Winter Storm in Indiana, January 26 to 28, 2009

Name: Winter Storm in Indiana, January 26 to 28, 2009
Start: 2009-01-26T21:00
End: 2009-01-28T07:00
Location: Indiana

January 26 to 28, 2009 · NWS PAH · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A major winter storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow north and west of Evansville, including Pike County. In addition to the sleet and snow, up to one-half inch of ice coated objects.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: $32 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 PAH wrote it up.

A major winter storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow north and west of Evansville, including Pike County. In addition to the sleet and snow, up to one-half inch of ice coated objects. This resulted in very difficult driving conditions. Numerous vehicles slid off roadways. Schools were out for several days. Isolated power outages affected a small number of people north and west of Evansville. From Evansville south and east, a major ice storm occurred. About one inch of ice accumulated. This resulted in widespread tree damage and numerous power outages. In the city of Evansville itself, several inches of sleet and snow were combined with nearly an inch of ice. The weight of the ice and snow caused a house roof to collapse in Evansville. Fallen trees and limbs blocked many streets in Evansville and cities to the east. Several ambulances became stranded in snow and ice. Evansville hospitals reported a marked increase in patients, including sprains and fractures from falling on ice. An exact count was not available. The Evansville Fire Department made 275 runs on the second night of the storm, compared to a normal of 10 runs per night. Emergencies included five structure fires and several people trapped by falling branches. Across the Evansville region, there was an increase in structure fires caused by alternate heating or lighting devices. Four-wheel drive vehicles were used to help transport essential personnel to their jobs. Red Cross shelters were opened across southwest Indiana. One shelter in the Evansville area housed 150 individuals at one point. The largest utility company serving southwest Indiana reported more than half their customers were without power the day after the storm. This was believed to be one of the largest outages in the utility's history, comparable to the remnants of Hurricane Ike in September of 2008. Power was restored to most residents four to seven days after the storm. The largest number of outages were from the city of Evansville eastward. Hundreds of utility workers were brought in from other states, including some even before the storm hit. Evansville stores quickly sold out of generators and chain saws. Hotels filled to capacity quickly during the ice storm. The National Guard was activated to help transport people from their homes to shelters.

An area of low pressure formed along the Gulf Coast, then tracked slowly east-northeast. High pressure remained anchored west of the Great Lakes, keeping a cold northeast wind flow in place in the lowest levels of the atmosphere. Copious amounts of moisture moved up from the southwest and overrode the cold air in the low levels. This moisture interacted with a couple of disturbances in the upper levels of the atmosphere moving from west to east across the region.

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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 26, 5:53 PM CST, 3 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 26, 5:53 PM CST, 3 hours 7 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
553 PM CST MON JAN 26 2009

.UPDATE...
REVISION FOR 00Z TUESDAY ROUTINE TAF ISSUANCE.

&&

.AVIATION...
CEILINGS FOR THE KEVV/KOWB TAF SITES WILL REMAIN IN VFR CATEGORY
THROUGH 04Z TUESDAY...BEFORE DROPPING TO THE LOWER END OF IFR
CATEGORY. FOR NEARLY ALL THE TAF SITES...IFR/LIFR CEILINGS WILL
PREDOMINATE BETWEEN 06-10Z MONDAY...WITH LIFR CEILINGS REMAINING
THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD.

ONCE THE WINTRY PRECIPITATION STARTS AND PERSISTS THROUGH THE
NIGHT...VISIBILITY WILL GENERALLY REMAIN IN THE VFR
CATEGORY...PERIODICALLY DROPPING INTO THE IFR RANGE AS BANDED
PRECIPITATION MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 PM CST MON JAN 26 2009/

SHORT TERM... /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/
MAJOR WINTER STORM STILL LOOKING ON TRACK TO IMPACT THE AREA
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE WARNING
PRODUCTS WAS TO EXTEND THEM TO 12Z WEDNESDAY FOR THE ENTIRE
AREA...AND TO 18Z WEDNESDAY FOR WEST KENTUCKY AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA.
THE ECMWF HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY INDICATING THAT THE PRECIPITATION
WILL NOT GET OUT OF THE AREA UNTIL WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND NOW THE
NAM AND EVEN THE GFS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT HOLD THE PRECIPITATION
BACK LONGER. DECIDED TO GET AHEAD OF THIS TREND NOW.

THE MODELS TODAY REALLY DID NOT DEVIATE MUCH FROM PREVIOUS
THINKING. THERE WILL STILL BE 2 WAVES OF PRECIPITATION TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY MORNING...AND ANOTHER TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING. THE MODELS ARE GENERATING EVEN MORE TOTAL LIQUID
EQUIVALENT QPF FOR THE EVENT...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH. 1-3 INCHES
LIQUID IS POSSIBLE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA.

THE MAIN QUESTION IS WHERE WILL THE SURFACE FREEZING LINE GET
TUESDAY. GIVEN THE MODELS WARM BIAS THIS WEEKEND...HAVE TRIED TO
LEAN TO THE COOL SIDE...AND LIMIT THE FREEZING LINE TO THE FT
CAMPBELL AREA. WILL MENTION FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN NEAR THE
TENNESSEE BORDER...AND FIGURE THAT MUCH OF THE RAIN WILL RUNOFF
EVEN IF IT IS STILL BELOW FREEZING. THIS WILL BE A TRICKY
SITUATION DOWN THERE BECAUSE IT COULD JUST BE A HEAVY COLD RAIN
EVENT...OR IT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT ICE STORM. THIS WILL HAVE TO
BE WATCHED CLOSELY.

