Hail, Knox
- When
- April 28, 4:41 PM EST to 4:43 PM EST
- Where
- Knox County, 0.54 mi W of Oaktown
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 38.870, -87.440
A nearly stationary boundary meandered across the Ohio Valley on the 28th of April. A thunderstorm complex tracked from eastern Missouri, eastward across southern portions of Illinois and Indiana during the late afternoon of the 28th.
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 nearly stationary boundary meandered across the Ohio Valley on the 28th of April. A thunderstorm complex tracked from eastern Missouri, eastward across southern portions of Illinois and Indiana during the late afternoon of the 28th. These thunderstorms moved across the lower Wabash Valley, producing damaging wind gusts and large hail from Vincennes eastward to near Bedford. A 90 mph wind gust was reported in Washington, along with hail up to ping pong ball size.
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 28, 3:26 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 426 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 201 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. A LINGERING FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS SOUTHWEST INDIANA WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR RAIN CHANCES AS IT IS EXPECTED TO WANDER NORTH AND SOUTH OVER THE STATE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL WEATHER DISTURBANCES WILL PUSH ACROSS THE STATE ALSO. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH THE LOWER LEVEL FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO CENTRAL INDIANA FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/... ISSUED AT 201 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 SURFACE ANALYSIS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON INDICATES A WARM FRONT ACROSS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS STRETCHING EAST INTO SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND EASTERN KENTUCKY. LOW PRESSURE WAS FOUND OVER EASTERN MISSOURI. COOL HIGH PRESSURE WAS FOUND ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES...RESULTING IN A DRY LOWER LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. DEW POINT TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA RANGED FROM THE LOWER 30S EXTREME NORTH TO THE MID 50S IN THE SOUTHWEST. MODELS SUGGEST FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO REMAIN ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT AS A WEAK RIDGE BUILDS ALOFT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW SATURATED LOWER LEVELS WITH A DEEP INVERSION ASSOCIATED WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION OVERRUNNING THE COOL NE SURFACE FLOW. AS CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES ARE REACHED THIS AFTERNOON ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE WARM FRONT TSRA AND SHRA WILL BE POSSIBLE. TIME HEIGHT SECTIONS FAIL TO SHOW DEEP MOISTURE AND ONLY SHOW WEAK LIFT. 305K ISENTROPIC SURFACE SHOWS BEST LIFT IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA NEAR THE FRONT...BUT SPECIFIC HUMIDITIES ARE SUSPECT...ONLY LINGERING AROUND 2-3 G/KG. FURTHERMORE ANY PASSING SHORT WAVE IN THE QUICK FLOW ALOFT ALSO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE SOME LIGHT SHOWERS. THUS WITH SOME UNCERTAINLY ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION OF PRECIP DUE TO A LACK OF A SINGLE STRONG FORCING FEATURE WILL STICK CLOSE TO MAV POPS...EXPECT IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA NEAR THE FRONT WHERE CHCS FOR PRECIP SHOULD BE BEST. AS FOR TEMPS WILL STICK CLOSE TO PERSISTENCE AS THERE IS LITTLE CHANGE IN THE LOWER LEVEL PATTERN. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 201 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 AGAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE BE POPS. RIDGE ALOFT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OF INDIANA WHILE A MUCH STRONGER UPPER DISTURBANCE ARRIVES ALOFT FROM THE SOUTHWEST DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. DEEPER MOISTURE IS ALSO SEEN IN THE TIME HEIGHT SECTIONS AND THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS. THE 305K ISENTROPIC SURFACE ALSO SHOWERS BETTER LIFT AND MOISTURE AVAILABLE...PARTICULARLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE FRONT. THUS WILL TREND POPS HIGHER ON SUNDAY...AS THE EXPECTED SHORT WAVE PROVIDES A CLEAR FORCING SIGNAL. STICKING CLOSE ON HIGH TEMPS...ALTHOUGH IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT