Excessive runoff could result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying flood-prone locations.

Credit: 10TV

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The severe weather threat for the Columbus metro area and surrounding counties has passed as storms made their way through the state Thursday afternoon and into the evening.

The flood watch for central Ohio expired at 2 a.m.

Flash Flood Warnings were also issued in several southeast Ohio counties due to the heavy rain.

Credit: 10TV/WBNS

Temperatures will drop overnight into Friday to sit in the high 40s and low 50s.

Friday will see frequent showers through the afternoon before we slowly dry out by late evening. But while it won't be wet, it will still be brisk Friday evening so dress accordingly if you've got outdoor plans!

We will see the sun again this weekend as temperatures climb back into the 60s and 70s.

________

Doppler 10 Weather resources

DOPPLER 10 SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY GUIDE

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WATCHES & WARNINGS

WatchA Watch indicates the possibility of severe weather in a relatively broad area. For instance, a tornado watch means conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes. Go about your normal routines, but watch for threatening weather.

WarningA Warning is issued when severe weather is actually occurring. For instance, a tornado warning means a tornado has actually been sighted or has been indicated by radar. The warning usually encompasses a relatively small geographic area. If a warning is issued for the area in which you live, take cover immediately!

TORNADOES AREN'T THE ONLY REASON TO STAY ALERT

Strong WindsStrong winds of 55 mph or more can cause significant damage even though no tornado is present. "Downbursts" are columns of air that slam to the earth and spread high winds in many directions. Downbursts can be just as damaging as tornadoes; if such conditions are present, take the same precautions as you would for a tornado.

LightningLightning claims more lives every year than tornadoes. When lightning is a threat, stay indoors and don't use electrical appliances. If you're caught outside, keep a safe distance from tall objects, and try to stay lower than anything nearby. A safe distance from a tree is twice its height.

TAKING COVER

Storms producing tornadoes in Ohio often approach from the southwest. They can travel at speeds up to 70 miles per hour and contain winds estimated at over 200 miles per hour.

Sometimes an approaching tornado will sound like the roar of a train or airplane. If you see or hear a tornado, take cover immediately. Seek shelter inside, preferably below ground level. Do not waste time opening windows; tornado-force winds will "open" the windows well before the pressure difference can cause any structural damage. Above all, protect your head and lie flat.

At HomeGet away from windows, doors and outside walls. Go to the basement. If you have no basement, go to a first floor bathroom, closet or room at the center of the house. If possible, get under heavy furniture and cover your head with blankets or pillows.

At SchoolGo to the lowest floor or basement. Go to small interior rooms or hallways. Stay away from windows and avoid auditoriums, gyms and other areas with wide, free-span roofs.

In Public BuildingsGo immediately to the designated shelter area or to an interior hallway or small room on the lowest level. Stay away from windows. Do not use elevators. Do not go to your car.

During tornado drills or actual tornado warnings, remember to DUCK

D – Go DOWN to the lowest level, stay away from windowsU – Get UNDER something (such as a basement staircase or heavy table or desk)C – COVER your headK – KEEP in shelter until the storm has passed

Quick Hits

Ordinance 0709-2023 aims to promote pay equity by prohibiting employers from inquiring about job applicants’ wage, benefits, and other compensation history during the hiring process—a prohibition otherwise known as a “salary history ban.” The ordinance also prohibits employers from searching publicly available records to obtain job applicants’ salary history, screening job applicants based on their current or prior wages/salaries, relying on the salary history of job applicants in determining whether to hire them, and/or retaliating against job applicants for not disclosing their salary histories.

Ohio’s capital city joins at least nine other cities and municipalities, including New York City and Philadelphia, and fifteen states that prohibit employers from inquiring about job candidates’ salary histories.

Am I a covered employer?

The ordinance covers the government of the City of Columbus and all other employers that employ fifteen or more persons within Columbus, including any job placement or referral agency that is acting on behalf of a covered employer.

Other than the City of Columbus, the ordinance does not apply to any unit of local, state, or federal government.

Who are the covered applicants?

The ordinance covers any person who is applying for employment in Columbus, regardless of whether the employer interviews the applicant, and regardless of whether he or she is applying for a full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal position.

Is any consideration of salary history allowed?

Employers are still permitted to discuss job applicants’ salary expectations, as well as any monetary incentives or gains that applicants would forfeit by resigning their current employment.

The ordinance does not apply to internal transfers or promotions, or to applicants rehired by the same employer within three years of their separation.

Employers will not be penalized if job applicants voluntarily disclose their own salary history unprompted, or if such salary history appears on a legal background check, as long as employers do not use that information to make decisions with regard to compensation or whether to make a job offer.