THE OTHER TYPICAL MODEL BIAS IN THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM IS TO HAVE A
COOL BIAS IN PRECIPITATION TYPE. THE MODELS TYPICALLY UNDER-
ESTIMATE THE WARM ADVECTION...AND THEREFORE INDICATE SNOWIER
FORECAST THAN REALITY. STRICT INTERPRETATION OF THE 12Z NAM WOULD
INDICATE A COOLER PRECIPITATION TYPE SOLUTION THAN PREVIOUSLY
FORECAST. HOWEVER...IF WE INCORPORATE THE TYPICAL BIAS...THE
EXISTING FORECAST LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

BASICALLY LOADED IN HPC QPF THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...AND IMPROVISED
FOR WEDNESDAY MORNING. TRIED TO SPLIT THE QPF APPROPRIATELY
AMONGST THE ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATION GRIDS...BUT IT STILL WILL
NOT ACCOUNT FOR ALL OF THE QPF. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT COULD BE
WORSE THAN WHAT WE HAVE FORECAST. ALSO HAD TO INCREASE POPS A BIT
TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING TO JUSTIFY EXTENDING THE WARNING.

WINDS WILL PICK UP TONIGHT...AS THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT
TIGHTENS...BUT WINDS SHOULD STAY IN THE 10 TO 15 MPH RANGE THROUGH
THE EVENT. STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE IN THE SOUTH AND EAST TUESDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

FEW OTHER CHANGES TO THE FORECAST BEYOND WEDNESDAY.

LONG TERM... /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/
BOTH GFS AND ECMWF BRING AN UPPER LEVEL TROF ACROSS THE REGION
THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH ONLY GFS PRODUCING PRECIP MAINLY ACROSS
EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE PAH FORECAST AREA. ALREADY HAD LOW POPS
GOING ACROSS THE ENTIRE FA AT FOR THIS TIME PERIOD...SO REMOVED
POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA...AND KEPT SLIGHT
CHANCES FOR THE NORTHEAST HALF FOR FLURRIES.

BEYOND THURSDAY NIGHT...DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED.  AFTER ANOTHER
UNSEASONABLY COLD DAY FRIDAY...A RETURN OF SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL
PROVIDE A WARM UP SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TO NEAR SEASONAL
TEMPERATURES.  ON SUNDAY...GFS BRINGS A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE
REGION...WITH ECMWF BRINGING IT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT.  WITH THE
TIMING DIFFERENCES AND QPF NOT BEING TOO IMPRESSIVE WITH THE GFS AND
NON EXISTENT WITH THE ECMWF...PREFERRED TO KEEP THE FORECAST DRY FOR
NOW THROUGH MONDAY.

AVIATION...
18Z PACKAGE...MAJOR WINTER EVENT WILL BEGIN ACROSS THE REGION THIS
EVENING.  VFR CIGS WILL LOWER TO IFR AT TIMES DURING THE EVENING AS
A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN SPREADS ACROSS THE
AREA.  FROM MIDNIGHT ON...PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD AND
PREDOMINANTLY SNOW AND SLEET AT KCGI AND KEVV...AND SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN AT KPAH AND KOWB.  MVFR AND IFR VSBYS CAN BE EXPECTED
OVERNIGHT...WITH LIFR POSSIBLE AT TIMES.  THESE CONDITIONS WILL
PERSIST INTO TUESDAY MORNING.  WINDS WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHEAST AT
5 TO 14 KTS.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR BALLARD-
     CALDWELL-CARLISLE-CRITTENDEN-DAVIESS-HENDERSON-HOPKINS-
     LIVINGSTON-LYON-MARSHALL-MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-UNION KY-WEBSTER.

     ICE STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR CALLOWAY-
     CHRISTIAN-FULTON-GRAVES-HICKMAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-TRIGG.

MO...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR BOLLINGER-
     BUTLER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-PERRY MO-RIPLEY-SCOTT-STODDARD-
     WAYNE MO.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR MISSISSIPPI.

     ICE STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR NEW MADRID.

IL...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR ALEXANDER-
     EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-PERRY
     IL-PULASKI-SALINE-UNION IL-WABASH-WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR GALLATIN-
     HARDIN-MASSAC-POPE.

IN...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM CST WEDNESDAY FOR GIBSON-PIKE-
     POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.

&&

SMITH

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 26, 3:34 PM CST, 5 hours 26 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
334 PM CST MON JAN 26 2009

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-271200-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
334 PM CST MON JAN 26 2009

...MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL OCCUR TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SLEET...SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND
CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. REFER TO THE ICE STORM WARNING AND
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF WINTER PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY
NIGHT AND LINGER INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. REFER TO THE WINTER WEATHER
WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE FOUR STATE AREA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER REPORTS OF ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE APPRECIATED.

RST

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 26, 8:11 PM CST, 49 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 26, 8:15 PM CST, 45 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 26, 8:17 PM CST, 43 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 26, 8:25 PM CST, 35 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 26, 8:33 PM CST, 27 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 26, 8:58 PM CST, 2 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

6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Gibson

When: January 26, 9:00 PM CST to January 28, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Gibson forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.312, -87.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Posey

When: January 26, 9:00 PM CST to January 28, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Posey forecast zone
Property damage: $2.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.022, -87.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pike

When: January 26, 10:00 PM CST to January 28, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Pike forecast zone
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.399, -87.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Spencer

When: January 26, 10:00 PM CST to January 28, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Spencer forecast zone
Property damage: $6.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.014, -87.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Vanderburgh

When: January 26, 10:00 PM CST to January 28, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Vanderburgh forecast zone
Property damage: $15 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.025, -87.586 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Warrick

When: January 26, 10:00 PM CST to January 28, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Warrick forecast zone
Property damage: $8.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.092, -87.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Indiana, January 2009

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 148779, 148781, 148780, 148782, 148783, 148784.