A LARGE GRADIENT WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA DUE TO THE WARM FRONT. BOTH THE NAM AND GFS BOTH CONTINUE TO HINT AND A SERIES OF UPPER SHORT WAVES PUSHING ACROSS THE STATE ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND AGAIN ON MONDAY. FURTHERMORE IN THE LOWER LEVELS A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO PUSH INTO WESTERN INDIANA FROM THE SOUTHWEST...PULLING THE WARM FRONT NORTHWARD FOR MONDAY. GIVEN THE FORCING THAT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH MONDAY AND AMPLE MOISTURE...WILL CONTINUE TO TREND POPS HIGHER...PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE NORTH AND CENTRAL PARTS OF THE STATE. AS FOR TEMPS WILL TREND LOWS WARMER THAN MAVMOS AND STICK CLOSE TO HIGHS AS WARM FRONTAL MOVEMENT WILL BE KEY. MUCH OF INDIANA IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE WARM SECTOR ON MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. INITIALLY ON MONDAY NIGHT DUE TO LINGERING CONVECTION AND THE DEPARTURE OF THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SHORT WAVE...WILL NEED TO KEEP POPS IN THE FORECAST...HOWEVER AS HEATING AND FORCING IS LOST EXPECT A TREND TOWARD A DRY FORECAST OVERNIGHT. GOOD WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL BE IN PLACE AS 850MB TEMPS REACH NEAR 13C. THUS WILL TREND LOWS WARMER THAN MAVMOS. GIVEN THE RAIN AND HIGHER DEWPOINTS MORNING FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ON TUESDAY INDICATE FAVORABLE LAPSE RATES AND ATTAINABLE CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES IN THE WARM SECTOR. FURTHERMORE NEAR 1000 J/KG OF CAPE APPEAR AVAILABLE. LITTLE SUPPORT APPEARS TO BE IN PLACE ALOFT. HOWEVER GIVEN THE CAPE AND HEATING WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RULE OUT SCT AFTERNOON CONVECTIVE SHRA/TSRA. WILL TREND HIGHS WARMER THAN MAVMOS...AND TRY TO FOCUS PRECIP CHANCES DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... ISSUED AT 223 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 ACTIVE WEATHER REGIME APPEARS TO SET UP FOR THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST...WITH SEVERAL DISTURBANCES PRODUCING AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE DOES BUILD IN VERY LATE IN THE PERIOD...WHICH SHOULD DRY THINGS OUT FOR NEXT WEEKEND. ALLBLEND LOOKS OK EXCEPT FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...IN WHICH DRY FORECAST LOOKS WARRANTED. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE LATELY...THIS BY NO MEANS LOOKS LIKE AN EVERY DAY WASHOUT...BUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE THERE THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE PERIOD. TEMPS CONTINUE TO LOOK TO BE ABOVE NORMAL...WITH SOME 80S APPEARING POSSIBLE EARLY IN THE LONG TERM. ALLBLEND INITIALIZATION HANDLES THIS WELL. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 282100Z KIND TAF UPDATE/... ISSUED AT 426 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 AREA OF RAIN/EMBEDDED CONVECTION CURRENTLY MOVING EAST ACROSS ILLINOIS. AT THIS POINT...APPEARS MOST OF THE CONVECTIVE THREAT SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF THE KIND TERMINAL...BUT IT MAY BE CLOSE. WILL KEEP CONVECTION OUT OF THE FORECAST FOR NOW...BUT WILL ADD SOME SHOWERS THROUGH ABOUT 290200Z BASED ON SHORT TERM GUIDANCE. MVFR CEILINGS AROUND 020 MAY BEGIN TO BEGIN TO BREAK UP ONCE THE LIFT/SHOWER ACTIVITY ARRIVES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS. COMPLEX FORECAST THIS TAF PERIOD WITH A WARM FRONT IN THE AREA. EXPECT LARGELY MVFR CONDITIONS AT IND/LAF...WITH SOME BREAKS INTO VFR AT HUF/BMG AS THEY ARE IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE BOUNDARY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE A HEALTHY LOW LEVEL TRAPPING INVERSION REMAINING IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD AT IND/LAF...AND TO A LESSER EXTENT AT HUF/BMG. INVERSION WEAKENS ENOUGH THAT MVFR CLOUD SHOULD SCATTER OUT FOR A PERIOD THIS AFTERNOON AT THE LATTER TWO SITES. HUF/BMG WILL ALSO BE UNDER THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING...ALTHOUGH WITH SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY AS TO COVERAGE/TIMING/EXTENT...STUCK WITH A VCTS/CB MENTION. ALL SITES SHOULD BECOME MVFR AGAIN THIS EVENING AND REMAIN SO AT LEAST INTO TOMORROW MORNING. WINDS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY EASTERLY...WITH SPORADIC GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN TOMORROW. