Microburst cited for most of Friday's storm damage
FREMONT — Friday's severe thunderstorm produced extensive damage around the city with a microburst containing estimated straight line winds of up to 75 miles per hour, Lisa Kuelling, Sandusky County Emergency Management Agency director, said Tuesday.
According to the National Weather Service, a microburst is a localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm and is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter.
Microbursts can cause extensive damage at the surface, and in some instances, can be life-threatening.
The NWS, in consultation with Sandusky County EMA, made the determination regarding the microburst.
Kuelling said wind speeds on a microburst can reach up to 100 mph.
Microburst winds were stronger than some tornadoes
"The winds in this microburst were stronger than an EF0 tornado," Kuelling said.
The most significant damage occurred near and along North Street in Fremont, according to the NWS.
Kuelling said about 300 homes in Sandusky County sustained some sort of tree damage.
She said five homes had property damage, with several buildings at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds sustaining extensive structural and roof damage.
According to the NWS, several soft side barriers on the Fremont Speedway's race track were dislodged and thrown east onto Front Street, where one car was struck with a barrier and one person was injured.
The NWS determined that most of the damage occurred in a general west to east pattern across the area.
Damage at the fairgrounds occurred due to severe westerly winds compromising west facing doors, then allowing the roofs to be compromised.
A personal weather station on the west side of Fremont measured a peak wind gust of 73 mph.
Owners of 2 damaged homes sought Red Cross help
Kuelling said two of the homeowners that sustained damage to their homes contacted the Red Cross for assistance.
She said it seemed like most homeowners with damage had contacted their insurance agents.
There were three roofs on buildings at the fairgrounds that sustained extensive damage.
Kuelling said the county's Juvenile Detention Center and some fencing along the North Coast Inland Bike Trail also were damaged by the storm.
The county filed insurance claims for damage incurred at the fairgrounds.
Kuelling said she didn't have a timeline for when those buildings might be repaired.
That includes the fairgrounds' badly damaged horse barn, which had part of its roof torn off and doors crumpled by strong winds Friday.
Mayor Danny Sanchez posted a message Saturday on the city's Facebook page asking residents to put all of their storm debris on the curb and it will get picked up.
Sanchez said the city was estimating a two-week cleanup period for the storm debris.
dacarson@gannett.com
419-334-1046
Twitter: @DanielCarson7
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Severe storm damage generated by 'microburst' in Fremont Friday night
