VIEW IMAGES OF THE STORM DAMAGE IN THE SLIDESHOW BELOW
The Tri-State is a very different place Monday compared to one year ago, when hurricane force winds blew through town, toppling trees and and tearing roofs off many local businesses and homes.
According to 9News Meteorologist Steve Norris, a combination of a strong cold front to our west, a powerful area of high pressure to our east, and, of course, the area of very deep low pressure from Hurricane Ike racing up from the southwest created the wind storm that crippled the Tri-State on September 14, 2008.
Winds in excess of 74 miles per hour caused nearly 900,000 residents to lose power, some of them for a week or more.
Falling trees and branches damaged homes and cars and blocked some roadways for days.
The storm is also blamed for several deaths. In Mt. Healthy, a
woman was killed when a falling tree crashed into her living room.
The day after the wind storm, firefighters believe a candle being used for light in a home without power in St. Bernard likely ignited a
fire that killed an 18-year-old expectant mother and her unborn baby.And many Tri-State residents have stepped in to
help young Abigail Bobinger, who was only 8 months old when both her parents were killed by a falling tree during the storm.
Stephanie and Thomas Bobinger were riding in a charity motorcycle ride in Hueston Woods at the time.
The winds also flattened billboards, downed power lines, knocked out traffic lights, and caused chaos across the Tri-State. Bengals fans felt the entire structure of Paul Brown Stadium sway back and forth as the first gusts blew in.
During the height of the storm, a wind-fueled fire threatened to destroy Downtown's historic Findlay Market. Crews were able to stop the blaze, but only after it caused $150,000 in damage.
Officials now estimate the wind storm damage and repairs cost utilities and local governments at least $56 million. Statewide, winds from Hurricane Ike last Sept. 14 resulted in more than $1.14 billion in insured losses, making it the state's largest natural disaster of recent times, according to the Ohio Insurance Institute.
It took Duke Energy the better part of two weeks to get power restored to much of the Tri-State, and had to bring in hundreds of additional workers from around the country.
In some cases, crews had to go street by street, house by house, checking to see if people had power. In all, the windstorm cost Duke Energy $56 million.
Much of that cost is starting to be reflected in Tri-State energy bills.
As we look back and remember the hardships the Tri-State faced one year ago, check out our
WCPO.com special section of the 2008 blackout, including photo galleries of damage caused that difficult day.
What is your strongest memory of last year's wind storm and do you think we are prepared enough for a similar storm?
Submit your comments below.
