Alert archive / Indiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 26, NWS Indianapolis, IN

April 30, 1997Daviess County, Knox County, Indiana

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 30, 1997, 6:43 PM EST for Daviess County, Knox County, Indiana. It was in force for 32 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 30, 1997, 6:43 PM EST (23:43 UTC)
Expired
Apr 30, 1997, 7:15 PM EST
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Daviess County, IN, Knox County, IN

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 30, 6:57 PM ESTThunderstorm WindWheatland, IN
Apr 30, 7:00 PM ESTThunderstorm WindElnora, IN
Apr 30, 7:02 PM ESTThunderstorm WindOdon, IN

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 30, 2:30 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC7 hr
Apr 30, 5:30 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 199 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 1997-04-30Temperature 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 1997-04-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1130 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
166 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 302345 RRA
SVRIND
INC027-083-010015-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
643 PM EST WED APR 30 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  715 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA
 
   ...DAVIESS COUNTY...KNOX COUNTY
 
AT 642 PM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM NEAR RIDGEVILLE...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF VINCENNES.
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.  THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON
IS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CA8N AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
CS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Apr 30, 3:29 PM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
INZ003>009-012>018-020>075-080>082-085>088-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
329 PM EST WED APR 30 1997

...TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST AND NORTH INDIANA
UNTIL 900 PM EST...

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCHES ARE LAFAYETTE...TERRE HAUTE...
VINCENNES...SOUTH BEND...KOKOMO...ANGOLA AND FORT WAYNE.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. LISTEN FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

AT 325 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST THROUGH ILLINOIS. THEY
WILL LIKELY REACH WEST INDIANA BETWEEN 530 AND 630 PM. SEVERE WEATHER
HAS OCCURRED IN WEST ILLINOIS.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY OVER MOST OF INDIANA THIS EVENING. SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT INDIANA.

DS
Special weather statement, Apr 30, 3:30 PM EST, 3 hours 13 minutes before
INZ003>009-012>018-020>075-080>082-085>088-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
329 PM EST WED APR 30 1997

...TORNADO WATCHES ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST AND NORTH INDIANA
UNTIL 900 PM EST...

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCHES ARE LAFAYETTE...TERRE HAUTE...
VINCENNES...SOUTH BEND...KOKOMO...ANGOLA AND FORT WAYNE.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. LISTEN FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

AT 325 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST THROUGH ILLINOIS. THEY
WILL LIKELY REACH WEST INDIANA BETWEvEN 530 AND 630 PM. SEVERE WEATHER
HAS OCCURRED IN WEST ILLINOIS.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY OVER MOST OF INDIANA THIS EVENING. SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT INDIANA.

DS
Special weather statement, Apr 30, 4:33 PM EST, 2 hours 10 minutes before
INZ003>009-012>018-020>036-043>045-051>053-060-061-067>069-302300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
433 PM EST WED APR 30 1997

...TORNADO WATCHES IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST...

TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AND NORTHERN INDIANA
UNTIL 900 PM.  AT 430 PM EST RADAR INDICATED A BROKEN LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR CHICAGO TO 50 MILES WEST OF
EVANSVILLE.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

STRONG STORMS WILL MOVE INTO FAR WESTERN INDIANA BETWEEN 500 AND 530
PM.  PERSONS IN WESTERN INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HEAVY
RAIN...STRONG WINDS...AND HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO THIS SOURCE FOR LATER INFORMATION ON THIS DEVELOPING
SITUATION.

CS
Special weather statement, Apr 30, 4:35 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
INZ003>009-012>018-020>036-043>045-051>053-060-061-067>069-302300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
433 PM EST WED APR 30 1997

...TORNADO WATCHES IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST...

TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AND NORTHERN INDIANA
UNTIL 900 PM.  AT 430 PM EST RADAR INDICATED A BROKEN LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR CHICAGO TO 50 MILES WEST OF
EVANSVILLE.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

STRONG STORMS WILL MOVE INTO FAR WESTERN INDIANA BETWEEN 500 AND 530
PM.  PERSONS IN WESTERN INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HEAVY
RAIN...STRONG WINDS...AND HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO THIS SOURCE FOR LATER INFORMATION ON THIS DEVELOPING
SITUATION.

CS
Special weather statement, Apr 30, 6:16 PM EST, 27 minutes before
INZ067-302345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
616 PM EST WED APR 30 1997

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR KNOX COUNTY IN
SOUITHWEST INDIANA UNTIL 630 PM EST.

AT 553 PM EST THE PUBLIC REPORTED TREES DOWN IN VINCENNES NEAR VINCENNES
UNIVERSITY.  A NATIONAL WEATEHR SERVICE VOLUNTEER OBSERVER REPORTED
WINDS ESTIMATED AT 60 MPH IN VINCENNES AT 600 PM.

AT 610 PM EST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR SPENCER...45 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE TO EAST OF VINCENNES.

CURRAN

&
Special weather statement, Apr 30, 6:17 PM EST, 26 minutes before
INZ067-302345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
616 PM EST WED APR 30 1997

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR KNOX COUNTY IN
SOUITHWEST INDIANA UNTIL 630 PM EST.

AT 553 PM EST THE PUBLIC REPORTED TREES DOWN IN VINCENNES NEAR VINCENNES
UNIVERSITY.  A NATIONAL WEATEHR SERVICE VOLUNTEER OBSERVER REPORTED
WINDS ESTIMATED AT 60 MPH IN VINCENNES AT 600 PM.

AT 610 PM EST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR SPENCER...45 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF TERRE HAUTE TO EAST OF VINCENNES.

CURRAN

&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 30, 5:04 PM ESTTornado WarningINDParke, Vermillion26 min
Apr 30, 5:32 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDMontgomery28 min
Apr 30, 5:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDKnox38 min
Apr 30, 6:06 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDaviess39 min
Apr 30, 6:24 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDGreene36 min
Apr 30, 6:32 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDMonroe28 min
Apr 30, 6:39 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDHendricks36 min
Apr 30, 6:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDBrown38 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Indiana, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

Sources

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