July began on a dry note, but a persistent wet pattern prevailed from the 3rd through the 13th. Rain from the 3rd through the 9th kept ground conditions wetter than normal.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS IND wrote it up.
July began on a dry note, but a persistent wet pattern prevailed from the 3rd through the 13th. Rain from the 3rd through the 9th kept ground conditions wetter than normal. Rainfall of 2 to nearly 6 inches on the 12th caused lowland river flooding to quickly return to portions of the White and Wabash Rivers in central Indiana. The longest dry spell since March began on the 13th and continued through the 19th. This allowed rivers to return to near normal levels and central Indiana to dry out for the first time this year.
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 Jul 12, 4:31 PM EST, 6 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 531 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008 .AVIATION...DISCUSSION FOR 00Z TAFS COMPLEX OF TSRA ACRS IL WILL MOVE E ACROSS TAF SITES THRU 05Z OR SO. HAVE TRIED TO TIME BEST TIMES FOR TSRA AT THE SITES AND WILL AMEND AS NECESSARY...ESPECIALLY IF TSRA CONTINUE LONGER THAN EXPECTED AS SOME MODELS HINT AT. PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN ATMS COULD PRODUCE IFR OR LOWER VSBYS IN +RA...AND WIND GUSTS AOA 30KT POSSIBLE IN TSRA. AFTER PRECIP ENDS SHUD BE A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS THRU 10-13Z OR SO. VFR CONDS THEN EXPECTED AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN. && .DISCUSSION... FCST FOCUS ON PRECIP CHCS TONIGHT. NO MODEL IS HANDLING THE UPSTREAM MO WAVE AND ASSOCIATED PRECIP AS WELL AS HOPED. WILL USE SIGNALS OF PRECIP CHCS FROM MET/MAV MOS TONIGHT ALONG WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS SUCH AS PWS/INSTABILITY FOR AMOUNTS OF PRECIP. IN A NUTSHELL...COMPLEX SFC PATTERN HIGHLIGHTED BY A MYRIAD OF OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES IS LEADING TO LOW CONFIDENCE ON FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS EVENING. FIRST GUESS IS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN THIRD NEAR THE OUTFLOW FROM EARLIER STORMS. HOWEVER...UPSTREAM MO WAVE AND CONVECTION WILL MOVE EAST WITHIN THE 850-300MB FLOW INTO AN INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE IL ATMOSPHERE THIS EVENING...THUS IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THERE IS A RISK FOR CONVECTION ACROSS AT LEAST THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. EXCESSIVE RAIN POTENTIAL DOES EXIST DUE TO PWS AROUND 2 INCHES AND INCREASING INSTABILITY WHICH IS FCST TO PERSIST THROUGH 06Z TONIGHT. UPPER DIV WILL ALSO BE PRESENT AHEAD OF THE SFC BOUNDARY TONIGHT. ANOTHER CONCERN WAS THE WAVE WHICH IS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE SUBTROPICAL MONSOON PLUME WHICH WILL RIDE ALONG THE WESTERLIES ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. LIMITING FACTOR IS UNFAVORABLE ORIENTATION OF THE 850MB WINDS WHICH ALTHOUGH ARE FCST TO BACK THIS EVENING ARE STILL WNW IN WAKE OF THE MORNING WAVE. CURRENT THOUGHTS POINT TOWARD SOUTHERN MO/IL AND SOUTHERN IN FOR POTENTIAL FOR MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION THIS EVENING. AS MENTIONED...FORCING TONIGHT WILL ARISE FROM LIFT AHEAD OF THE WAVE ACROSS MO ALONG WITH DYNAMIC LIFT AHEAD OF THE 700-500MB UPPER TROUGH. HIGH PWS WITHIN SUBTROPICAL PLUME ALONG WITH UPPER DIV AND EXPECTED INSTABILITY SHOULD PROVIDE THE SETTING FOR THUNDERSTORMS WHICH ARE EFFICIENT AT PRODUCING HVY RAINS. MET/MAV MOS BOTH SHOW LIKELY OR CATEGORICAL POPS AND WILL LEAVE THE CURRENT FCST AS IS. SOME SVR RISK ALSO EXISTS AS INCREASING SHEAR INTERACTS WITH INCREASING INSTABILITY ACROSS THE REGION AHEAD OF THE MO WAVE THIS EVENING. LINGERING PRECIP SHOULD EXIT THE AREA BY MIDDAY SUNDAY AS DRIER AIR ARRIVES ON NW WINDS. MOS IS VERY CLOSE TO THE CURRENT FCST MAX TEMPS AND WILL LEAVE THE CURRENT NUMBERS AS IS. MONDAY AND BEYOND...CONDS STILL APPEAR DRY FOR MOST OF NEXT WEEK WITH THE NEXT FRONT EXPECTED TO TRY AND DROP INTO THE AREA NEXT FRI OR SAT. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && AVIATION...CS PUBLIC...CO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 355 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-132000- CARROLL-WARREN-TIPPECANOE-CLINTON-HOWARD-FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY- BOONE-TIPTON-HAMILTON-MADISON-DELAWARE-RANDOLPH-VERMILLION-PARKE- PUTNAM-HENDRICKS-MARION-HANCOCK-HENRY-VIGO-CLAY-OWEN-MORGAN- JOHNSON-SHELBY-RUSH-SULLIVAN-GREENE-MONROE-BROWN-BARTHOLOMEW- DECATUR-KNOX-DAVIESS-MARTIN-LAWRENCE-JACKSON-JENNINGS- 355 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT WOULD BE DAMAGING WINDS. THE MORE LIKELY THREAT TONIGHT WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS AND FLASH FLOODING WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. THE STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND COULD PRODUCE AREAS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. BEWARE OF CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL END BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...AND ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE...WITH LIGHTNING BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS NEXT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) CO
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
858 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0841 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 N SHELBYVILLE 39.60N 85.78W
07/12/2008 SHELBY IN AMATEUR RADIO
TREES DOWN...POWER OUT...POSSIBLE TORNADO. LARGEST TREE
DOWN WAS APPROX 50 INCHES IN CIRCUM.
