⛈️ Massive Storm Leaves Columbus With Widespread Damage

Plus: 😳 Video Shows Storm Flipping Car On I-71 In Columbus

Author

Chelsea Wiley
August 12, 2026

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Hello, Wednesday! Chelsea, here.

I think we can all agree that yesterday’s storms were WILD. Powerful winds tore through Central Ohio around 10 a.m., knocking down trees, damaging buildings, flipping a car on I-71, and leaving more than 130,000 AEP Ohio customers without power at one point. Some neighborhoods took a serious beating, while others seemed to come through relatively unscathed. We've pulled together the latest on the damage, power outages, tornado questions, and what you need to know as cleanup gets underway.

😳 Video Shows Storm Flipping Car On I-71 In Columbus
High winds sent a car flipping on I-71 near Weber Road Tuesday morning, and the whole thing was caught on ODOT cameras. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

💡 When Will Power Be Back On In Columbus?
If you’re starting this morning off with no power, I’m sending so many good vibes your way. Unfortunately, those vibes will probably get to you before your power gets turned back on. More than 130,000 AEP Ohio customers lost power after Tuesday’s storms. Here’s what to know about restoration, how to keep your food safe, and more.

🚨 Why Columbus’ Tornado Sirens Stayed Silent During Tuesday’s Storm
A lot of Columbus residents were wondering the same thing after Tuesday morning’s storm: Why didn’t the tornado sirens go off?

Headlines 📰 

🍷Columbus’ wine scene is getting a little more approachable, with local wine bars offering tastings, classes and plenty of ways to figure out what you actually like without committing to a whole bottle. (Columbus Monthly)

📹 Columbus City Council spent six hours talking about Flock cameras Monday, with concerns ranging from privacy and security to how the technology could be used by police. (WOSU)

⚽️ The Crew kept its Leagues Cup hopes alive Tuesday night, beating Pumas UNAM 3-2 on penalties after the teams played to a 1-1 draw at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. Columbus is now sitting in first place with eight points, but will have to wait on the final Phase One results to see if it advances. (NBC4)

🌧️ Weather: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.

 🚨 NWS ALERT ACTIVE: Flood Watch until 11 p.m.

Coming Up This Week 📆

The Kicker 🤳

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🔥 The damage along Parsons Avenue was particularly bad. There were homes destroyed, roads blocked, and even trees on fire in power lines.

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