Severe thunderstorm watch issued for central Ohio

A number of central Ohio counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday afternoon.

Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Hocking, Licking, Madison, Pickaway and Union counties, along with 23 other Ohio counties, are in the watch area. It is set to expire at 8 p.m.

The storms are expected to start this afternoon and return overnight. The main threat is damaging winds, but large hail, tornadoes and flash flooding caused by rain are possible, according to a hazardous weather outlook issued by NWS Wilmington.

The chance of precipitation during the day is 80% and rises to 90% overnight. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is expected during the day, but rainfall between a quarter and a half of an inch is possible overnight, according to NWS Wilmington’s forecast.

The chance for a thunderstorm continues into Memorial Day on Monday.

Columbus forecast for the week of May 26

There is to be a stormy start to the week before clearing up.

• Memorial Day: Showers and thunderstorms are likely, primarily before 1 p.m. Otherwise, it’s to be partly sunny with a high near 78. Winds could gust up to 25 miles per hour. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible, except it could be higher if it storms.
• Monday night: Partly cloudy with a low around 60.
• Tuesday: There is a chance of showers after 2 p.m. Though, it is to be sunny with a high near 75. The chance of precipitation is 40% and less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall is expected.
• Tuesday night: There’s a chance of showers before 8 p.m. It’s to be partly cloudy with a low around 55. Chance of precipitation is 30%, and less than a tenth of an inch is expected.
• Wednesday: There’s a chance of showers. Otherwise, it’s to be mostly sunny with a high near 71. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Wednesday night: Mostly clear with a low around 49.
• Thursday: Sunny with a high near 72.
• Thursday night: It’s to be clear with a low around 48.
• Friday: Sunny with a high near 76.
• Friday night It’s to be mostly clear with a low around 52.
• Saturday: It’s to be mostly sunny with a high near 81.

NHart@dispatch.com

@NathanRHart