Winter Storm Costs in Ohio Could Rival Hurricane Ike Totals

Experts say the early January’s extreme cold and wind are expected to be one of the costliest weather events in Ohio since the remnants of Hurricane Ike hit in 2008.

No solid estimate is available yet, but the Dayton Daily News reports that insurance and repair industry officials expect it will end up being one of the worst in the state.

The Ohio Insurance Institute surveyed its members for estimates, which it does only when it expects a particularly strong and widespread impact.

The sub-zero temperatures on Jan. 6 and 7 made for the coldest two-day stretch in two decades. The addition of wind gusts caused more problems – power was knocked out, furnaces failed and pipes froze.

Hurricane Ike is considered the costliest natural disaster in recent Ohio history, with insured losses of more than $1.2 billion, according to the OII.