Flood Warning Issued for Fairfield and Licking Counties Near Buckeye Lake

Source: NOAA · Central Ohio

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the South Fork Licking River near I-70, with minor flooding expected to impact travel near Buckeye Lake through Friday evening.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Flood Warning
Affected area
Central Ohio
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Wilmington OH

Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central Ohio.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Wilmington has issued a Flood Warning for the South Fork Licking River near I-70 near Buckeye Lake. This alert was issued at 7:09 AM EST on February 20 and remains in effect until 10:00 PM EST this evening.

Affected Areas

The warning specifically impacts Fairfield and Licking counties in Ohio. The primary area of concern is the South Fork Licking River near the Interstate 70 corridor in the vicinity of Buckeye Lake.

What You Should Do

Residents and motorists are advised to avoid flooded areas. The National Weather Service reminds the public to "Turn around, don't drown" when encountering flooded roads, noting that most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles. Motorists should seek alternate routes if they encounter water on roadways.

Expected Conditions

Minor flooding is forecast for the region. As of 6:45 AM EST Friday, the river stage was measured at 879.2 feet. The river is expected to rise above the flood stage of 880.0 feet, reaching a predicted crest of 880.1 feet.

At these levels, water is expected to extend onto the 129A exit ramp from eastbound Interstate 70 to Route 79 near Buckeye Lake.

Timeline

  • Onset: The river is expected to rise above flood stage late Friday morning.
  • Crest: A crest of 880.1 feet is anticipated late Friday morning.
  • Recession: The river is forecast to fall below flood stage late this afternoon.
  • Expiration: The official Flood Warning remains in effect until 10:00 PM EST.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the South Fork Licking River near I-70, with minor flooding expected to impact travel near Buckeye Lake through Friday evening.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Central Ohio. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.