Central Ohio woke up to what looked like a fairly normal August morning Tuesday, and then, around 10 a.m., the sky turned dark and things got very bad very quickly.
A powerful line of storms moved through Columbus and surrounding communities Tuesday morning, bringing destructive winds, heavy rain, lightning and flooding. By the time the storms moved on, trees were down across the region, buildings had been damaged, roads were blocked, traffic lights were hanging from wires and tens of thousands of people were without power.
Well this was a fun Columbus morning from my 3rd floor apartment!
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u/mlrd021986 in
Columbus
The National Weather Service recorded an 82 mph wind gust at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, and the damage stretched across much of Central Ohio. Columbus officials said the city’s south side appeared to take some of the hardest hits, particularly around Lockbourne Road, Parsons Avenue, Morrill Avenue, and Hinman Avenue.
And this wasn’t just a case of a few trees losing some branches.
Columbus saw major damage
On the city’s South Side, the Barack Community Center lost most of its roof. Trees came down across streets and one tree crushed a camper behind a home on Morrill Avenue. On Parsons Avenue, a large tree fell into the road, while nearby buildings suffered roof damage.
Further north, Ackerman Road was closed while crews worked to remove trees and deal with damaged traffic signals. At historic Union Cemetery, dozens of trees were uprooted or split apart, with the cemetery expected to remain closed during cleanup.
The damage continued into Clintonville, where trees and branches were scattered throughout the neighborhood. At Lucky’s Market on North High Street, the storm blew out the front door, damaged the roof and skylights, and sent part of the roof into a retention pond. Derive Brewing Company next door also had a window blown out.
There was plenty of damage outside Columbus, too. Hilliard reported a railroad crossing on Avery Road was closed after trees came down, and Dublin also saw significant wind damage. Upper Arlington shared a photo of a tree that landed on a police cruiser near Riverside Drive and McCoy Road, while Bexley reported traffic lights that weren’t working.
And then there was the I-71 situation.
Video from the Ohio Department of Transportation showed a car being flipped by the storm near the Weber Road interchange around 10:08 a.m. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The National Weather Service also said it may send surveyors out later this week to determine whether a tornado was involved in some of the damage.
WATCH NOW: Video Shows Storm Flipping Car On I-71 In Columbus
What people are seeing around Columbus
Social media filled up quickly Tuesday with photos and videos of the aftermath. People posted pictures of massive trees across streets, damaged homes, downed power lines, destroyed fences and debris scattered through neighborhoods.
One of the more striking things about the damage is how localized it can be. You could have a street that looks mostly normal and then turn a corner and find a massive tree across someone’s house or half a block without power.
That’s also why officials are asking people to be careful about driving around just to see the damage. Downed power lines can still be energized, and crews are working throughout the area.
@madisonrykewx Straight line winds look like the most likely culprit but this damage is widespread and impressive #severeweather #ohio #columbus #berlinerpark ♬ original sound – MadisonRyke
Thousands are still without power
AEP Ohio reported more than 130,000 customers without power across its service area Tuesday afternoon. The company said the damage was extensive, with numerous poles and wires down, and crews from outside Ohio were being brought in to help, with tens of thousands of customers already restored.
That doesn’t mean everyone will be without power for several days. Restoration times depend heavily on where you live and what happened to the equipment serving your neighborhood. AEP says its outage map is the best place to check your individual estimated restoration time.
Check AEP Ohio’s outage map here. Columbus Division of Power customers can use the city’s outage map instead.
There’s more weather coming
Unfortunately, Tuesday’s storms weren’t necessarily the end of the story. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther warned residents to expect more storms over the next several days, and another round of heavy rain moved through the area Tuesday afternoon. The city also opened an emergency shelter on the South Side with help from the American Red Cross.
So, for now, the best advice is pretty boring but important: stay away from downed power lines, avoid roads blocked by trees or debris, check on your neighbors, and stay safe.
Central Ohio has a lot of cleanup ahead.
