The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch that includes Columbus, all central Ohio counties, as well as the southern half of Ohio and parts of Kentucky and Indiana.
The flood watch is in effect from 2 a.m. May 27 through 2 a.m. May 28. A warm front lifting across the Ohio Valley is expected to bring multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday, May 27, according to the weather service.
A flood warning is in effect until 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, for the Scioto River in the Chillicothe area in Pickaway County, then the flood watch remains in effect. The weather service reminds motorists to turn around, and don’t drown when you come to high water over a roadway. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles, the NWS notes.
Up to an inch of rain could be expected throughout the region, with some potential localized amounts of 2-3 inches, the weather service said.
Excessive runoff could cause flooding in waterways and other flood-prone areas, the weather service said.
Here is the forecast for Columbus for the next few days, according to the NWS:
Afternoon of May 26: A chance of showers, mainly after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Overnight May 26 into early May 27: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between one-tenth and one-quarter of an inch, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
May 27: Showers before 11 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. High near 79. Light and variable wind. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between one-quarter and half an inch are possible.
Evening of May 27: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with an overnight low early May 28 around 60. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, though higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
May 28: Sunny, with a high near 77. North wind 6 to 11 mph.
Night of May 28: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
May 29: Sunny, with a high near 78. A chance of showers, mainly after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
Anna Lynn Winfrey covers regional/trending suburban news for The Columbus Dispatch. She can be reached at awinfrey@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Flood watch issued for Columbus, central Ohio with soaking rain May 27.
Reporting by Anna Lynn Winfrey, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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