Tornado alert for Western Ohio, Storm warnings issued for early Wednesday, Feb 28, 2024.
The Wilmington National Weather Service announced a tornado alert for western Ohio on the evening of Tuesday, 27th February, due to an approaching potent storm system.
This alert is valid until 6 a.m. and covers several Ohio counties, including Brown, Clark, Darke, Highland, Montgomery, Warren, Butler, Clermont, Greene, Logan Preble, Champaign, Clinton, Hamilton, Miami, and Shelby.
An updated weather outlook for Franklin County indicates an 80% likelihood of storms hitting the Columbus vicinity by 1 a.m. Wednesday, a shift from previous predictions of storm onset between 10-11 p.m. There’s a possibility of severe weather conditions.
Temperatures are expected to drop to around 59 degrees, with southwest wind speeds of 15 to 18 mph, and wind gusts could reach up to 30 mph.
Due to the forecasted harsh weather, Franklin County has decided to call off the tornado siren test that was originally planned
Here’s a quick guide and some common questions to help you navigate the storm.
How do I find out if there’s a power cut in my area?
- AEP Ohio has a real-time outage map online.
- Columbus Division of Power also provides an outage map. If your area is marked, no need to report— the city knows. To report new outages in Columbus, call 614-645-7627.
Will my flight from Columbus be delayed?
- There were some delays at John Glenn International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, but it’s not confirmed if they were due to weather.
- Check your flight status at FlyColumbus.com, on your airline’s app, or by contacting your airline directly.
What does the weather look like for the rest of the week?
- Wednesday: Morning thunderstorms possible, turning to showers by midday. Expect cloudy skies and a drop to 36°F by the evening, with winds up to 38 mph. There’s a 70% chance of rain.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear with a low of 23°F.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high of 41°F.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low of 28°F.
- Friday: Cloudy with a 30% chance of afternoon rain, and a high near 48°F.
- Friday Night: Cloudy with a 30% chance of evening rain, and a low around 41°F.
- Saturday: Partly sunny with a high near 59°F.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy with a low around 44°F.