Flash Flood Watch Extended Through Early Saturday Morning Across Central Ohio
Flash flood watch continues overnight for Franklin County and 16 other Ohio counties as storms dump up to 2 inches of additional rain on already saturated ground.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — A flash flood watch remains in effect through 5:00 a.m. Saturday for Franklin County and 16 other Ohio counties as showers and thunderstorms continue to move through the region overnight.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued the watch Friday at 8:58 p.m., warning that excessive rainfall could trigger flash flooding across central and southern Ohio. Several locations have already received 1.5 to 2.0 inches of rain through Friday evening, with additional rainfall amounts up to 2.0 inches possible overnight.
Counties Under Flash Flood Watch
The flash flood watch covers Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Hamilton, Highland, Hocking, Licking, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Warren counties in Ohio. The watch also extends into parts of southeastern Indiana and northern Kentucky.
Weather service meteorologists warn that excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. The combination of already saturated ground conditions and additional heavy rainfall overnight increases flood risks across the region.
Active Flood Advisories
Multiple flood advisories were issued Friday evening for areas already experiencing minor flooding. A flood advisory for Clermont County and Campbell County, Kentucky, remained active until 11:45 p.m. Friday, with radar indicating heavy rain from thunderstorms causing ongoing minor flooding.
The advisory warned of minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas, with locations potentially experiencing flooding including Amelia, Bethel, New Richmond, Williamsburg, Batavia, Owensville, Goshen, Newtonsville, Mentor, Moscow, California, East Fork State Park, Bantam, Clermont County Airport, Lindale, Nicholsville, Saltair, and Edenton.
An earlier flood advisory covered a larger area including Hamilton and Clermont counties in Ohio, along with Boone, Campbell, Gallatin, and Kenton counties in Kentucky, and Switzerland County in Indiana. That advisory expired at 10:45 p.m. Friday after affecting major population centers including Cincinnati, Covington, Florence, Independence, Norwood, Forest Park, Erlanger, Fort Thomas, Newport, Sharonville, Blue Ash, Loveland, Springdale, Reading, Montgomery, North College Hill, Madeira, Edgewood, Alexandria, and Elsmere.
Safety Recommendations
Weather service officials remind residents to never drive through flooded roadways, as just six inches of moving water can knock down an adult and twelve inches can carry away a vehicle. Residents in flood-prone areas should monitor local conditions and be prepared to move to higher ground if necessary.
The combination of embedded thunderstorms within broader shower activity creates the potential for rapid water rises in creeks and streams throughout the watch area. Officials advise staying informed of changing conditions through local weather alerts and avoiding outdoor activities in low-lying areas until conditions improve.
