UPDATED 5:34 p.m. on April 29: Strong winds that blew through Granville shortly after 3 p.m. knocked out power to more than 500 customers in the village. In all, more than 6,000 AEP customers in Licking County were without power by 3:40 p.m.
More than 1,000 Energy Cooperative customers in rural Licking and Knox counties were without power — including most of Jacksontown in southeastern Licking County.
And more than 17,000 AEP customers in the Columbus area were without power by 3:30 p.m.
The Granville outage happened when strong winds blew down a tree that took out power lines on W. Maple Street between Cherry and Plum streets.
The largest customer in Granville affected by the outage was Denison University, where some elevators were not working and its 2,600 students and the staff were advised to take precautions when walking through darkened hallways. While generators were keeping computer systems and some electrical outlets functioning, only one of the two campus cafeterias was open for Tuesday dinner. The university was estimating that power would be restored “no earlier than 6:30 p.m.,” according to a memo to faculty and staff.
Power was restored at Denison and other parts of Granville by about 5 p.m., and the AEP and Energy Cooperative outage maps at that hour showed the number of customers without power was going down across Licking County.
The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Licking and Fairfield counties at about 3 p.m., advising residents to “move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building” because radar indicated severe weather, including wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail 0.75 inches in diameter.
“Expect damage to trees and power lines,” said the weather service warning as that continues through 3:45 p.m.
The weather service had previously issued a severe thunderstorm watch for most of Ohio, including Licking County, through 7 p.m. on April 29.
Storms during the afternoon and evening could bring large hail and damaging straight-line winds. Additionally, the weather service said, “an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.”
The forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 5 p.m., then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 5 p.m., with a high near 80. It’ll be windy with gusts up to 30 mph. Licking County could see between a tenth and a quarter inch of rain, although thunderstorms could bring more rain.
Rain is expected to continue Tuesday night and for most of the week through Friday night. An other tenth to quarter inch could fall overnight Tuesday, when the low is expected to be around 52.
There is a chance of rain on Wednesday, mainly after 2 p.m. It’ll be mostly sunny, with a high near 71. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms over night and before 5 a.m., then a slight chance of showers into Thursday morning.
On Thursday, there is a chance of showers before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. The high is expected to be near 79. New rainfall amounts could be between a tenth and quarter of an inch, although higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms. More thunderstorms are possible at night, when the low will be around 60.
Showers are likely on Friday, with thunderstorms possible after 2 p.m. Otherwise, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 68. The chance of showers and thunderstorms continue into the evening and through the night. The low at night will be around 46.
And on Saturday, the sun is expected to return. It’ll be mostly sunny with a high near 61, the weather service says.
Alan Miller writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.
Julia Lerner contributed to this story.