Alert archive / Indiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 14, NWS Indianapolis, IN

May 15, 1990Hancock County, Marion County, Indiana

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this flash flood warning at May 15, 1990, 8:46 PM EST for Hancock County, Marion County, Indiana. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 1990, 8:46 PM EST (01:46 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 1990, 11:45 PM EST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Hancock County, IN, Marion County, IN

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 00:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 150 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Dayton/James M C, OH at 00:00Z on 1990-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Dayton/James M C, OH at 00:00Z on 1990-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 311 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1112 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
311 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
360 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KIND 160148
FFWIND
INC059-097-133-160445-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
846 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN CENTRAL INDIANA
          ...HANCOCK...MARION
IN WEST CENTRAL INDIANA
          ...PUTNAM
 
AT 845 PM EST...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 8 MILES WEST
TO 35 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS AND WERE MOVING EAST AT 40
MILES AN HOUR.
 
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND RAPID
RISES IN STREAMS AND FLOODING OF UNDERPASSES...STREETS AND OTHER LOW
LYING AREAS.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
STEIGERWALDT

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 15, 5:31 PM EST, 3 hours 15 minutes before
INZ008-011>015-160200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
530 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA.

AT 525 PM EST...A NEARLY SOLID LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT
8 MILES WIDE EXTENDED FROM 35 MILES EAST OF COLUMBUS TO 25 MILES
SOUTHEAST AND 35 MILES SOUTH OF COLUMBUS.

THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN THIS LINE ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS OF 30 TO
40 MILES AN HOUR. ALSO DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS WELL AS BRIEF VERY HEAVY
RAIN MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.

THE LINE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CITIES OF MILAN...VERSAILLES...DEPUTY
AND AUSTIN BETWEEN 535 AND 550 PM EST.

PEOPLE IN THESE CITIES SHOULD REMAIN INDOOARS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS BY.
.
ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE
OR 8 MILES EAST OF GUION.

ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
STEIGERWALDT
Special weather statement, May 15, 5:58 PM EST, 2 hours 48 minutes before
INZ009-160000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
555 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA.

AT 550 PM EST...SCATTERED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM
JUST EAST OF BROWNSBURG SOUTH TO MONROVIA OR FROM 10 MILES WEST TO 15
MILES SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS.

THESE STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS INDIANAPOLIS BETWEEN 6 PM AND 630 PM EST.

BRIEF VERYn HEAVY DOWNPOURS AS WELL AS GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE PASSAGE OF
THESE STORMS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY DECREASING VISIBILITIES IN VERY
HEAVY RAIN.
STEIGERWALDT
Special weather statement, May 15, 6:31 PM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes before
INZ008-011>015-160030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
630 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA.

AT 625 PM EST...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE MAINLY
ON THE EAST AND NORTHEAST SIDES OF THE INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN AREA.

SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS WERE MOVING
INTO WEST CENTRAL INDIANA FROM NEAR TERRE HAUTE NORTH TO 40 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LAFAYETTE. THE BULK OF THIS PRECIPITATION WILL MOVE INTO
THE INDIANAPOLIS AREA AROUND 830 PM EST.

A SOLID AREA OF SHOWERS WAS OVER SOUTHEAST INDIANA AND WAS MOVING INTO
OHIO.

ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING IN THE SAINT LOUIS AREA...OVER
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND JUST SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST OF SPRINGFIELD IN
CENTRAL ILLINOIS AT 625 PM.
STEIGERWALDT
Special weather statement, May 15, 7:42 PM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes before
INZ008-011>015-160130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
740 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH WEST CENTRAL INDIANA THIS
EVENING.

AT 735 PM ESR RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG STORMS FROM JUST EAST OF
ROCKVILLE TO NEAR RACCOON LAKE. THIS IS ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF
TERRE HAUTE.

THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AS THEY MOVE EAST THROUGH
PORTLAND MILLS...FINCASTLE AND BAINBRIDGE BY 815PM EST. STAY INDOORS
TIL THE STORMS PASS. TORRENTIAL RAIN...LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL MAY
ALSO ACCOMPANY THE STORMS.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH
HEAVY RAIN. THE LEADING EDGE WAS FROM ATTICA TO 25 MIILES NORTHWEST OF
INDIANAPOLIS TO 20 MILES SOUTH OF TERRE HAUTE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EST FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA.

ALLSOPP
Special weather statement, May 15, 7:48 PM EST, 58 minutes before
INZ008-011>015-160130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
740 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH WEST CENTRAL INDIANA THIS
EVENING.

AT 735 PM EST RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG STORMS FROM JUST EAST OF
ROCKVILLE TO NEAR RACCOON LAKE. THIS IS ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF
TERRE HAUTE.

THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AS THEY MOVE EAST THROUGH
PORTLAND MILLS...FINCASTLE AND BAINBRIDGE. STAY INDOORS UNTIL THE
STORMS PASS. LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAIN AND SMALL HAIL MAY ALSO
ACCOMPANY THE STORMS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF RAIN. THE LEADING EDGE
OF THE RAIN WAS FROM ATTICA TO 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF INDIANAPOLIS TO
20 MILES SOUTH OF TERRE HAUTE.

RAIN WILL BE TO LAFAYETTE...LEBANON...INDIANAPOLIS AND SULLIVAN BY
830 TO 900 PM EST.

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EST FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA.

ALLSOPP

CORRECTED...PRODUCT WAS GARBRLED BY COMPUTER...
Special weather statement, May 15, 8:30 PM EST, 16 minutes before
INZ008-011>015-160215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
830 PM EST TUE MAY 15 1990

VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED INTO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST
PART OF THE INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN AREA AT 825 PM EST.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE 15 TO 20 MILES WEST AND FROM 10 TO 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS.

THE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD AT LIZTON IN HENDRICKS COUNTY AT
820 PM EST. THE FUNNEL CLOUD WAS NOT CONFIRMED BY TRAINED SPOTTERS.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...LOTS OF LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL
DOWNPOURS AND STREET FLOODING AS THEY CONTINUE MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES
AN HOUR ACROSS THE INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN AREA.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA.
STEIGERWALDT

The office that day

Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 8:26 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDHendricks3 hr
May 15, 8:46 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDPutnam3 hr
May 15, 9:45 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDPike30 min
May 15, 10:47 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDelaware43 min
May 16, 3:21 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDVigo39 min
May 16, 4:12 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDGreene, Owen33 min
May 16, 5:29 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDMarion71 min
May 16, 12:26 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDGibson, Vanderburgh, Warrick2 hr
May 16, 12:26 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDPosey2 hr
May 16, 1:50 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDDubois4 hr
May 16, 2:47 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDPosey, Vanderburgh4 hr
May 16, 6:05 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningINDDubois115 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Indiana, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.