Tropical Storm Erin

When Hurricanes Don’t Stay on the Coast — Why Clinton County Watches the Remnants

Update: As of 7 am on Friday, 15 August, National Hurricane Center modeling showed a forecasted track of Erin with a northward track starting at 2 am on Monday thru 2 am on Wednesday. At this time, Erin does not appear to have a track that would indicate landfall on the eastern coastal regions of the United States. EMA will continue to track and will advise if there are any significant changes to the track.

A tree fell on a house in West Truesdell Street in Wilmington after Remnants of Hurricane Helene moved into Clinton County on Friday, 27 September 2024. Photo credit: Stephanie Smith (News Journal). Story link.

Most people in Clinton County think of hurricanes as an ocean and coastal problem. But history shows that when a major storm races inland, its remnants can bring damaging winds and flooding rain hundreds of miles from landfall — right into Southwest Ohio. Two recent examples stand out: Hurricane Ike (2008) and Hurricane Helene (2024).

Hurricane Ike – September 2008

• Origin & Path: Formed in the Atlantic on Sept 1, made landfall near Galveston, TX, early Sept 13 as a Category 2 hurricane.

• Remnants Reach Ohio: By late morning on Sunday, Sept 14, the post-tropical remnants were racing into the Ohio Valley.

• Local Impacts: Clinton County and much of SW Ohio saw hurricane-force wind gusts in the afternoon, with power outages lasting days to multiple weeks. Damage severity caught many by surprise because wind speeds this far inland were under-forecast.

Hurricane Helene – September 2024

• Origin & Path: Rapidly intensified in the Gulf, making landfall near Perry/Keaton Beach, FL, late Sept 26 as a Category 4.

• Remnants Reach Ohio: Moved north at high speed, reaching SW Ohio by Friday, Sept 27.

• Local Impacts: Wilmington Air Park recorded 67 mph gusts, with other sites seeing 60+ mph. A band of 4–6 inches of rain in south-central Ohio caused flooding.

Why This Matters for Tropical Storm Erin

Erin is currently far out in the Atlantic, but National Hurricane Center forecasts suggest possible hurricane status by Aug 14–15. The future track remains uncertain — the storm could recurve out to sea, strike the East Coast, enter the Gulf, or follow another path entirely.

If Erin does eventually reach the U.S., here are early monitoring windows for Clinton County based on past storm behavior:

• Window A: Aug 22–25 (earliest possible remnant arrival if storm moves quickly inland) — Highly Unlikely (≤9%).

• Window B: Aug 25–28 (more plausible remnant arrival period) — Rare (10–29%).

• Window C: No impact if the storm stays offshore — Possible (50–69% chance no Ohio effects).

Preparedness Takeaways

• Even if we’re hundreds of miles from landfall, remnants can deliver damaging winds and flooding rain here in Clinton County.

• Sign up for Clinton County Emergency Alerts (CCEA) to get weather watches and warnings quickly.

• Secure outdoor items when tropical remnants are in the forecast — high winds can arrive with little warning.

• If flooding is possible, know your routes around low-water crossings and be ready to avoid them.

Bottom line: When a tropical system’s remnants head inland, we get on the clock — sometimes with only 24–48 hours to prepare. Ike and Helene proved that hurricanes don’t have to hit Ohio directly to hit Ohio hard. Erin’s future is still uncertain, but we’ll watch it closely and update you as the picture sharpens.

Stay Weather-Wise, Clinton County.