A line of showers and thunderstorms pushed eastward from Illinois into central Indiana during the early morning hours of the 4th of April. These storms were strong enough to produce a couple wind damage reports from northwest portions of the forecast area.
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.
A line of showers and thunderstorms pushed eastward from Illinois into central Indiana during the early morning hours of the 4th of April. These storms were strong enough to produce a couple wind damage reports from northwest portions of the forecast area.
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 Apr 4, 2:42 AM EST, 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 342 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011 .UPDATE... THE SYNOPSIS...NEAR TERM AND SHORT TERM SECTIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED BELOW && .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA TODAY BRINGING STORMS...WIND...AND COLDER AIR. HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE DRY AND COOL WEATHER FOR TUESDAY...THEN A FRONT WILL MOVE IN ON WEDNESDAY AND STALL IN THE AREA INTO THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL KEEP CHANCES FOR RAIN FROM LATE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /EARLY THIS MORNING AND TODAY/... FOCUS IS ON SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...RAIN CHANCES...AND TEMPERATURES. MODELS ARE SIMILAR SO TOOK A BLEND. COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA BY 12Z AND THEN WILL BE THROUGH MUCH OF THE AREA BY 18Z. THERE CURRENTLY IS A LINE OF STORMS ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT. THE STORMS ARE MOVING INTO AN AIRMASS WITH HIGHER CONVECTIVE INHIBITION. THIS WILL HELP KEEP THE THREAT FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER DOWN EARLY THIS MORNING AND INTO THE FIRST FEW HOURS PAST 12Z. SPC AGREES WITH THIS AS MOST WATCHES ARE COMING DOWN AT THE MOMENT AND 12Z SLIGHT RISK IS FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. BETTER INSTABILITY WILL BUILD DURING THE MORNING BUT FRONT WILL BE THROUGH THE AREA BEFORE INSTABILITY IS MAXIMIZED. HOWEVER...EVEN TAKING ALL THE ABOVE INTO ACCOUNT...VERY STRONG WINDS ARE JUST OFF THE SURFACE. IF ANY OF THE STORMS CAN BECOME ROOTED IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER THESE WINDS WILL NOT HAVE A HARD TIME REACHING THE GROUND. THEREFORE WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE STORMS ALL AREAS THROUGH 18Z...WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT. ALTHOUGH STORMS WILL BE WEAKENING AS THEY MOVE IN THIS MORNING THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH COVERAGE FOR CATEGORICAL POPS ALL AREAS THIS MORNING. WITH RAIN AND SOME STORMS BEHIND THE FRONT CLOSER TO THE 850MB FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...FEEL THAT HIGH POPS ARE STILL WARRANTED MOST AREAS...ALTHOUGH A LITTLE LOWER THAN BEFORE 18Z. WINDS ARE STILL GUSTING EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH ISOLATED GUSTS TO ADVISORY CRITERIA. WITH RAIN MOVING IN FEEL THAT CHANCES FOR WIDESPREAD GUSTS MEETING ADVISORY CRITERIA ARE SMALL...SO DO NOT FEEL AN ADVISORY IS NEEDED. BIG BUST POTENTIAL TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES. READINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE 70S...BUT AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IS MOVING TOWARD THE AREA FROM ILLINOIS AT THE MOMENT. TEMPERATURES FALL INTO THE 60S BEHIND IT. THUS CONFIDENCE IN TEMPERATURES AT 12Z IS VERY LOW. WILL GO CLOSE TO LAMP GUIDANCE BUT GO A LITTLE COOLER IN THE WEST IN ACCOUNT OF RAIN AND OUTFLOW. READINGS SHOULD NOT RISE MUCH TODAY THEN FALL QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY WITH TEMPERATURES WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO HAVE TO UPDATE FORECAST BEFORE 12Z. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... FOCUS IS ON CHANCES FOR RAIN TONIGHT AND THEN BY WEDNESDAY. MODELS ARE CLOSE SO STUCK WITH A BLEND. WHILE THE FRONT WILL BE LONG GONE BY 00Z...UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL STILL BE MOVING THROUGH DURING THE FIRST FEW HOURS PAST 00Z. THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH LIFT FROM THE UPPER TROUGH TO PRODUCE SCATTERED SHOWERS. WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS DURING THE EVENING. WENT WITH A BLEND OF MOS AND RAW MODEL NUMBERS FOR LOWS TONIGHT AS THEY LOOK REASONABLE GIVEN COLD ADVECTION AND LINGERING CLOUDS. TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT WILL SEE HIGH PRESSURE IN CONTROL. LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TUESDAY AND INCREASING HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE TUESDAY NIGHT WILL LEAD TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. A BLEND OF MOS LOOKS REASONABLE FOR TEMPERATURES GIVEN THE EXPECTED CONDITIONS. ISENTROPIC LIFT INCREASES ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONT. HOWEVER THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE REMAINS DRY SO FEEL THAT CHANCES FOR RAIN REACHING THE GROUND ARE SMALL. WILL CONTINUE WITH DRY FORECAST THEN. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A LINGERING WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS INDIANA DURING NEXT WEEKEND...HOWEVER THE UPPER LEVEL FORCING FEATURES CONTINUE TO BE CHANGEABLE FROM RUN TO RUN...THUS CONFIDENCE IS A BIT LOW ON THE TIMING OF ANY PARTICULAR RAIN EVENT. THUS GIVEN THE LOWER LEVEL SET UP WHICH WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR PRECIP WILL STICK CLOSE TO HPC AND KEEP LOW CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST FROM THURSDAY ONWARD. GIVEN THE EXPECTED SOUTHERLY FLOW AND RIDGING BUILDING TO THE EAST...A WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW IS EXPECTED THUS THE ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND APPEAR REASONABLE. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 040600Z TAFS/... A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET OVERHEAD IS KEEPING THE BOUNDARY LAYER FROM DECOUPLING AND THIS IS KEEPING WINDS GUSTING INTO THE 25-35 KT RANGE. WITH THE CONTINUING GUSTING WILL REMOVE THE LLWS FOR THIS ISSUANCE. THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT THAT STRETCHES BACK THROUGH NORTHERN ILLINOIS INTO EASTERN IOWA AND WESTERN MISSOURI ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST WITH A STRONG CAP REMAINING IN PLACE OVER EASTERN ILLINOIS AND CENTRAL INDIANA. THE LATEST CHECK OF THE CURRENT MODELS INDICATES PREVIOUS FORECAST TIMING OF ARRIVAL OF THE STORMS IN THE EARLY MORNING /10Z-13Z/ MAY STILL BE GOOD WITH COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE STORMS. WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 KTS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE IN THE POSTFRONTAL AIR MASS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. BASED ON SATELLITE AND OBSERVATIONS THE CEILING IS LIKELY TO DROP TO IFR AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE AS WELL. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...50 NEAR TERM...50 SHORT TERM...50 LONG TERM....PUMA AVIATION...CP/JH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 1031 PM EDT SUN APR 3 2011 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-050245- 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- 1031 PM EDT SUN APR 3 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA ON MONDAY. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...MAINLY DURING THE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS...BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL. GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) TDUD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 1208 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-040715- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAFAYETTE...FRANKFORT...KOKOMO... CRAWFORDSVILLE...ANDERSON...MUNCIE...INDIANAPOLIS...TERRE HAUTE... SHELBYVILLE...BLOOMINGTON...COLUMBUS...VINCENNES...BEDFORD... SEYMOUR 1208 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011 ...GUSTY WINDS TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT... GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH WILL BE COMMON...WITH SOME HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE IN A FEW LOCATIONS. THESE WINDS COULD STILL BLOW AROUND LOOSE OBJECTS AND MAKE DRIVING MORE DIFFICULT FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. 50
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
412 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011
INZ028-029-035-036-043-040845-
FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY-TIPPECANOE-VERMILLION-WARREN-
412 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN VERMILLION...
NORTHWESTERN MONTGOMERY...NORTHERN FOUNTAIN...WARREN AND WESTERN
TIPPECANOE COUNTIES UNTIL 445 AM EDT/345 AM CDT/...
AT 409 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM FOWLER TO 6 MILES
WEST OF COVINGTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
WILLIAMSPORT...PINE VILLAGE AND COVINGTON AROUND 420 AM EDT...
ATTICA AROUND 425 AM EDT...
OTTERBEIN AND VEEDERSBURG AROUND 430 AM EDT...
NEWTOWN...MELLOTT AND HILLSBORO AROUND 440 AM EDT...
WINGATE...SHADELAND...WEST LAFAYETTE AND PURDUE UNIVERSITY AROUND 445
AM EDT...
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
&&
LAT...LON 4011 8701 4005 8754 4021 8754 4049 8742
4049 8711 4058 8710 4058 8681
TIME...MOT...LOC 0813Z 260DEG 32KT 4058 8726 4014 8746
JHThe Indianapolis radar (KIND), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:19 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Part of a roof was removed from a house north of the intersection of County Roads South 900 West and West 350 South due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. Tree limbs were also downed. The Fowler State Bank sign was also blown over in Williamsport.
Trees, tree limbs, and power lines were reported down in Lafayette due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. A few homes lost a some shingles and siding as well.
A report of creek flooding and water coming onto roadways was received due to thunderstorm heavy rainfall. Flooding was also occurring near County Roads West 700 North and North 300 West. Rainfall of 2.10 inches had been received since 5:45 AM.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, April 2011
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: 297392, 297399, 297415.