Are there consequences for violations?

Applicants alleging a violation of the ordinance can file a complaint with the Columbus Community Relations Commission within six months of the alleged violation.

The Community Relations Commission will investigate the complaint and attempt to resolve it by informal methods. If the investigation concludes there is a reasonable basis to believe that an employer violated the ordinance and informal methods of resolution fail, the commission may initiate an administrative hearing process against the employer.

Upon an administrative finding of a violation, the commission may impose civil penalties against an employer ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the number of previous violations by the employer.

Key Takeaways

Columbus employers may want to ensure that their managers, human resources employees, and outside recruiting agencies are aware of the ordinance’s prohibitions and receive training on what information they can discuss with applicants and/or consider when making hiring and compensation decisions.

Ogletree Deakins’ Columbus office will continue to monitor developments and will provide additional updates on the Ohio and Pay Equity blogs as additional information becomes available.

Further information is available on the Ogletree Deakins Client Portal in the updated law summary for Salary History Bans in Ohio. For more information on the Client Portal or a Client Portal subscription, please reach out to [email protected].

Follow and Subscribe

On Monday, April 8, a solar eclipse will cross North America, including a 124-mile band in the state of Ohio.

Ohio State’s Lima, Mansfield, Marion and CFAES Wooster campuses are in the eclipse’s path of totality and will operate in a virtual and work from home environment on Monday. In Columbus and Newark, the eclipse will be partial and campuses will operate as usual. Highways and local roadways throughout Ohio may experience higher than normal traffic volumes due to eclipse tourism-related traffic.

While it is likely to be more congested around the Lima, Mansfield, Marion and CFAES Wooster campuses, motorists traveling to and from all Ohio State campuses are encouraged to plan ahead, anticipate traffic delays on highways and local roadways and allow for extra travel time, especially in the afternoon and evening hours after the eclipse.

Increased cellular usage may affect cell service in areas outside of major cities.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, appearing to completely block the sun. At that time, the sky will completely darken for those in the path of totality – where the moon completely blocks the sun, leaving a shadow – for up to 4 1/2 minutes. These major astronomical events happen every few years somewhere on the planet, but they are rare to happen in a specific location: The next one to happen in Ohio is in September 2099.

Ohioans will be able to view the eclipse Monday afternoon sometime between about 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Initial weather forecasts for Monday include a small chance of rain and a chance of cloudiness.

You can view real-time traffic info throughout the state by downloading the Ohio Department of Transportation’s OHGO app.

Additional information is available on the university’s eclipse resource website.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has announced its plan to help customers view the total solar eclipse directly in the path of totality.

The agency has created an interactive map to help riders find the best public viewing places accessible by COTA and COTA//Plus to watch the event.

The following locations are included on the map:

• Carriage Place Park – Lines 1, 21, and 33 • Columbus Metropolitan Library, Dublin Branch – Line 33 • Dublin Bridge Street District – Line 33 • Lazelle Woods Park – Line 102 • Old Worthington Library – Line 102 • Roger Reynolds Municipal Park & Hilliard Community Center – Lines 21 and 32 • Sharon Woods Metro Park – CMAX and COTA//Plus • Westerville Community Center – CMAX and COTA//Plus • Westerville Sports Park – CMAX and COTA//Plus

Fixed-route bus service is $2 for adults and $1 for children under 5. Customers using COTA//Plus in Westerville can ride for $3 per trip and at no charge if they use the service to connect to or from a COTA Transit stop.

Riders are asked to plan their trip to allow more time to reach their viewing destination before the eclipse begins around 2 p.m. on April 8.

COTA’s website COTA.com and its Transit App allows people to track their bus and view real-time bus information. A customer care line is also available at 614-228-1776.

Additionally, COTA said more transit operators and transit services supervisors have been scheduled to “manage the system” with heavy traffic expected during the afternoon due to the number of travelers to the region.

According to Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Gilbert, their biggest concern is the influx of traffic. Since this is a rare event, they’re asking everyone that makes the trip to central Ohio to come early and stay late.

“Normally we look at an event like the Ohio State football game or Red, White and Boom, where we know there’s a central location where a lot of traffic is coming in,” Gilbert said. “This is going to be a little bit different because it’s going to be predicated on where people potentially think they can see the eclipse better.”

The one thing they do not want to see happen is people pulling over on the side of the road to try and view the eclipse.

“We don’t want anybody stopping on the roadways if you’re pulling off somewhere,” Gilbert said. “Be mindful that you just can’t pull off to the side of the road. That may also be a concern related to obstructing the roadway.”