Strong thunderstorms to target Ohio to Kansas into Thursday

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

August 24,2016; 11:09PM,EDT

 

 

Rounds of showers and thunderstorms will bring the potential for flash flooding and localized damaging wind gusts through Thursday.
Those from central Kansas to Ohio will need to stay alert for rapidly changing weather conditions.
"The main threats with these storms will be dangerous lightning, heavy downpours and strong wind gusts," AccuWeather Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

Into Wednesday night, the threat of locally severe storms will focus on the corridor from Kansas City, Missouri, to Chicago, southward to Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville, Kentucky. A few gusty thunderstorms could approach Grand Rapids, Michigan, a town still cleaning up from a tornado this past weekend.
A couple of strong tornadoes cannot be ruled-out and could put lives in danger.
Several damaging tornadoes struck parts of Indiana Wednesday afternoon. In the town of Kokomo, a Starbucks was destroyed but there were no reports of injuries.
These storms could delay travel on the road and in the air. Winds may be strong enough to knock down trees and power lines, leading to sporadic power outages.
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Where thunderstorms repeat, the potential for flash flooding will be greatest.
Drivers are urged to slow down in any heavy downpour to reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Never drive through a flooded roadway.
The threat will shift slightly farther south on Thursday.

"Oklahoma City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, may face some of these storms on Thursday," Pydynowski said.
The storms will shift northeastward and out of the region on Friday.