0841 PM HAIL 5 N SHELBYVILLE 39.60N 85.78W
07/12/2008 E0.88 INCH SHELBY IN AMATEUR RADIO
&&
HEROLDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1006 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1005 PM FLOOD 5 SE RIDGEVILLE 40.24N 84.96W
07/12/2008 RANDOLPH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATER OVER HWY 28 IN DEERFIELD
&&
DWMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1016 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1009 PM FLASH FLOOD 8 WSW SHELBYVILLE 39.48N 85.91W
07/12/2008 SHELBY IN AMATEUR RADIO
6-8 INCHES OF WATER OVER THE ROAD ON 750W SOUTH OF SR44.
&&
DWMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1056 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LINTON 39.04N 87.16W
07/12/2008 GREENE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
&&
DWMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1057 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG FARMERSBURG 39.25N 87.38W
07/12/2008 SULLIVAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
&&
DWMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1122 PM EDT SAT JUL 12 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0659 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 N ATLANTA 40.24N 86.03W
07/12/2008 TIPTON IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN AND SOME POWER LINES DOWN
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG FARMERSBURG 39.25N 87.38W
07/12/2008 SULLIVAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
0745 PM FLASH FLOOD CLAY CITY 39.28N 87.11W
07/12/2008 CLAY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
3 FEET OF WATER IN SOME AREAS
0800 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LINTON 39.04N 87.16W
07/12/2008 GREENE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
0800 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 ESE SPENCER 39.28N 86.73W
07/12/2008 OWEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
0812 PM TORNADO CLOVERDALE 39.52N 86.80W
07/12/2008 PUTNAM IN PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTED BRIEF TOUCHDOWN I-70W NEAR CLOVERDALE
0813 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 SE MUNCIE 40.18N 85.36W
07/12/2008 DELAWARE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
FLASH FLOODING OCCURING SE MUNCIE
0820 PM FLOOD CLOVERDALE 39.52N 86.80W
07/12/2008 PUTNAM IN TRAINED SPOTTER
PUTNAM CNTY HAS FLOODING ALONG US 231
0828 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 E HYMERA 39.19N 87.24W
07/12/2008 M1.40 INCH CLAY IN OFFICIAL NWS OBS
SHAKAMAK STATE PARK LARC REPORTED 1.40 INCHES OF RAIN IN
15 MINUTES TIME...1.80 INCHES IN 45 MINUTES.
0841 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 N SHELBYVILLE 39.60N 85.78W
07/12/2008 SHELBY IN AMATEUR RADIO
TREES DOWN...POWER OUT...POSSIBLE TORNADO. LARGEST TREE
DOWN WAS APPROX 50 INCHES IN CIRCUM.
0841 PM HAIL 5 N SHELBYVILLE 39.60N 85.78W
07/12/2008 E0.88 INCH SHELBY IN AMATEUR RADIO
0936 PM TSTM WND DMG GREENSBURG 39.34N 85.48W
07/12/2008 DECATUR IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
1000 PM FLASH FLOOD 6 WSW MOORESVILLE 39.58N 86.47W
07/12/2008 MORGAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
FLOODING OF ROADS OVER A LARGE PART OF NRN MORGAN COUNTY.
SEVERAL ROADS CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER
1000 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 WSW MOORESVILLE 39.58N 86.47W
07/12/2008 MORGAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
1000 PM TSTM WND DMG MARTINSVILLE 39.42N 86.42W
07/12/2008 MORGAN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN OVER A LARGE PART OF THE COUNTY
1005 PM FLOOD 5 SE RIDGEVILLE 40.24N 84.96W
07/12/2008 RANDOLPH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATER OVER HWY 28 IN DEERFIELD
1009 PM FLASH FLOOD 8 WSW SHELBYVILLE 39.48N 85.91W
07/12/2008 SHELBY IN AMATEUR RADIO
6-8 INCHES OF WATER OVER THE ROAD ON 750W SOUTH OF SR44.
1040 PM TSTM WND DMG 11 SW RUSHVILLE 39.50N 85.59W
07/12/2008 RUSH IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DWON IN WEST MOSCOW
&&
DWMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Excessive rainfall along the Wabash River caused flooding in Vermillion county, including near Montezuma.
Excessive rainfall along the Wabash River caused flooding in Vermillion county, including near Montezuma.
Excessive recent rains caused flooding on the White River in Owen county, including near Spencer.
Excessive rainfall created flooding in Greene county along the White River, including near Elliston.
Excessive rainfall along the Wabash River caused flooding in Vigo county, including at Terre Haute.
Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Sullivan County due to heavy rainfall.
Excessive rainfall along the Wabash River caused flooding in Sullivan county, including near Riverton.
Excessive rainfall along the White River caused flooding in Knox county, including near Edwardsport.
Excessive rainfall along the White River caused flooding in Daviess county.
Excessive rainfall along the White River caused flooding in Greene county, including near Newberry.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, July 2008
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 127554, 127597, 127300, 127495, 127509, 127524, 127562, 127576, 127610, 127589.