AEP issued the following storm alert: Severe thunderstorms containing damaging winds are likely to impact portions of I&M Power and AEP Ohio later today and tonight. The disturbance that produced a squall line in Tulsa, Oklahoma early this morning is now crossing Missouri. While the squall line has diminished, the disturbance will continue to track through Indiana and northern Ohio this afternoon and tonight.

As the disturbance encounters warm & unstable air,thunderstorms will redevelop across Indiana late this afternoon. Broken lines of severe thunderstorms are likely to move across I&M Power's southern districts this evening and into northwest Ohio early tonight. Wind
gusts to 60 mph will the main threat.

After dark the storms will continue moving across northern Ohio with the threat of damaging wind gusts spreading across the northern Columbus District and eventually into the Canton District. Weakening thunderstorms with wind gusts of 40-50 mph could eventually reach the northern Ohio Valley District and western Pennsylvania shortly after midnight.

At this time (2 p.m. Thursday)...it appears the greatest threat of severe thunderstorms will remain north of the City of Columbus, however any deviation in the track of the disturbance could bring severe storms into Columbus.