation. These individuals regularly attend spotter training led by NWS forecasters and then serve as the eyes and ears of both the NWS and local public safety networks as they identify and report critical storm information to the NWS. SKYWARN storm spotters are the nation's first line of defense against severe weather.

03/20/2026

Day 5 of severe weather awareness week is flooding.

What is flooding?
Flooding is an overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods can happen dury heavy rainfall, when snow melts quickly, or when dams or levees break.
Flash floods are the most dangerous kind of floods. Flash floods occur when heavy rainfall exceeds the ability of the ground to absorb it.

Flood Watches vs. Warnings
Flood Watch: Be Prepared! A Flood Watch is issued when flooding is possible. Stay tuned to trusted news sources and be ready to seek higher ground.
Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flood Warning is issued when flood is happening or about to happen. Move to higher ground immediately! Never drive or walk through floodwaters.

03/19/2026

Day 4 of severe weather week is all about severe thunderstorms.

What makes a thunderstorm severe?
A thunderstorm is severe when it contains one or more of the following: hail one inch or greater, winds gusting in excess of 58 MPH, or a tornado. Lightning does not making a thunderstorm severe, however lightning can be deadly.

How does a thunderstorm form?
Three basic ingredients are required for a thunderstorm to form: moisture, rising unstable air, and a lifting mechanism.

Thunderstorm Types
Single Cell Thunderstorms
Small, brief, weak storms that grow and die within an hour or so. They are typically driven by heating on a summer afternoon. Hazards include brief heavy rain and lightning.
Multi Cell Thunderstorms
A common thunderstorm type in which new updrafts form along the leading edge of rain-cooled air. Individual cells usually last 30-60 minutes, while the system as a whole may last for many hours. Hazards include hail, strong winds, brief tornadoes, and/or flooding.
Squall Line
A squall line is a group of storms arranged in a line, often accompanied by high wind and heavy rain. Squall lines tend to pass quickly and are less prone to produce tornadoes. They can be hundreds of miles long but are typically only 10 to 20 miles wide.
Supercells
Supercells are long-lived and highly organized storms feeding off an updraft that is tilted and rotating. Hazards include tornadoes, lightning, strong winds, and hail.

03/18/2026

The statewide tornado drill takes place at 9:50 AM today. All public numbers in Lorain County will receive the call via cell, home phone, or email depending on the subscription. You may hear tornado sirens activate in your community. This is a reminder to practice your tornado plan at home and work. If you need to subscribe to alerts, go here: https://www.loraincountyohio.gov/777/Emergency-Alerting-Information

03/18/2026

Day 3 of severe weather awareness week. Today is all about tornadoes and sheltering.

Tornadoes are capable of completely destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees, and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles. Tornadoes can occur at any time of day or night and at any time of the year. There were 82 Preliminary Tornado Reports across the state of Ohio in 2024.

Take shelter IMMEDIATELY if your area receives a Tornado Warning. Most injuries associated with high winds and tornadoes are from flying debris, so remember to protect your head. If available, put on a bicycle or motorcycle helmet to protect yourself from head injuries.
If at home:
Go to a basement or interior room such as a closet, bathroom, or interior hallway without windows on the lowest level. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside.
If in a large business, school, hospital, shopping center, or factory:
Go to designated shelter area. If shelter area is not available, find an interior hallway on the lowest level. Stay away from windows and rooms with expansive roofs.
If you are outside or driving:
Drive to the nearest shelter, basement, or safe room. DO NOT seek refuge in a vehicle, outside, or under an overpass. A highway overpass does not provide safety from a tornado.
Be Prepared for Nighttime Tornadoes:
Tornadoes can happen at any time of day. If severe weather is in the forecast, prepare yourself before lying down for the night. Have a safe place prepared, make sure your NOAA Weather Radio is tuned to your local station, have a charged cell phone with Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) enabled, and keep a flashlight and sturdy shoes handy.

03/17/2026

Report on the loud noise heard across the area:

https://www.cleveland19.com/2026/03/17/multiple-reports-an-explosion-northeast-ohio/

03/17/2026

Day 2 of severe weather awareness week. When severe weather strikes, there are multiple ways to receive alerts. Follow this link to sign up for Lorain County alerts: https://www.loraincountyohio.gov/777/Emergency-Alerting-Information