COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A wind advisory has been issued until 10 p.m. for areas directly south and west of Columbus, and a high wind warning is in effect for the southwestern part of Ohio. Winds gusts will range as high as 40-50 mph this afternoon and early evening in these areas, and 25-35 mph across the remainder of central Ohio. Helene was downgraded to a tropical storm this morning, as it lifts rapidly north-northwestward as a tropical rainstorm across the southern Appalachians, with powerful winds and flooding rains, along with a few tornadoes. Rainfall totals will range from 1 to 2 inches in the drought-stricken southern counties of Ohio, diminishing to less than a half inch in the northern half of the state. Very little rain will reach the far northern counties. Football Friday Nite will be quite breezy and humid, with lingering showers. The remnant low-pressure area will pivot into western Kentucky, before turning around and drifting east during the weekend, merging with an upper-level low. Moisture will rotate north in a counterclockwise spiral, resulting in scattered showers Saturday through Monday. A cold front will arrive late on Tuesday, accompanied by a few showers, which will sweep cooler and drier air into the region on Wednesday through the rest of the week. Forecast Friday: Periods of rain, windy. High 74 Tonight: Showers, breezy. Low 65 Saturday: Cloudy, breezy, scattered showers. High 73 Sunday: Mainly cloudy, some showers. High 75 (65) Monday: Mostly cloudy, few showers. High 75 (64) Tuesday: Mix clouds and sun, late showers. High 80 (62) Wednesday: Partly sunny. High 69 (53) Thursday: Sunny, pleasant. High 76 (49)