Massive and historic flooding struck central Indiana. In Indiana alone, flood waters affected over 25,000 people.
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.
Massive and historic flooding struck central Indiana. In Indiana alone, flood waters affected over 25,000 people. This flood affected about 9% of the state's farmland. The Great Flood of June 2008 was one of Indiana's costliest natural disasters. Heavy rainfall on May 30th allowed streams and rivers to rise. Additional heavy rainfall on the 3rd and the 4th added to these high levels. Severe weather brought heavy rainfall on the 6th as well. The stage was set for historic flooding in portions of central and southern Indiana. The storms on the 6th exacerbated the situation by laying down a boundary in southern Illinois and southern Indiana. A moist southerly low level jet rode over this boundary for more than 12 hours continually generating showers and thunderstorms. Rainfall of two to nearly eleven inches fell across portions of central and southern Indiana. The impact of the rain was immediate with widespread flooding developing and major roads and interstates flooded. This episode is in reference to flooding of the Wabash River.
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 Jun 1, 2:36 AM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 336 AM EDT SUN JUN 1 2008 .DISCUSSION... FORECAST FOCUS ON TEMPS THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS BUT THEN A SHIFT IN FOCUS TO PRECIPITATION BY LATE MONDAY NIGHT. THE CURRENT SURFACE MAP SHOWS THE COLD FRONT HAS PULLED SOUTH TO NEARLY RIGHT ALONG THE OHIO RIVER. THE FRONT EXTENDS TO THE NORTHEASTERN LOW OVER MAINE. HIGH PRESSURE WAS OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN. ALOFT AT H5 THE GENERAL PATTERN WAS A RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND TWIN TROUGHS ON THE COASTS. THE MODELS WERE AGAIN FAIRLY SIMILAR...DESPITE SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES IN THE ONSET OF PRECIP MONDAY NIGHT. ALL IN ALL THE TEMPERATURES WERE WITHIN A DEGREE OR TWO ON ALL THE MOS GUIDANCE NUMBERS SO THEY WERE BLENDED. FOR TODAY...SURFACE HIGH WILL DRIFT SOUTH INTO THE AREA BUT ALOFT WE WILL REMAIN UNDER A NORTHWEST FLOW AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF THE EASTERN TROUGH. A VORT MAX WILL BE EMBEDDED IN THE FLOW AND DROP SOUTH INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AND MAY BE ENOUGH TO KICK OFF A STRAY SHOWER OR TSTORM. THE GFS SOUNDINGS SHOW SOME INSTABILITY THIS AFTERNOON BUT A RATHER DRY SOUNDING. TEMPS TODAY WILL TOP OUT IN THE LOW 80S WITH H8 TEMPS AROUND +13C. TONIGHT A GENERALLY QUIET NIGHT WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOW 60S WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT PERSISTING. ON MONDAY...LEE CYCLOGENESIS WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS AS TROUGH ENERGY KICKS OUT OF THE ROCKIES. A WARM FRONT WILL TAKE SHAPE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND PUSH TO NEAR THE BOOTHEEL OF MISSOURI BY EVENING. THIS WILL LEAVE INDIANA WELL NORTH OF THE FRONT BUT TEMPS SHOULD STILL CLIMB TO THE MIDDLE 80S WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND H8 TEMPS AROUND +15C. HUMIDITY WILL NOT BE TOO HIGH YET AS MOST OF THE HIGH DEWPOINT AIR WILL REMAIN SOUTH OF THE SFC FRONT. OVERNIGHT MONDAY AS WE REMAIN ON THE CREST OF THE H5 RIDGE THAT WILL LEAVE US OPEN TO INTRUSION FROM VORT MAXES EMBEDDED IN THE FLOW. AS THE LEE TROUGH DEEPENS AND THE WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH...AN APPROACHING VORT MAX WILL WORK WITH THE SURFACE FEATURES TO GENERATE A NOCTURNAL CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IN IOWA WHICH SHOULD RACE EAST OVERNIGHT INTO INDIANA BY 12Z TUES. SUPPORTED BY AN LLJ OF 50KTS AND VERY STRONG ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE...THIS CLUSTER SHOULD CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AS PWATS APPROACH 2 INCHES. THE QUESTION WILL BE HOW FAR SOUTH THE CLUSTER WILL BE...AND WHETHER OR NOT MOST OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL STAY NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. BOTH NAM AND GFS HAVE THE HEAVY RAIN BUT THE NAM IS SLIGHTLY FARTHER SOUTH. THERE IS A DAY 2 SLIGHT RISK FOR THIS CLUSTER IN PORTIONS OF THE AREA...WITH SPC HIGHLIGHTING A HAIL THREAT. WHILE FREEZING LEVELS ARE HIGH...THERE IS A LOT OF CAPE IN THE HAIL GROWTH ZONE...AS ACTUALLY MOST OF THE CAPE IN THE SOUNDING IS PRESENT BETWEEN 200-600MB. ON TUESDAY THERE MAY BE SOME MORE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE AFTERNOON AS ANOTHER VORT MAX KICKS EAST ON THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE H5 RIDGE. THIS WILL BE SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OR SEVERITY OF THE ACTIVITY AT THIS POINT...SINCE IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW MUCH CLOUD COVER WILL REMAIN FROM NOCTURNAL ACTION. AT ANY RATE THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT RISK ON DAY 3...WITH AGAIN THE EXACT COVERAGE AND INTENSITY IN QUESTION BUT IF IT DOES CLEAR OUT THEN WE MAY BE IN FOR QUITE A BIT OF SEVERE WEATHER GIVEN EXPECTED TEMPS IN THE 80S WITH DEWPOINTS NEAR 70 AND A WARM FRONT HANGING OUT OVER THE FORECAST AREA. TUESDAY WILL HAVE TO BE VERY CLOSELY WATCHED. THINGS SHOULD SETTLE DOWN OVERNIGHT TUESDAY AS THE WARM FRONT SAGS SOUTH. BUT TEMPS WILL REMAIN MILD WITH ONLY MINOR AIRMASS CHANGES. BY WEDNESDAY THERE MAY BE MORE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AS THE WARM FRONT REFUSES TO MOVE. THE DAY FOUR OUTLOOK ALSO INDICATES A SEVERE POTENTIAL. IN THE EXTENDED IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY QUICKLY BE KNOCKING ON SUMMERS DOOR BY THURSDAY AS THE LOW OVER THE PLAINS DEEPENS AND SHOOTS THE WARM FRONT WELL NORTH OF THE AREA. H8 TEMPS WILL CRUSH PAST THE +20C LEVEL WITH GOOD SUNSHINE...AND WE COULD SEE OUR FIRST 90S OF THE YEAR WITH HIGH DEWPOINTS YIELDING AN OPPRESSIVE FEELING IN THE AIR. && .AVIATION... DISCUSSION FOR 010600Z TAF ISSUANCE. LOCAL AREA ENVIRONMENT REMAINS UNSUPPORTIVE FOR MUCH OF A CONVECTIVE THREAT OVERNIGHT...SO LTL THREAT OF ANYTHING DIRECTLY IMPACTING THE TERMINALS THRU 011800Z. ISOLD REMNANTS OF NRN MIDWEST CONVECTION MAY PASS OFF TO THE N OF THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS MORN...WHILE CONVECTION OVR SRN IL/SWRN IND SHOULD STAY S OF THE TERMINALS. MODEL SUGGEST ENOUGH LO LVL INSTABILITY/MOISTURE FOR SOME DIURNAL CLD DVLPMT AFT 011600Z BASED ARND 040. OTRW...SFC WNDS BLW 15KTS...UNRESTRICTED VSBYS THRU 011800Z. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && AVIATION...JP PUBLIC...JOHNSON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 441 AM EDT SUN JUN 1 2008 INZ021-030-031-036>042-045>049-052>057-061>065-068>072-020845- CARROLL-CLINTON-HOWARD-MONTGOMERY-BOONE-TIPTON-HAMILTON-MADISON- DELAWARE-RANDOLPH-PUTNAM-HENDRICKS-MARION-HANCOCK-HENRY-CLAY-OWEN- MORGAN-JOHNSON-SHELBY-RUSH-GREENE-MONROE-BROWN-BARTHOLOMEW- DECATUR-DAVIESS-MARTIN-LAWRENCE-JACKSON-JENNINGS- 441 AM EDT SUN JUN 1 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED...BUT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS A THREAT IN ANY THUNDERSTORM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING MONDAY NIGHT AND LASTING UNTIL EARLY THURSDAY. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THAT THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. THE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY NIGHT WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. IT APPEARS THAT SOME ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER COULD ALSO BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY BUT IT REMAINS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE DETAILS. REMEMBER THAT DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE A THREAT IN ALL THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) INZ028-029-035-043-044-051-060-067-020845- WARREN-TIPPECANOE-FOUNTAIN-VERMILLION-PARKE-VIGO-SULLIVAN-KNOX- 441 AM EDT SUN JUN 1 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. LOWLAND FLOODING ON THE WABASH RIVER WILL CONTINUE TODAY. SEE THE LATEST HYDROLOGIC STATEMENTS FOR DETAILED INFORMATION. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED...BUT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS A THREAT IN ANY THUNDERSTORM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. LOWLAND FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE WABASH RIVER THROUGH MID WEEK. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST HYDROLOGIC STATEMENTS FOR DETAILED INFORMATION. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING MONDAY NIGHT AND LASTING UNTIL EARLY THURSDAY. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THAT THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. THE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY NIGHT WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. IT APPEARS THAT SOME ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER COULD ALSO BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY BUT IT REMAINS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE DETAILS. REMEMBER THAT DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE A THREAT IN ALL THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) JOHNSON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Warren County due to heavy rain.
Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Fountain County, including near Covington, due to heavy rainfall.
Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Vigo County, including in Terre Haute, due to heavy rain.
Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in western Sullivan County, including near Riverton, due to heavy rainfall.
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, June 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: 114043, 114044, 114045, 114046.