The Weather Records Tell Part of the Story
The National Weather Service recorded 9.94 inches of rain in Columbus during August 2026—6.20 inches above normal. It was the city’s second-wettest August on record, and August 20 brought a daily rainfall record.
During August 19–20, the heaviest-hit portions of Franklin and Licking counties received four to seven inches of rain, causing significant overland and river flooding.
The National Weather Service also confirmed an EF1 tornado in Columbus’s Olde Towne East on August 11, with estimated peak winds of 90 miles per hour.
Earlier in the season, heat presented another challenge. The Wilmington forecast area was under an Extreme Heat Warning on June 30. July brought a significant opening heat wave, a Columbus high of 97 degrees on July 3, and six consecutive days in the 90s during the middle portion of the month.
These were different events at different times. Every month was not record-wet, and every hot day did not break a record.
What was unprecedented in my experience was the cumulative difficulty of keeping a construction schedule moving through the conditions we faced.
When the Rain Stops, the Wait May Continue
A clear sky does not automatically make a surface ready for work.
Wood can remain wet after the rain ends. Conditions may be unsuitable for a coating even when the afternoon looks pleasant. Surface temperature, moisture, and the product’s application requirements all affect whether work should proceed.
That creates a difficult conversation.
A homeowner sees sunshine and understandably wonders why we are not staining the deck. A contractor has to consider whether the material is ready and whether the available weather window supports the work.
Keeping a date matters. Protecting the finished result matters too.
Starting under unsuitable conditions can exchange a scheduling disappointment for a workmanship problem. That is a poor outcome for everyone.
Why Weather Can Affect an Interior Project
One of the most reasonable questions we hear is: “My work is inside. Why would rain affect my schedule?”
Because an interior project depends on people, tools, vehicles, and preparation that may also support exterior projects.
Moving a crew indoors requires more than deciding to do so. The interior project must be ready. Materials must be available. Access must be arranged. The correct people must be assigned. The homeowner must be prepared for us to arrive.
Someone’s home cannot always become an immediate substitute simply because an outdoor project has stopped.
Then, when a usable exterior window appears, we have to consider another set of responsibilities. Can a crew move without leaving interior work at an unsafe or impractical stage? Can equipment be reassigned? What happens to the next promised appointment?
There is no simple switch between “inside” and “outside.” There is a connected schedule involving real people.
