Indiana, 2005

Ice Storm in Indiana, January 5 to 6, 2005

January 5 to 6, 2005 · NWS IND · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

After several bouts of precipitation to begin the month, a low pressure system moved through central Indiana bringing heavy rain to the entire area. Cold air filtered into northern sections of central Indiana, which changed the precipitation to heavy freezing rain over the northern third of central Indiana.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$300,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS IND wrote it up.

After several bouts of precipitation to begin the month, a low pressure system moved through central Indiana bringing heavy rain to the entire area. Cold air filtered into northern sections of central Indiana, which changed the precipitation to heavy freezing rain over the northern third of central Indiana. Widespread half-inch ice accumulations were reported, with isolated one inch or greater amounts, crippling communities for as much as several days to a week. Electricity was knocked out for as many as 150,000 homes in areas affected by the storm. Power was restored to all but a few homes by Thursday, 9 January. Shelters were opened by the Red Cross and other organizations across the area, with more than 1,000 residents taking advantage of shelters in east central Indiana alone. States of emergency were declared in several counties, and hospitals and other emergency services were forced to go to backup power. Millions of dollars in damage was done to trees, power lines, and structures.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Randolph

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Randolph forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.158, -85.011 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Delaware

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Delaware forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.228, -85.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Madison

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.162, -85.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Tipton

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Tipton forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.311, -86.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Howard

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Howard forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.484, -86.117 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Clinton

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Clinton forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.302, -86.475 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Carroll

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Carroll forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.583, -86.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Tippecanoe

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Tippecanoe forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.389, -86.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Warren

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.347, -87.353 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Fountain

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Fountain forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.121, -87.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Montgomery

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.040, -86.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Boone

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Boone forecast zone
Property damage
$300,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.051, -86.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At least three homes in Boone County were significantly damaged by fire caused by falling power lines coated with ice.

Ice Storm, Hamilton

When
January 5, 6:00 AM EST to January 6, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.073, -86.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Indiana in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, January 2005

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5434283, 5434284, 5434285, 5434286, 5434287, 5434288, 5434289, 5434290, 5434291, 5434292, 5434293, 5434294, 5434295.