In the early morning hours tropical storm Ike was located near western Arkansas, while a slowly advancing cold front and tropical plume of moisture to the northwest helped steer Ike across Indiana during the afternoon hours. pushing Ike and the cold front quickly to the northeast, with mid level drying moving in during the late evening hours.
Every event with a place to put it; 48 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
In the early morning hours tropical storm Ike was located near western Arkansas, while a slowly advancing cold front and tropical plume of moisture to the northwest helped steer Ike across Indiana during the afternoon hours. An upper level trough pushed through the great lakes overnight...pushing Ike and the cold front quickly to the northeast, with mid level drying moving in during the late evening hours.
This episode generally produced the heaviest rainfall in northwest Indiana and Illinois...rather than the originally expected location of central Indiana as it moved through. The speed of the system, increasing as it neared Indiana, helped keep precipitation amounts to a manageable level. Much of southern and eastern Indiana received little or no rain from Ike’s passage. Widespread wind damage occurred however. The peak wind speed at the Indianapolis airport was 63 mph, but areas in southeast Indiana experienced gusts approaching 80 mph.
Because of wind damaged corn fields, many farmers bought equipment for their combines to pick up the downed corn. Harvesting of the corn fell behind schedule due to the necessity of slow combine speeds in damaged fields.
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 Sep 14, 5:18 AM EST, 5 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 618 AM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 .AVIATION...DISCUSSION FOR 12Z TAFS TROPICAL DEPRESSION IKE WILL MOVE ACROSS INDIANA DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS TODAY AND BRING RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE TAF SITES. STRONG WINDS WILL BE MAINLY ALOFT AT THE START OF THE TAF PD BUT SFC GUSTS WILL INCREASE DURING THE MORNING REACHING AT OR ABOVE 30KT BEFORE 16Z. GUSTS WILL BE LOWER AT LAF DUE TO LAF BEING CLOSER TO SFC LOW. RAIN AND MVFR CONDS WILL ARRIVE EARLY IN THE PD AT LAF/HUF AND SPREAD NE DURING THE MORNING. CONDS WILL LIKELY DIP INTO IFR AT TIMES MOST LOCATIONS. SCT TSRA NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION...ESPECIALLY AT IND/BMG. RAIN WILL DIMINISH AFT 18Z FM SW TO NE AND WINDS WILL DIMINISH TOWARD 00Z AS IKE EXITS. STILL EXPECT MVFR CIGS DURING THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS MOISTURE BECOMES TRAPPED IN THE LOWER LEVELS. && .DISCUSSION...TROPICAL STORM IKE WAS FOUND NEAR WESTERN ARKANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING WHILE A STATIONARY FRONT STRETCHED FROM NRN MI...ACRS EASTERN WI TO CENTRAL MO. AIR MASS ACRS INDIANA AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT WAS QUITE MOIST...WITH DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 60S ALONG WITH LIGHT SOUTH WINDS. NATIONAL RADAR MOSAICS SHOW SWATH OF PCPN FROM IKE OVR ARKANSAS AND MO...AS WELL AS PCPN AHEAD OF THE STATIONARY FRONT. MAIN CHALLENGE TDY WL BE POPS. MODELS REMAIN IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE SHORT TERM AND WL USE A BLEND. TROPICAL PLUME OF MOISTURE AS SEEN IN THE H2O VAPOR IMAGERY WILL WL CONTINUE TO PUSH NE AND ADVECT IKE LEFTOVERS TO INDIANA TODAY. SLOWLY ADVANCING CD FRONT TO THE NW WILL ALSO HELP TO STEER IKE ACRS THE HOOSIER STATE. FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHT SECTIONS AGREE WITH A SATURATED COLUMN THIS AFTERNOON. AS WE HAVE SEEN LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PCPN TDY ACRS THE FA...AND WE HAVE HAD A PRETTY DRY AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER...GROUND REMAINS QUITE DRY AND WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED. IKE WL PRODUCE SOME HEAVY RAINS...BUT THE FORWARD SPEED OF THE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS IT HEADS FARTHER NORTH. WL USE CATEGORICAL POPS. GUSTY WINDS WL BE EXPECTED AS THE TROPICAL LEFTOVERS PUSH ACRS INDIANA...HOWEVER WINDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO MEET ADVISORY CRITERIA AS IKE WL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN. WITH CLOUDS AND RAIN EXPECTED TDY A BLEND OF THE MAVMOS AND METMOS SHUD WORK WELL. UPPER TROUGH PUSHES THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES TONIGHT...PUSHING IKE QUICKLY TO THE NE AND DRIVING THE CD FRONT ACRS INDIANA. MOISTURE BECOMES QUITE LIMITED AFT 00Z AND MID LVL DRYING TAKES OVER. SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHT SECTION INDICATE SOME LOWER LVL MOISTURE REMAINING. BEST POPS WL BE ACRS THE NE WHERE IKE MAY STILL BE LINGERING THIS EVENING...WHILE LOWER POPS WL BE TO THE SW. GOOD CAA TONIGHT AS H8 TEMPS FALL TO AROUND 8C. TRAPPED LOWER LVL MOISTURE SHUD KEEP CLOUDS AROUND MUCH OF THE NIGHT AND KEEP TEMPS FROM FALLING TOO MUCH. MAVMOS LOWS LOOK GOOD HERE. DRY WX THEN BUILDS IN ON MONDAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF THE WORK WEEK. HIGH PRES WL BUILD FROM THE SW AND N-NW SFC FLOW WL RESULT IN LESS HUMID AND COOLER AIR ACRS CENTRAL INDIANA. WITH H8 TEMPS AROUND 6C WL LEAN TO THE COOLER SIDE OF THE MAVMOS ON MONDAY HIGHS AS WELL AS MONDAY NIGHT LOWS. