Cincinnati, Ohio – Showers and thunderstorms will continue to drench the Ohio Valley through Thursday morning, raising concerns about flooding in cities from Cincinnati to Huntington. Commuters and residents should prepare for periods of heavy rain, waterlogged roads, and rapidly rising streams as storms persist over the next 48 hours.
According to the National Weather Service Ohio River Forecast Center, southeast Ohio and northern West Virginia received significant rainfall in the last 24 hours, with some areas topping an inch. The active weather pattern is expected to persist, with an additional 1 to 1.5 inches of rain possible across southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, and western West Virginia by 8 a.m. Thursday.
Travelers on I-71, I-75, and U.S. Route 52 should watch for ponding and potential road closures, especially in flood-prone spots near Portsmouth, Marietta, and Parkersburg. Local emergency managers advise drivers to avoid water-covered roadways, secure outdoor items, and monitor alerts for rapidly changing conditions. Residents in low-lying neighborhoods and near creeks should be ready to move to higher ground if warnings are issued.
This prolonged pattern follows a summer of scattered storms, but this event could bring the region’s heaviest widespread rainfall since early June. More showers and storms are likely into the weekend, keeping the flood risk elevated.
Warnings remain in effect across the Ohio Valley through Thursday morning, with additional advisories possible as rainfall totals rise.
