Tornado warning issued for Franklin County with confirmed report of ...

Tornado sirens were activated in Franklin County in response to a confirmed tornado sighting in Madison County near the Franklin County border early Wednesday morning, moving west to east.

A tornado warning was in effect for Franklin County through 5:45 a.m. Tornado debris was reported near West Jefferson along the Madison-Franklin border and in Hilliard. The National Weather Service reported in a tweet at 5:22 a.m. that a tornado touched down east of London moving eastward into Franklin County.

At 6:57 a.m., the National Weather Service canceled the tornado watch for the area, although it reported that gusty winds are expected to persist throughout the afternoon. Temperatures also are expected to drop into the 20s later today.

A warning was in effect for Licking and Fairfield counties until 6:15 a.m. The warning was extended to Perry and Morgan counties.

"Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter," the NWS says. "Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely."

Thunderstorms accompanying the storm with wind gusts in the area of 70 mph.

This is not a test. Franklin County had canceled the scheduled noon Wednesday tornado siren warning test in anticipation of the predicted severe weather.

Here are some resources and frequently asked questions for weathering the storm.

Are schools delayed due to tornado warning?

Numerous area schools have announced delays because of the severe weather. We have compiled them here.

How can I check for power outages during the storm?

AEP Ohio maintains an online map with power outages in the area.

About 7,000 people were without power across the region at about 7:10 a.m., according to AEP, while Columbus Power reported about 1,000 without electricity.

Columbus Division of Power maintains its own outage map. If your address is included on the map, there's no need to report an outage at your location. The city is already aware.

New city power outages can be reported at 614-645-7627.

Is my flight from Columbus delayed?

Some flight delays were reported at John Glenn International Airport Tuesday afternoon, but it was unclear if those were weather-related.

Flight statuses can be checked online at FlyColumbus.com, through your airline app or by contacting your airline.

Are tornadoes common in the winter?

December and January are the least common months for tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. But by late February, severe weather and tornadoes are “fairly common.”

As climate change pushes Ohio springs earlier and fall later, we might see more of these winter tornadoes.

A history of twisters: Tornadoes in Ohio since 1950

Tornadoes are most common during spring and summer, especially April through July.

What's the weather for the rest of the week?

Wednesday: Possible thunderstorms before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cloudy with temperatures dropping to about 36 by 5 p.m. Breezy, with a southwest wind 16 to 23 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph. The chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. West wind 11 to 17 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 41.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a 30% chance of rain after 1 p.m. and a high near 48.

Friday Night: Cloudy with a 30% chance of rain before 1 a.m. and a low around 41.

Saturday: Partly sunny with a high near 59.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy with a low around 44.

bagallion@dispatch.com