Alert archive / Indiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 52, NWS Indianapolis, IN

May 31, 1998Delaware County, Randolph County, Indiana

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 1998, 4:18 PM EST for Delaware County, Randolph County, Indiana. It was in force for 47 min. 1 report 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
May 31, 1998, 4:18 PM EST (21:18 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 1998, 5:05 PM EST
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Delaware County, IN, Randolph County, IN

The radar

The Indianapolis radar (KIND), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:19 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 31, 4:25 PM ESTHail 1.5Eaton, 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
May 31, 12:15 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 147 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 1998-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1259 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 1998-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 106 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
1259 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-256 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
874 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
106 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
206 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

439 
WUUS1 KIND 312119 RRA
SVRIND
INC035-135-312205-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
418 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  DELAWARE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL INDIANA
  RANDOLPH COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL INDIANA

* UNTIL 505 PM EST

* AT 416 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTH OF MUNCIE NEAR EATON... MOVING
  EAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  ALBANY AROUND 425 PM EST
  RIDGEVILLE AROUND 440 PM EST
  WINCHESTER AROUND 440 PM EST
  UNION CITY AROUND 450 PM EST

DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE LIKELY. GO INSIDE A STURDY
BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING... PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

JAS

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, May 31, 2:13 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
INZ062-311945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
213 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER THE MONROE RESERVOIR OF SOUTHERN
MONROE COUNTY AT 210PM EST. MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORM WAS EAST AT
40 MPH.

THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL, STRONG WINDS,
AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

THIS STORM WILL BE BETWEEN COLUMBUS AND SEYMOUR BY 235 PM EST.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING... PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:13 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
INZ062-311945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
213 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER THE MONROE RESERVOIR OF SOUTHERN
MONROE COUNTY AT 210PM EST. MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORM WAS EAST AT
40 MPH.

THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL, STRONG WINDS,
AND HEAVY RAINFALL.

THIS STORM WILL BE BETWEEN COLUMBUS AND SEYMOUR BY 235 PM EST.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING... PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:21 PM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
INZ060-061-067-311950-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
221 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

A SERIES OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN EASTERN SECTION OF
CRAWFORD COUNTY OF EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL
BE MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF SULLIVAN...EXTREME NORTHERN
KNOX AND EVENTUALLY INTO GREENE COUNTY.

MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WERE TO THE EAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH.

SOME CITIES IN THE PATHS OF THESE STORMS WILL BE SULLIVAN...
OAKTOWN...CARLISLE AND FREELANDVILLE.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING... PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:32 PM EST, 1 hour 46 minutes before
INZ021-028>031-035>049-312135-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
232 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL INDIANA
UNTIL 600 PM EST...

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE LAFAYETTE...KOKOMO...
ANDERSON...CRAWFORDSVILLE...MUNCIE...AND INDIANAPOLIS.

AT 230 PM EST...RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS ACROSS THE WATCH
AREA. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON.

BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STAY TUNED TO
THIS MEDIA SOURCE FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

JAS
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:55 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
INZ051>075-080>082-085>088-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
255 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF
INDIANA UNTIL 900 PM EST...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THAT PART OF INDIANA
SOUTH OF LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE TO 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF RICHMOND.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE TERRE HAUTE...VINCENNES...
EVANSVILLE...BLOOMINGTON...BEDFORD...COLUMBUS...SEYMOUR...AND
LAWERNCEBURG.

AT 250 PM EST...RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL INDIANA SOUTH OF TERRE HAUTE. OTHER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING AROUND THE BEDFORD AND SEYMOUR AREAS.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF INDIANA THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STAY
TUNED TO THIS MEDIA SOURCE FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

JAS
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:55 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
INZ051>075-080>082-085>088-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
255 PM EST SUN MAY 31 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF
INDIANA UNTIL 900 PM EST...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THAT PART OF INDIANA
SOUTH OF LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERRE HAUTE TO 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF RICHMOND.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE TERRE HAUTE...VINCENNES...
EVANSVILLE...BLOOMINGTON...BEDFORD...COLUMBUS...SEYMOUR...AND
LAWERNCEBURG.

AT 250 PM EST...RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL INDIANA SOUTH OF TERRE HAUTE. OTHER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING AROUND THE BEDFORD AND SEYMOUR AREAS.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF INDIANA THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STAY
TUNED TO THIS MEDIA SOURCE FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

JAS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 31, 1:35 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDTipton45 min
May 31, 2:46 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDSullivan49 min
May 31, 3:31 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDKnox34 min
May 31, 3:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDaviess48 min
May 31, 4:05 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDMartin35 min
May 31, 4:13 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDaviess32 min
May 31, 4:28 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDMartin32 min
May 31, 4:49 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDKnox36 min
May 31, 4:56 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDaviess34 min
May 31, 5:25 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDMartin20 min
May 31, 5:31 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDHancock34 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Indiana, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.