An area of low pressure moved along a cold front on August 9, bringing thunderstorms to the area. Some of the storms were severe with damaging winds and large hail.
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.
An area of low pressure moved along a cold front on August 9, bringing thunderstorms to the area. Some of the storms were severe with damaging winds and large hail. Hail around 2 inches in diameter, approximately the size of a billiard ball, fell near Flora in Carroll County. In addition to the hail and damaging winds, heavy rain fell. Some areas received around 2 inches.
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 9, 5:37 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 637 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 .UPDATE... THE AVIATION SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 226 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 LOW PRESSURE OVER SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS WILL PUSH NORTHEAST TONIGHT...DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA THIS EVENING. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH DAYTIME HEATING WILL ALLOW FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE LOW WILL SLOWLY PUSH TO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...ALLOWING COOLER AIR ON NORTHWEST WINDS AND DRY WEATHER TO ARRIVE IN CENTRAL INDIANA FOR THE WEEKEND. COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PASSING TO THE SOUTH ON WEDNESDAY AND A COLD FRONT APPROACHING ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY WILL BRING OUR NEXT CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/... ISSUED AT 226 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 SURFACE ANALYSIS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS LOW PRESSURE NEAR STL WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SW INTO NW ARKANSAS AND A WARM FRONT STRETCHING SE ACROSS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND SOUTHERN INDIANA. VISIBLE PICTURE SHOW PLENTY OF CLOUD COVER ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA...HOWEVER CLEARING WAS IN PLACE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. DEW POINT TEMPS REMAINED MOIST IN THE 60S. RADAR SHOWS TSRA DEVELOPING OVER CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND SW OHIO. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE POPS. AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR STL IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NE TONIGHT MORE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER ILLINOIS FOR CONVECTION DEVELOPMENT. LIFTED INDICES REMAIN NEGATIVE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH FAVORABLE CAPE IN EXCESS OF 1300 J/KG. HRRR DEVELOPS BEST CONVECTION ALONG THE COLD FRONT WHICH SHOULD PASS ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA AFTER 00Z. 0-3KM SHEAR AXIS OF NEAR 25-30 KNTS PUSH ACROSS THE STATE WITH ET FRONT AS WELL. THUS WILL KEEP TSRA MENTION WITH LIKELY OR BETTER POPS FOR TONIGHT. AS THE FRONT DEPARTS TOWARD 12Z FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW MUCH DRIER AIR ARRIVING. WILL TREND POPS DOWNWARD AFTER 06Z. AS FOR LOWS...WILL USE A BLEND OF MAVMOS AND METMOS GIVEN THE CHANGE IN AIRMASS. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... ISSUED AT 226 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE OVERALL PATTERN AND WILL USE A BLEND. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE WILL BE TEMPS THROUGH THE PERIOD. NAM/GFS AGREE THAT A DEEP UPPER LOW EXPECTED TO BE OVER NORTHERN INDIANA ON FRIDAY WILL SLOWLY DRIFT NORTHEAST TO THE GREAT LAKES. ABUNDANT CLOUD COVER IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY AS THE LOW DRIFTS TO THE NORTH. TIME HEIGHT SECTIONS SHOW GOOD LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE. FURTHERMORE FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 70S THAT COULD RESULT IN SOME ISOLATED POP UP AFTERNOON RAIN SHOWERS. WILL TREND HIGHS COOLER THAN MAVMOS GIVEN THE EXPECTED CLOUDS AND THE COLD AIR ADVECTION. LINGERING CLOUDS AND ANY ISOLATED SHRA WILL DISSIPATE ON FRIDAY NIGHT AS UPPER LOW PULLS NORTHEAST AND ANY DAYTIME HEATING WANES. EVEN BETTER DRYING APPEARS IN THE FORECAST SOUNDINGS IN ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS ACROSS THE AREA. GIVEN THE COLD AIR ADVECTION AS 850MB TEMPS FALL NEAR 10C WILL TREND HIGHS AND LOWS COOLER THAN MAVMOS...WITH MOSTLY CLEAR NIGHTS AND A SUNNY SATURDAY. SURFACE HIGH REMAINS IN CONTROL IN SUNDAY ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY...HOWEVER ALOFT A SHORT WAVE IS APPROACHING AND PUSHING THROUGH INDIANA. SURFACE FLOW DOES NOT APPEAR TO OPEN AND ALLOW FOR THE ADDITION OF GULF MOISTURE. THUS FOR NOW WILL HOLD OFF ON POPS FOR SUNDAY UNTIL BETTER CONFIDENCE IS REVEALED IN LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE....BUT WILL INCREASE CLOUD COVERAGE. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... ISSUED AT 226 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 ENSEMBLES SUGGEST A FAIRLY PROGRESSIVE FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY...WHILE THE SUB TROPICAL RIDGE HOLDS FROM THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES EASTWARD ACROSS THE GULF COAST STATES. ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY EARLY NEXT WEEK...AND THEN LIFT OFF TO THE EAST BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. ENSEMBLES SUGGEST THE BEST THREAT FOR PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. WILL GO WITH CHANCE POPS AT THOSE TIMES. HEIGHTS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS TROUGH LIFTS OFF TO THE EAST...SO WILL CONTINUE WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. BY THURSDAY...THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THE HEAT RIDGE MAY TRY TO BUILD BACK INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE ENSEMBLES SUGGEST ANOTHER DISTURBANCE MAY RIDE OVER THE DEVELOPING RIDGE INTO THE LOCAL AREA BY THURSDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS AT THAT TIME. