Columbus, Ohio – Over 13 million residents across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and parts of West Virginia are under a Tornado Watch until 3 a.m. EDT Saturday as powerful storms sweep through the region.
According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, several tornadoes are likely overnight, including the possibility of a couple intense twisters. Widespread damaging winds with gusts up to 80 mph and hailstones as large as 3 inches in diameter are also possible across the warned area.
The watch includes major cities like Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Lexington, Louisville, and Huntington. High-risk travel corridors such as I-70, I-75, and I-64 could become dangerous as storms intensify after sunset. Emergency officials urge residents to charge mobile devices, review shelter plans, and avoid travel during severe weather hours.
In Lexington, schools and emergency managers are on alert for rapid warnings, while utility crews across Indiana are staging for possible power outages. This marks one of the most significant severe weather threats in the Ohio Valley this month, resembling storm setups seen in May 2019.
The Tornado Watch remains active through 3 a.m. EDT. Additional warnings may be issued rapidly, so residents should stay weather-aware and have multiple ways to receive alerts overnight.
