Another cold front dropping southeast into central Indiana produced additional large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain during the late morning and afternoon of August 16th. Up to 2000 J/kg of CAPE was available as these storms pushed across the 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.
Another cold front dropping southeast into central Indiana produced additional large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain during the late morning and afternoon of August 16th. Up to 2000 J/kg of CAPE was available as these storms pushed across the 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 Aug 16, 8:40 AM EST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 940 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW. && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 320 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT CURRENTLY MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS THE MIDWEST. FRONTAL PASSAGE ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA IS PROGGED FOR THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. IN THE FRONT/S WAKE...COOL NORTHWEST FLOW AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .NEAR TERM /TODAY/... ISSUED AT 320 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE NEAR TERM IS DESTABILIZATION OF ENVIRONMENT AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT. ENVIRONMENT WILL GRADUALLY DESTABILIZE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION AND DECENT MOISTURE...INCREASING THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT THIS EVENING. MLCAPES ARE STILL IN THE 1500-2500 J/KG RANGE OVER MOST OF CENTRAL INDIANA...BUT NUMBERS CLOSER TO 3500 J/KG ARE EXPECTED OVER THE FAR SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL INCREASE THE SEVERE CHANCES OVER THAT AREA. REMNANTS CURRENTLY DRIFTING DOWN FROM OVERNIGHT CONVECTION OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST ARE QUICKLY DISSIPATING AS THEY APPROACH CENTRAL INDIANA. SO...ANTICIPATE ENOUGH TIME THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE DAY FOR ENVIRONMENT TO BECOME PRIMED FOR SCATTERED SEVERE WEATHER THIS EVENING AND NIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... ISSUED AT 320 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE SHORT TERM IS TIMING OF COLD FRONT PASSAGE. MODELS CONTINUE TO PUT THE BEST TIME FRAME FOR CONVECTION DURING THE FRI 00-06Z TIME FRAME FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT A LINE WILL FORM ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS EVENING. GFS AND EURO ARE BOTH HINTING AT SOME WEAK LIFT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA WHERE THE HIGHEST DEWPOINTS WILL BE IN PLACE. EXPECT RAPID CLEARING BEHIND THE LINE BY FRI 12Z AS ISENTROPIC LIFT CUTS OFF QUICKLY. WILL LEAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS OVER THE FAR SOUTHERN COUNTIES THOUGH TO ACCOUNT FOR ANY LINGERING SHOWERS/ISOLATED TSTORMS. DRY CONDITIONS/COOL NORTHWEST FLOW ARE THEN EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. MODELS HAVE A DECENT HANDLE ON THE CHANGING WEATHER PATTERN...SO WENT WITH A BLEND. HIGHS WILL FALL INTO THE 70S FOR THE WEEKEND WITH LOWS IN THE 50S. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... ISSUED AT 320 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 THE EXTENDED WILL BE RELATIVELY QUIET AND DRY WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE PERIOD STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE WEST COAST WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW HOVERS NEAR HUDSON BAY. THIS PATTERN WILL CAUSE A PERSISTENT NW FLOW WHICH WILL RESULT IN TEMPERATURES BELOW CLIMO BEFORE CLIMBING BACK TO NORMAL...AND POSSIBLY SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL AT THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 16/14Z TAF UPDATE/... ISSUED AT 940 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 AMENDED ALL SITES TO INCLUDE VCTS/TEMPO THUNDER...ATTEMPTING TO TIME LINE OF STORMS INTO THE SITES. ISSUED AT 606 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 TAF PERIOD CAN BE CHARACTERIZED BY VFR THROUGH MOST OF TODAY...AND THEN DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AS COLD FRONT AND THUNDERSTORMS SWEEP ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA THIS EVENING. A TEMPO GROUP HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE 12Z TAFS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS...BRINGING CONDITIONS DOWN TO AT LEAST MFVR. IFR IS STILL POSSIBLE IN ANY OF THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS BUT DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO PIN POINT IFR CONDITIONS THIS FAR OUT. MODEL WIND FIELDS SUGGEST GOOD POTENTIAL FOR SOME SURFACE WIND GUSTS 20-22 KTS FROM 200-220 DEGREES TO DEVELOP TOWARDS THE MIDDAY HOURS TODAY. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...TDUD NEAR TERM...TDUD SHORT TERM...TDUD LONG TERM....SMF AVIATION...SMF/NIELD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 457 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-170900- 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- 457 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH COULD BECOME SEVERE...WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. HAZARDS: DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. TIMING: THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. DISCUSSION: A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA TRIGGERING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF IT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. OUTLOOK: SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD LINGER ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL INDIANA THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD STILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...BRIEF DOWNPOURS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. DISCUSSION: A COLD FRONT WILL EXIT THE AREA ON FRIDAY MORNING...AND BE REPLACED BY BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE)
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1100 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012
INZ021-028>030-035-036-161545-
CARROLL-CLINTON-FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY-TIPPECANOE-WARREN-
1100 AM EDT THU AUG 16 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR CLINTON...CARROLL...NORTHERN
FOUNTAIN...NORTHERN MONTGOMERY...TIPPECANOE AND WARREN COUNTIES UNTIL
1145 AM EDT...
AT 1059 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES EAST OF
FOWLER TO DANVILLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
LAFAYETTE...
FRANKFORT...
COVINGTON...
WILLIAMSPORT...
WEST LAFAYETTE...
DELPHI...
RAINSVILLE...
STATE LINE CITY...
PINE VILLAGE...
FOSTER...
WEST LEBANON...
ATTICA...
YEOMAN...
MELLOTT...
NEWTOWN...
BATTLE GROUND...
PURDUE UNIVERSITY...
SHADELAND...
WINGATE...
NEW RICHMOND...
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A
STURDY BUILDING.
TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.
&&
LAT...LON 4074 8653 4070 8652 4069 8637 4043 8637
4018 8641 4013 8749 4015 8749 4015 8754
4048 8752 4048 8710 4057 8709 4057 8678
4074 8675
TIME...MOT...LOC 1500Z 263DEG 43KT 4064 8714 4019 8759
NIELDThe Indianapolis radar (KIND), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:26 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was downed blocking both lanes of traffic near the 2300 block of North 25th Street due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. A tree was also downed on Elmwood Avenue, blocking one lane of traffic.
A tree was downed blocking County Road 1000 East, just south of State Route 25, due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
A tree was downed blocking County Road 775 East, just south of State Route 26, due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
Water was also reported to be covering the road to unknown depth. They were able to drive through it fine.
A three foot diameter tree was downed due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location.
Trees were reported down in this location due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
A large tree was reported down on West 3rd Street due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
A tree was downed, along with power lines, near the intersection of 8th and Johnson Streets due to damaging thundersorm wind gusts.
Trees and street signs were down in Freetown 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, August 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: 411183, 411184, 411185, 411186, 411187, 411188, 411189, 411190, 411191, 411192, 411193, 411194, 411195, 411196, 411197.