- On Aug. 11, severe thunderstorms and a possible tornado hit central and southeastern Ohio, with an 82 mph wind gust recorded at John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
- Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther called the damage 'devastating' and said recovery may take until next week.
- A tornado was suspected to have touched down between the Ohio State University campus and Dublin, but confirmation is pending.
- The Storm Prediction Center 'preliminarily confirmed' the storms were a derecho.
- As of Aug. 12, power outages affected 63,000 Franklin County AEP customers, along with thousands more in surrounding counties.
- AEP reported significant infrastructure damage, including 98 poles, 565 spans of wire, 29 crossarms, 62 spans of wire with trees, and 18 transformers, with restoration efforts possibly continuing through Friday.
- The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Licking County.
- Central Ohio communities began clearing storm damage before more rain expected Wednesday.
- Thunderstorms are expected to pick back up on Aug. 13 with a 70% chance of precipitation all day and into the night.
- In Upper Arlington, strong winds knocked down trees and branches, damaging homes and sidewalks, leading to school closures; classes are expected to resume Thursday if power is restored.
- The city reported temporary street closures near the high school, with Halstead Road and Pickwick and Wellesley drives open to local traffic only.
- In Crooksville, first responders conducted water rescues and went door-to-door evacuating residents; a donation drop-off was established at Crooksville Village Park via the North Street entrance.
- Governor DeWine activated the Ohio National Guard's high-water rescue unit, sending 40 members to assist in Muskingum and Perry counties, and urged residents to follow evacuation orders and avoid flooded roadways.
Central Ohio is grappling with the aftermath of severe storms that left over 63,000 AEP customers without power, particularly in Franklin County.5
As of Wednesday morning, more than 83,000 AEP Ohio customers are without power across the state.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther described the damage as "devastating," stating, "It's been a really hard day for a lot of our neighbors." He emphasized that recovery efforts will take time, with restoration expected to continue through Friday.26
The storm caused significant damage, including 98 damaged poles, 565 spans of wire, and 18 transformers.
In addition to power outages, the storms prompted the cancellation of classes in Upper Arlington, where strong winds knocked down trees and damaged homes.10
Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in Perry and Muskingum counties, activating the Ohio National Guard's high-water rescue unit to assist residents impacted by flooding.13
One death was reported in Roseville after emergency crews were unable to reach a person in time.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Licking County, with more rain expected on Wednesday.7
A tornado was suspected to have touched down near the Ohio State University campus, but confirmation will take time due to ongoing storms.3
Weather service meteorologist Kristen Cassady noted that the storms were preliminarily confirmed as a derecho, with winds reaching up to 82 mph recorded at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
“AEP reported 98 poles, 565 spans of wire, and 18 transformers damaged, with restoration possibly lasting through Friday. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Licking County, and the Storm Prediction Center preliminarily confirmed the Aug. 11 storms were a derecho.”
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