Central Ohio Weather and Radar COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An unrelenting, soggy weather pattern commenced with severe storms Wednesday night that spawned six tornadoes in Ohio between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Thursday. Damaging winds were reported in several central Ohio communities, knocking out power to thousands of homes and businesses for hours. Some roads were closed Thursday morning due to localized flooding and fallen trees. The storms followed a night of rain, wind and four tornadoes last Sunday (Mar. 30). Four weak tornadoes were confirmed in southwest Ohio that brought down some trees and power poles. One of the tornadoes traveled 3.9 miles across western Fayette County and lifted a few miles west of Jeffersonville, after crossing Interstate 71 around 9:40 p.m. Columbus and central Ohio Weather Radar Stalled pattern brings waves of rain, storms Rounds of heavy rain and embedded storms have deposited between 2 and 6 inches of rain to Ohio since early Thursday, along with a few reports of large hail. Flood warnings were issued this weekend for low-lying areas along the Scioto and Hocking Rivers, where moderate flooding is expected Sunday into Monday. On Saturday afternoon, Columbus city crews activated the Franklinton floodwall on the Scioto River south of Downtown and installed the floodgates on Greenlawn Ave. and Harmon Ave. Motorists were advised to avoid the area. Road closures were expected to continue through at least Sunday afternoon, including the I-71 ramps to Greenlawn Ave. The National Weather Service predicts the Scioto River will crest a little above 23 feet at Frank Rd. Sunday night. The floodwall provides protection along the west bank of the river up to close to 31 feet. A final round of substantial rain early Sunday will taper off to light showers. Temperatures have cooled into the low 40s behind a cold front sagging south of the Ohio River. A final wave of moisture will lift north into southern Ohio, but with additional rainfall totals of a quarter-inch. This should not create flash flooding, but the threat of overland runoff will cause river and small streams to continue to rise. Check Storm Team 4's latest forecast here Six tornadoes confirmed in Ohio from large system The NWS in Northern Indiana confirmed three touchdowns before midnight on Wednesday: two in Van Wert County, and a third from the same thunderstorm that tracked 4.5 miles from Paulding into Putnam County, which was the strongest (EF2), with 120 mph winds. A separate cluster of severe thunderstorms developed rotation in southwest Ohio after midnight. The NWS in Wilmington noted one tornado (EF0) that started in northern Brown County, north of Fayetteville, and tracked northeast through northern Highland County into southern Clinton County. A second area of rotation in Clinton County spawned a tornado south of Sabina that worked its way into western Fayette County, ending west of Washington Court House, which was also rated EF0. The northern storm destroyed three grain bins a mile west of New Holland along Route 22. Damage to a home along SR-38 north of Newport, Madison County. (Gracie Collins/NBC4) Pockets of straight-line wind damage from the squall line included two homes in Newport, in Madison County. More widespread damage to roofs, trees and power lines occurred in Pataskala and New Lexington. A barn was destroyed three miles southeast of Bremen around 2:34 a.m., east of Lancaster, according to the NWS. Roof damage to a toy store caused by powerful winds early Wednesday in Pataskala. (Delaney Ruth/NBC4). Persistent rains cause flooding A nearly stationary weather system stretching from Texas to the Ohio Valley has been responsible for persistent, often heavy rain along the boundary between chilly air across the Great Lakes and Midwest, and summerlike weather in the Southeast. The temperature contrast is driving the strong winds aloft that mix down with taller thunderstorms. Deadly flooding has been reported in areas from Kentucky to eastern Texas, coupled with damaging winds and more than 50 tornadoes. At least 16 have died in storms or weather-related accidents, including ten in Tennessee. Waves of moisture moving along the boundary have brought catastrophic flooding in parts of the Mississippi and lower Ohio Valleys, along with severe storms and a few strong tornadoes on the warmer eastern side of the flow. Locations from western Kentucky southwest across southeast Missouri and northern Arkansas have received six to 12 inches of rain. NOAA reported that at least 45 river locations were expected to reach major flood stage. ...read more read less