Indiana, 2006

Heavy Snow in Indiana, March 21, 2006

March 21, 2006 · NWS IND · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A low pressure system sliding to the south of central Indiana brought a snowy start to Spring 2006. Most snowfall totals were less than six inches, although some areas did approach or exceed that mark.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

A low pressure system sliding to the south of central Indiana brought a snowy start to Spring 2006. Most snowfall totals were less than six inches, although some areas did approach or exceed that mark. Regardless of snowfall totals, the heaviest snow fell during the morning rush hour, significantly snarling the morning commute for many drivers. The 5.4 inches which fell at Indianapolis was the fourth largest 24 hour snow total after March 15 on record, and marked only the sixth time in the period of record that a snowfall of five inches or more occurred on or after March 15th.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Indianapolis, IN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 20, 2:39 PM EST, 16 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 2:39 PM EST, 16 hours 21 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Vigo

When
March 21, 7:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Vigo forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.431, -87.390 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six inches of snow fell.

Heavy Snow, Clay

When
March 21, 7:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.393, -87.116 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six inches of snow fell.

Heavy Snow, Owen

When
March 21, 7:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Owen forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.313, -86.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six inches of snow fell.

Heavy Snow, Morgan

When
March 21, 7:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where
Morgan forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.482, -86.446 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

6.5 inches of snow fell.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Indiana in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, March 2006

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5493246, 5493247, 5493248, 5493249.