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && AVIATION...CS PUBLIC...PUMA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 1051 AM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-151000- 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- 1051 AM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING. OCCASIONAL WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED. THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IKE WILL PUSH ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA TODAY PRODUCING OCCASIONAL HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. DUE TO THE STRONG WIND SHEAR ASSOCIATED WITH THE HURRICANE REMNANTS...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE A WEAK...SHORT LIVED TORNADO. LIGHTNING IS ALSO A THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AS THE REMNANTS OF IKE PUSH ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) KOCH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
44 high wind, 4 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds were measured by an AWS station at Shoals Community School.
High winds blew down trees and limbs down. Utility lines were down in some areas of the county.
Scattered trees and utility lines down across the town and county from gradient winds caused by remnants of Ike.
Winds blew down a 4-inch diameter tree limb onto United States Highway 50.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines across the town and county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines in the city and across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
Winds blew trees, tree limbs, and power lines down. Power/utility companies Duke Energy and REMC reported nearly 240 customers and 700 customers respectively without power in the county. Time of incident is estimated.
The strong winds were measured on Davis Instruments equipment. Short tree limbs were blown down.
Trees and utility lines were blown down all over Columbus from gradient winds associated with the remnants of Ike.
Trees were blown down next to a business at 1034 Washington Street. Several dozen branches littered Donner Park. Damaged trees and power lines could be found throughout Columbus. Duke Energy reported 14,550 customers without power in the county. The southern part of the county was hardest hit.
Trees were blown down next to a business at 1034 Washington Street. Several dozen branches littered Donner Park. Damaged trees and power lines could be found throughout Columbus. Duke Energy reported 14,550 customers without power in the county. The southern part of the county was hardest hit. Time of incidents is estimated.
Winds blew down trees and tree limbs.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines in Franklin and across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
Electrical service was interrupted in most of Jennings County starting late in the morning and escalating throughout the afternoon hours. Duke Energy reported 6,759 customers without power. Jennings County Dispatch became inundated with calls for downed power lines and limbs in roadways. At least one road, Deer Creek Road, was closed because of the number of power lines down, according to dispatch. Several other county roads were closed due to downed trees and limbs. In North Vernon, a large Pin oak tree fell on a large Coachman camper, a huge Beech tree fell near Middle School Road, Bradford pear trees fell along the city park's walkway, and a large tree fell on electrical lines in the Long Street area. A large uprooted tree came to rest against a two-story home at about a 45-degree angle at Jackson and Vernon streets in North Vernon, causing apparently minor damage. The winds were strong enough to break a large store front window at Greathouse Hardware in uptown North Vernon. Several windows upstairs in the building also were broken. A 1987 Ford Mustang was partially crushed underneath a fallen tree on County Road 500 South (Lovett Road) a short distance from Lovett. Time of incidents and cost estimates are very rough.
