Thunderstorms are expected to develop in Columbus this evening, and some of them could turn strong to severe as they move east and southeast through the area. Damaging wind gusts are the main concern, but an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out and heavy rain could quickly worsen flooding in places where the ground is already saturated.
A FLOOD WATCH is in place until 8am, covering the overnight period when the atmosphere is expected to stay very moist and additional storms could still drop heavy rainfall. Some locations could pick up several inches of rain if storms repeatedly move over the same areas, which is why the risk of flooding does not end when the first round of thunderstorms passes.
The storm threat does not stop with tonight. Another round is expected Sunday afternoon as a cold front moves into Columbus and surrounding areas, and some storms could again become severe with damaging winds, heavy rain and an isolated tornado possible. The strongest storms may develop as the day heats up, even though temperatures could approach 90 degrees and still feel closer to 100 because the humidity will remain high.
That combination is what makes the weekend so uneasy: the air is warm enough to fuel storms, the ground is already soaked, and the next round can fall on top of what is already there. Repeated thunderstorms could lead to additional flooding fast, especially where storms slow down or pass over the same places more than once.
The pattern should start to break late Sunday into Sunday night, when the cold front pushes through and brings a gradual change. By the beginning of next week, temperatures should fall back to near or slightly below normal and the humidity should ease, giving Columbus a quieter stretch after a weekend that could be marked by damaging winds, heavy rain and flooding.
