Showers and thunderstorms fired along a stalled frontal boundary throughout the day, resulting in localized heavy rainfall and flooding.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ILN wrote it up.
Showers and thunderstorms fired along a stalled frontal boundary throughout the day, resulting in localized heavy rainfall and flooding.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 27, 1:33 AM EST, 3 hours 26 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wilmington OH
233 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
No significant changes.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Periods of showers and embedded thunderstorms will occur into the
early evening. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible.
2) An extended period of dry weather will occur from Thursday into at
least the early next week with temperatures generally within a few
degrees of normal.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1)
Diffuse warm front will lift north of I-70 by daybreak, which will be
its greatest northwards progress before pushing back south from late
morning through the afternoon.
Showers developing across the northern part of the forecast area will
increase in coverage on the nose of a modest southwesterly low level
jet. As the low level jet curves off to the east, sheared out mid
level energy will pass across the region in confluent flow later this
morning. This will create a west to east zone for continue
development of showers and possibly some thunderstorms. Precipitable
water is increasing to 1.6-1.8 inches and the warm cloud depth is
around 3.5 km. This all lead to the potential for locally heavy rain
and possibly repeated rounds of showers. 00Z HREF and REFS are in
pretty good agreement placing the maximum rainfall axis in proximity
to the I-70 corridor.
A short wave approaching from the northwest will cause everything to
shift southeast through the afternoon with the possibility that some
activity could linger into the early evening in far southeast
counties. Convective allowing guidance does show streaks of heavier
precipitation during this time frame, generally in a west northwest-
east southeast orientation but there is more variability in the
location of these corridors. In addition, CAPE will increase to
1000-1500 J/Kg with 0-6 km shear of 20-25 kt. So a few stronger
storms could develop with wind being the primary hazard beyond the
heavy rainfall.
KEY MESSAGE 2)
An omega block will develop across North America for the latter part
of the week and into next week. Surface high pressure will prevail.
This will allow the region to dry out. Temperatures will generally be
within +/- 3 degrees of normal with some minor fluctuations from day
to day.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
A west-east oriented front will lift north of the terminals by around
12Z before then dropping back south through the day. Showers will be
developing over the next several hours and eventually become more
prominent near the front. Showers and eventually some thunderstorms
will remain prevalent near the front. Timing has been shifting a bit
but attempted to highlight the most likely times in the TAFs.
All signs points to IFR/LIFR ceilings developing over the next few
hours. There could be some visibility restrictions as well, although
less confident in that occurring. Ceilings will gradually lift during
the day, becoming MVFR, and then scattering between 20Z and 00Z.
OUTLOOK...No significant weather expected.
&&
.ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...Flood Watch through late tonight for OHZ042>046-051>056-060>065-
070>074-077>082-088.
KY...Flood Watch through late tonight for KYZ089>100.
IN...Flood Watch through late tonight for INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080.
&&
DISCUSSION...
AVIATION...Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wilmington OH 236 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 OHZ026-034-035-280645- Hardin-Mercer-Auglaize- 236 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for west central Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ042>046-051>056-060>065- 070>074-077>082-088-280645- Wayne-Fayette-Union-Franklin-Ripley-Dearborn-Ohio-Switzerland- Carroll-Gallatin-Boone-Kenton-Campbell-Owen-Grant-Pendleton-Bracken- Robertson-Mason-Lewis-Darke-Shelby-Logan-Delaware-Miami-Champaign- Clark-Madison-Licking-Preble-Montgomery-Greene-Pickaway-Fairfield- Butler-Warren-Clinton-Ross-Hocking-Hamilton-Clermont-Brown-Highland- Adams-Pike-Scioto- 236 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Indiana, southeast Indiana, northeast Kentucky, northern Kentucky, central Ohio, south central Ohio, southwest Ohio and west central Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. In addition, a few strong to possibly severe storms could develop this afternoon with wind being the primary hazard. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:58 UTC.
15 flood, 7 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High water was reported over Alkire Road at Harrisburg Pike.
Two cars were submerged up to their windows in high standing water near Jackson Pike, requiring water rescues.
High water was reported on Brooke Woode Drive.
Six to eight inches of standing water was reported on Medway Road, just north of State Route 235.
Eight inches of standing water was reported at Lower Valley Pike and the State Route 4 ramp.
Jackson Pike was closed from Dyer Road to Stringtown Road due to high water.
State Route 38 was closed due to high water.
Rushing water was reported at an apartment complex along U.S. Route 33.
High water entered into apartments along Camp Chase Trail.
Rushing water was reported at South Third Street and East Willow Street.
Several trees were downed along Stemen Road.
High water was reported over State Route 726, near Shurley Road.
High water was reported over Lexington Salem Road near the county line.
Several large branches were downed on Pleasantville Road.
Kimmel Road was closed between Crestway Drive and Wastler Road due to high water.
A supermarket gas station was closed due to high water.
High water was reported in Rushville.
Old Columbus Road between West Choctaw Drive and East Choctaw Drive was closed due to flooding.
High water trapped residents in homes along South Charleston Pike, requiring water rescues.
Water from Paddys Run was flowing over Morgan Ross Road at Cincinnati Brookville Road. This caused a driveway to be washed out.
Water was reported flowing across New London Road near Race Lane.
Rushing water was recorded on video near Ridge Road between State Route 41 and Mitchell Road.
High water along Beaver Creek trapped people in a house and a boat, requiring water rescues.
High water was reported on Selma Pike.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, May 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1336765, 1336766, 1336767, 1336768, 1336769, 1336770, 1336771, 1336772, 1336773, 1336774, 1336775, 1336776, 1336777, 1336778, 1336779, 1336780, 1336781, 1336782, 1336783, 1336862, 1336861, 1336786, 1336787, 1336788.