Severe storm watch ends; Blustery, chilly tonight

There is a chance for showers and thunderstorms tonight but the threat for large hail and damaging winds is diminished following the afternoon line of strong storms that moved through ahead of a cold front, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect this evening has been canceled.

The cold front will bring cooler, drier air, though there is a chance of rain before 9 p.m. The overnight low will be around 43 degrees. However, it will be breezy with gusts as high as 37 mph are possible.

Penny-sized hail was reported just before 6 p.m. in Vandalia and New Carlisle, lightly covering the ground, during a strong thunderstorm. There also were reports of possible tornado damage in eastern Warren County that included numerous downed trees, damage to a structure and the overturning of a car and camper.

Storms also knocked out power to hundreds of customers in the area after strong winds knocked trees and limbs into power lines, and led to tornado warnings issued across the region between 3 and 4 p.m. during the worst part of the quick-moving storms.

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Thursday will be cloudy with some breezy winds to begin with, and a slight chance of rain developing again in the afternoon. Highs will be around 56 degrees.

Starting around dark, rain chances will rise a little, but fall back to a slight chance after midnight. Lows will be around 40 degrees.

Friday will be breezy with a chance of rain both during the day and overnight. Winds will pick up in the early hours of Saturday morning, with gusts between 20 and 30 mph.

Temperatures will be lower for Friday, with highs around 50 degrees. Friday night, temperatures will drop to a low around 36 degrees, bringing a brief chance to see some snowflakes along with rain around dawn on Saturday.

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