The office of Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin warned Dublin drivers Aug. 10, to avoid high water on Riverside Drive and Lane Road after heavy rain flooded the area near the Scioto River.
The agency posted the alert at 4:31 p.m. on X and through its mobile app, advising motorists to use an alternate route. A photo accompanying the post showed a sheriff's office "HIGH WATER" sign deployed at the scene.
The flooding followed a day of severe weather across Franklin County. The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued a flash flood warning for the county at 12:30 p.m. after radar and rain gauges showed between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain had already fallen, with up to an inch more possible. Dublin was specifically named among locations likely to experience flash flooding.
The NWS cancelled that warning at 2:23 p.m. but cautioned drivers to continue heeding remaining road closures.
Riverside Drive runs along the Scioto River corridor, an area the NWS has identified as susceptible to flash flooding during heavy rain. The sheriff's office did not specify whether the road was formally closed or which segments were affected.
More storms expected through Tuesday
The high water alert came after a severe thunderstorm moved directly over Dublin the night before, Aug. 9, bringing 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail.
A flood watch remains in effect for Franklin County until 8 a.m. Aug. 12. The NWS warned that several rounds of thunderstorms are expected through Tuesday night, with locally heavy rainfall and the potential for storms to repeatedly track over the same locations.
Monday's forecast called for a 70% chance of rain during the day, rising to 90% Monday night and Tuesday.
The sheriff's office also issued a separate alert Monday for London Groveport Road at Rohr Road, where a tree blocked the roadway before being cleared, indicating the storm system caused multiple hazards across the county.
What drivers should do
Residents encountering standing water on roadways should turn around. For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency reports, contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office at 614-525-3333.