A large Greensburg County sign was ripped from the outside wall of City Hall, which suffered minor damage. A tree was snapped in front of the building. The winds snapped trees and ripped down power lines with some shingles and siding torn and tossed about. The hardest hit area in the city was the airport. A hangar on the southside of the property as virtually torn apart. A small plane was seriously damaged. Pieces of the hangar flew off and destroyed the right wing. Duke Energy reported 4,130 customers without power in the county.
A Weatherbug site at Seymour-Jackson Elementary School measured a 67 MPH wind. Time of this event is estimated.
Scattered trees and utility lines were blown down in Seymour and across the county from remnants of Ike.
Duke Energy had nearly 300,000 out of 780,000 customers without power, mostly due to trees and branches falling on power lines. Hendricks Power Cooperative reported two major outages with 915 customers in one outage and about 200 in the other.
Trees and tree limbs littered Seymour streets, lawns, and parks. A few roofs and buildings were damaged where trees landed on them. The damage reports were described by the county sheriff's office as scattered in nature county-wide. A tree limb fell across West Sixth Street in Seymour just west of Emerson Drive around 12 PM EST, hitting a passing car (with no injuries). Another tree was across Elm Street between Fourth and Third streets. Vinyl siding was stripped off a house at Third and Poplar streets northeast of the American Legion Post in downtwon Seymour. Tree limbs littered Gaiser, Sheilds, and Kessler parks in Seymour. At least two or three trees were uprooted at Gaiser Park on the city's south side. Duke Energy reported 9,349 customers without power in the county.
Strong winds blew down trees up to a foot in diameter and brought down some phone and utility lines in Seymour.
Wind equipment at the Indianapolis International Airport measured a wind gust to 59 MPH.
An aluminum porch roof was lifted off. Numerous small tree branches, both alive and dead were blown down.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines across New Castle and the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
Winds were to blame for power outages to at least 7,449 electric power customers in the New Castle area. Fallen power lines sparked a fire at a small garage at 26th Street and C Avenue in New Castle at about 1:20 PM EST. Firefighters prevented flames from damaging three cars parked inside. A tree limb fell on a truck and rear window of a parked car near A Avenue. Time of incident is estimated.
A measured wind gust of 55 MPH occurred near Brownsburg. Tree limbs were blown down.
Winds were measured at 59 MPH by a trained spotter 2 miles southeast of Brownsburg.
A wind gust to 63 MPH was recorded by National Weather Service equipment at the Indianapolis International Airport.
Eagle Creek Airpark ASOS recorded a wind gust of 59 MPH.
High winds partially collapsed a large tent at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
High winds blew down trees and utility lines across Martinsville and the county.
High winds blew down scattered trees and utility lines in Shelbyville and across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
The remnants of Hurricane Ike brought high winds to Shelby County just like it did for much of the Midwest, downing dozens of trees and temporarily closing some roads. Closings included portions of Vandalia Road, County Road 250 East and the 300 block of Flatrock Road. Duke Energy Indiana reported 9,136 customers without power. The time of these incidents is estimated.
Numerous reports of downed utility lines were received by emergency management.
A huge tree fell from a neighbor's lot in the 100 block of West 40th Street and crashed onto a gentleman's home and garage. Utility lines were knocked down in the incident. In the Indianapolis metro area Indianapolis Power & Light Co. crews worked late into the evening to restore power to as many as 50,000 customers. Time of incident is estimated.
Small limbs were blown down by the high winds that Ike brought.
The remnants of Ike blew down trees, knocked out power to more than 3,000 customers in the county, and scattered branches, road signs, and debris across roads. The time of incidents is estimated.
A 58 MPH wind gust was measured by the Madison County EOC in Linwood.
Scattered trees and utility lines were downed in Rushville and throughout the county from the remanants of Ike.
Scattered trees and utility lines were blown down in Winchester and across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
Scattered trees and utility lines were blown down in Greenfield and across the county as a result of gradient winds from the remnants of Ike.
A resident in Farmland reported that the metal roof of an unknown building had blown off and landed in front of the Post Office along Main Street and Indiana Route 32.
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, September 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: 133698, 133712, 133718, 133721, 133723, 133724, 133735, 133737, 133739, 133741, 137030, 133745, 133747, 133750, 136975, 136976, 133752, 133782, 137028, 133786, 136977, 133791, 133797, 136981, 137029, 133807, 133816, 133823, 133826, 137021, 133828, 133830, 133834, 137036, 133836, 133849, 133851, 137032, 133852, 136973, and more.