Strong Thunderstorms Could Hit Northeast Ohio

Strong thunderstorms could hit the Northeast Ohio area on Wednesday night and persist through Thursday.

Current forecasts from the National Weather Service say there's a 60-percent chance of storms developing late on Wednesday or on early Thursday morning. While the thunderstorms could disappear, rain is expect all of Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"A few of the strongest thunderstorms may approach severe limits with winds to 50 or 60 mph the primary hazard," the National Weather Service said in a hazardous weather outlook.

The NWS expects storms to form Thursday afternoon and Thursday night. Concentrated rainfall, combined with wet soil conditions, could cause localized flooding in low-lying or poor drainage areas. Northeast Ohioans should also expect area rivers to rise and possibly cause minor flooding.

The developing storm front is expected to lower temperatures from their Wednesday high of 82 degrees. Much of the weekend will see highs in mid- to low-60s. Temperatures could dip into the 40s overnight.

With high winds and possible flooding, Northeast Ohioans should also be aware that power could go out. FirstEnergy runs a power outages map where residents can track reported power outages and get estimates of when power could be restored. That map is available for free online.