Severe storms overnight expected to stay largely south of I-70 in southern Ohio, NWS says

Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·4 min read

After a stormy Tuesday night brought tornado warnings, heavy rain and a flood advisory to central Ohio, storms with heavy rain are still possible in the region late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

However, the Columbus area no longer has a hazardous weather outlook — a statement released by NWS describing severe storm risks—and the chances of severe weather are "marginal", according to an NWS map published on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The best chances for showers and thunderstorms Wednesday night into early Thursday are south of Interstate 70 and in southern Ohio.

At 11 p.m. Wednesday, some thunderstorms were moving west to east largely along and south of Interstate 70 toward Circleville. Some storms with heavy rain may push north of that in the early morning Thursday.

The NWS has issued a flood watch through Thursday morning for Adams, Pike, Ross, and Scioto counties in south central Ohio and for Athens, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meig and Vinton counties in southeast Ohio. Heavy rain expected on already saturated soil are expected to flood river, creeks, streams, and other low lying and flood prone areas.

Tuesday's storms swept through around 10:30 p.m., prompting a series of tornado warnings in Franklin and other surrounding counties to the northwest, north and east. However, there were no reported tornadoes in central Ohio.

NWS Wilmington assessment teams went out Wedneday to confirm reported tornadoes, and it appears there may have been four in its Ohio coverage area: damage from a suspected EF1 tornado in the Hickory Woods Campground in Franklin County, Indiana, that continued into Butler County, Ohio, going south of Oxford (home of Miami University) near McGonigle; a survey in Mercer and Auglaize counties that found damage along Guadalupe-Southland road that was "tornadic in nature" with damage beginning in Mercer and extending into Auglaize, west of New Knoxville; a third in Mercer County, west of Coldwater; and a fourth in Darke County in and near Greenville.

NWS Pittsburgh reports an EF2 tornado started in Jefferson County, hitting Irondale, and traveled 15 miles through Hancock County, W.Va., into Beaver County, Pa. with a maximum sustained wind around 130 mph and a maximum width of 200 yards. One injury was reported. Assessment teams from the NWS Pittsburgh office plan on Thursday to survey reported tornado damage in Coshocton and Muskingum counties in Ohio.

Columbus weather for the week of May 8, 2024

Columbus is in for a wet week, according to NWS Wilmington's seven day forecast.

  • Wednesday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 a.m. Thursday. Low around 61. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between ½ and ¾ of an inch possible.

  • Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High near 71. East wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

  • Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. North wind 11 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

  • Friday: A slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 65 degrees. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

  • Friday Night: A slight chance of showers before 8 p.m., then a slight chance of showers after 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

  • Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

  • Saturday Night: A chance of thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

  • Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68 degrees.

  • Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

  • Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

  • Monday Night: A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

  • Tuesday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Dispatch reporter Shahid Meighan contributed to this report.

NHart@dispatch.com

@NathanRHart

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Severe storms expected to largely stay south of central Ohio