COLUMBUS – “If you don’t like the weather in Ohio, wait a week.”
Never has that old saw seemed as true as it has in the past seven days, when central Ohioans found themselves shivering through bone-chilling cold, basking in warm spring-like sunshine, and then watching helplessly as the heavens opened up and deluged the area with rain that sent water across low-lying roadways and prompted flood warnings for Columbus and much of the state.
A flood watch was in effect until Friday morning as the National Weather Service forecast predicted the area would experience periods of rain through Thursday evening, particularly Wednesday morning and during the day on Thursday.
Heavy rain that began before dawn Wednesday caused flooding that closed roadways, such as State Route 203, between State Route 4 and Prospect in Marion County.
South Bloomfield-Royalton Road was also closed between Lockbourne Eastern Road/Walnut Creek Pike and Campbell Road between Ward/Lockbourne in Pickaway County, as was Eastern Commercial Point Road between Florence Chapel Pike and State Route 104.
An additional inch of rain was in the forecast for Thursday.
Total rainfall amounts were expected to range from 2 to 3 inches, with locally higher amounts possible, particularly near and south of the I-71 corridor, with the cumulative effect being an increased threat of flooding.
Threats were expected to be limited to flood-prone areas and small creeks and streams on Wednesday, but additional rainfall on Thursday would lead to flooding of larger rivers even after the rain comes to an end Thursday night.