Heavy rain, strong winds leave damage

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Natalee Colla of Poland said the sun was shining when she entered Williamson Hall at Youngstown State University at 3:03 p.m. Tuesday.

When she came out at 3:40, her 1990 Honda that she had left parked on Phelps Street near Lincoln Avenue was under water, she said.

Phelps Street was flooded between Lincoln and Rayen avenues by an afternoon storm that hit Youngstown, Campbell and Lowellville, and the water was up to the windows of her car, Colla said. The storm also blew out the car’s rear window, she said.

Her car had to be towed, but a Dodge Neon parked nearby that was actually floating during the flood was able to be driven away, Colla said.

Windows were blown out of three cars at the city school board’s central office building at Wood Street and Wick Avenue, and there was extensive damage to trees on the city’s East and North sides, with more than a dozen trees destroyed at Wick Park.

Strong winds blew a plywood covering off a new HVAC unit being installed on the roof of the Choffin Career Technical Center on Wood Street, resulting in water damage to all three floors.

Sheets of rain and nickel-sized hail poured down onto the streets around 3:30 p.m., and parts of Logan Avenue were flooded with 1 to 2 feet of water.

Water also flooded the Mahoning County Courthouse basement.

A second, less-intense storm passed through the area around 7 p.m.

Ohio Edison spokesman Paul Harkey said power was knocked out to some 6,000 customers, with about half of them in Youngstown alone. St. Elizabeth Health Center lost service for about 45 minutes. Power had been restored to some 4,000 customers by 10:15 p.m.

Weather Central reported 0.17 inch of rain fell in the Youngstown area, and the National Weather Service issued a 75-minute tornado warning for Lawrence County shortly after 8 p.m.