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...PUMA NEAR TERM...PUMA SHORT TERM...PUMA LONG TERM....NIELD AVIATION...NIELD/JAS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 532 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 INZ021-028>031-035>049-054>057-291000- CARROLL-WARREN-TIPPECANOE-CLINTON-HOWARD-FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY- BOONE-TIPTON-HAMILTON-MADISON-DELAWARE-RANDOLPH-VERMILLION-PARKE- PUTNAM-HENDRICKS-MARION-HANCOCK-HENRY-MORGAN-JOHNSON-SHELBY-RUSH- 532 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR TONIGHT. HAZARDS: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED BUT LIGHTNING IS A HAZARD IN ANY THUNDERSTORM. TIMING: THUNDERSTORM ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY AFTER 600 PM. DISCUSSION: AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND WARM FRONT WILL TRIGGER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EVERY DAY THIS SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH THE BEST THREATS MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY. LIGHTNING IS A THREAT WITH ALL THUNDERSTORMS. DISCUSSION: A FRONT IN THE AREA COMBINED WITH WEAK LOW PRESSURE WAVES WILL BRING SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AT TIMES MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. .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) INZ065-072-291000- DECATUR-JENNINGS- 532 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR TONIGHT. HAZARDS: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS. LIGHTNING IS A HAZARD IN ALL THUNDERSTORMS. TIMING: THUNDERSTORM ARE POSSIBLE AFTER 6PM. DISCUSSION: AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND WARM FRONT WILL TRIGGER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT IN SOUTHERN INDIANA COMBINED WITH UNSTABLE AIR IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MAY HELP TO TRIGGER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EACH DAY SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH THE BEST THREATS MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY. LIGHTNING IS A THREAT WITH ALL THUNDERSTORMS. DISCUSSION: A FRONT IN THE AREA COMBINED WITH WEAK LOW PRESSURE WAVES WILL BRING PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY EVERY DAY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) INZ051>053-060>064-067>071-291000- VIGO-CLAY-OWEN-SULLIVAN-GREENE-MONROE-BROWN-BARTHOLOMEW-KNOX- DAVIESS-MARTIN-LAWRENCE-JACKSON- 532 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY TONIGHT. HAZARDS: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN THE PRIMARY THREATS. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. LIGHTNING IS A HAZARD IN ALL THUNDERSTORMS. TIMING: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 11 PM EDT. DISCUSSION: AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND WARM FRONT WILL TRIGGER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT IN SOUTHERN INDIANA COMBINED WITH UNSTABLE AIR IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MAY HELP TO TRIGGER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EACH DAY SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH THE BEST THREATS MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY. LIGHTNING IS A THREAT WITH ALL THUNDERSTORMS. DISCUSSION: A FRONT IN THE AREA COMBINED WITH WEAK LOW PRESSURE WAVES WILL BRING PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY EVERY DAY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) KOCH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
533 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM HAIL RUSSELLVILLE 39.86N 86.98W
04/28/2012 M0.50 INCH PUTNAM IN AMATEUR RADIO
&&
EVENT NUMBER IND1200168
ELBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
540 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM HAIL 5 SE OAKTOWN 38.82N 87.38W
04/28/2012 M0.50 INCH KNOX IN AMATEUR RADIO
&&
CORRECTED COUNTY/STATE...LOCATION
EVENT NUMBER IND1200168
ELBThe Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:40 UTC.
7 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location.
An estimated 90 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in Washington, Indiana.
Power outages were reported in this area due to trees and power lines down from damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
A tree was down blocking a road in Vincennes due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, April 2012
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: 375590, 375622, 375591, 375623, 375592, 375593, 375624, 375625, 375627, 375630, 375637, 375640.