Severe storms bring high winds, flooding

By Frank Macek

CLEVELAND -- Wednesday's storms brought extremely heavy rains and high winds to portions of the southern Channel 3 viewing area.

A tornado watch was issued for areas south of Canton through 10 p.m. after high humidity and warm temperatures created the perfect ingredients for severe thunderstorms.

The National Weather Service issued a number of tornado warnings for Tuscarawas, Carroll, Stark, Wayne and Holmes Counties. However, no reports of tornado touchdowns have been received after Doppler radar indicated rotation in a few of these storms, especially in Tuscarawas County.

Law enforcement did report several trees down in Mount Eaton in Wayne County around 8 p.m. In Columbiana County, trees were downed in Salem and Leetonia around 5:20 p.m.

Large hail was also observed in Holmes County northeast of Winesburg earlier in the night.

The Ohio Turnpike had to be closed from the Warren exit to the Niles-Youngstown exit after power lines fell across the roadway during thunderstorms that moved through this area.

Two waves of heavy storms brought rainfall totals of two to three inches, especially in Tuscarawas and Carroll County and in Mahoning County where flood warnings were in effect for a period of time.

Expect quieter weather on Thursday, with another chance of thunderstorms on Friday.