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 100000Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 637 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE INCREASING THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE TERMINALS AND AN UPPER LOW PIVOTS SOUTHEAST TO NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND THEN NORTHERN INDIANA. WILL GO WITH TEMPO THUNDERSTORM GROUPS THROUGH 05Z AT HUF AND LAF AND IND AND BMG TIL 06Z. WILL ALSO PERHAPS ADD THUNDER TO THE PRVAILING GROUP JUST PRIOR TO ISSUANCE TIME...IF IT CAN BE DONE WITH GOOD CONFIDENCE. MODELS AND SOME UPSTREAM OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST MVFR CONDITIONS AFTER 06Z. WITH SURFACE WINDS PICKING UP...MORE CONFIDENT ON STRATUS THAN FOG. WITH THE UPPER LOW IN THE VICINITY...COLD AIR ALOFT AND LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...PLENTY OF DIURNAL MVFR CU WILL BE AROUND FRIDAY BEFORE CLEARING COMMENCES AT SUNSET AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. OTHERWISE...SOUTHWEST WINDS AT IND AND BMG SHOULD BECOME NORTHWEST AROUND 02Z WHEN THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. WINDS WILL INCREASE TO NEAR 10 KNOTS TOWARD 12Z AND 10 TO 15 KNOTS AFTER 15Z. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...PUMA NEAR TERM...PUMA SHORT TERM...PUMA LONG TERM....JAS AVIATION...MK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 1120 AM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-101530- 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- 1120 AM EDT THU AUG 9 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT. LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. HAZARDS: DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...LIGHTNING...MINOR FLOODING. TIMING: ANY TIME FROM NOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL OCCUR AROUND LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT. DISCUSSION: THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA WILL DIMINISH BY MID MORNING. THEN THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP BY LATE AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. OUTLOOK: NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DISCUSSION: MUCH COOLER WEATHER AND A CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS WILL BE THE RULE FRIDAY. DRY WEATHER WILL BE THE RULE FROM SATURDAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL BE QUITE MILD SATURDAY AND THEN BECOME HOTTER BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY OR EARLY TONIGHT. && PUMA MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) PUMA
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
543 PM EDT THU AUG 09 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 NE AVON 39.77N 86.37W
08/09/2012 M1.45 INCH HENDRICKS IN NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
EVENT NUMBER IND1200570
NIELDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
633 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012
INZ035-036-092300-
FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY-
633 PM EDT THU AUG 9 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN FOUNTAIN AND WESTERN
MONTGOMERY COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM EDT...
AT 630 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR VEEDERSBURG...OR 16 MILES EAST OF
DANVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
VEEDERSBURG...
YEDDO...
HILLSBORO...
WALLACE...
WAYNETOWN...
ALAMO...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV
STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 4012 8740 4018 8734 4012 8703 3997 8704
3995 8709 3995 8722 4005 8741
TIME...MOT...LOC 2233Z 291DEG 15KT 4009 8732
MRD/MKThe Indianapolis radar (KIND), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:05 UTC.
25 hail, 11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail stones, 1.5 to 2.25 inches in diameter, caused damage to cars and roofs in Wallace.
Trees and tree limbs were downed in this location due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
A measured 61 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location and was accompanied by nickel sized hail.
Trees were down on power lines in this location due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
Hail accumulated to 1.5 inches deep.
Trees and tree limbs were downed due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. One tree was on a garage.
Tree limbs, two to three inches in diameter, and power lines were downed along County Road 700 South due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
Many small limbs were reported down as well, with rainfall measuring 1.01 inches in 30 minutes.
Quarter sized hail damaged shingles and shredded leaves.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in this location, just north of Flora.
An estimated 65 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in Flora.
The hail lasted nearly 10 minutes.
Quarter size hail was observed at the Homewood Suites.
Nickel to quarter sized hail was observed in this location.
A thunderstorm wind gust of 50 mph was observed in this location as well.
The hail fell for three minutes.
Trees were reported down in Reelsville due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
An estimated 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was observed in Indianapolis. Pea size hail was observed as well.
A tree was down on top of a car on West Broadway Street and a tree was also down on a house on North Street due to damaging thunderstorm wind gust.
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: 410344, 411198, 410345, 410347, 411199, 411201, 411202, 410349, 410350, 411203, 410351, 411204, 410352, 411206, 411207, 411208, 411209, 411210, 411219, 411223, 411225, 411211, 411220, 411212, 411213, 411221, 411222, 411214, 411224, 411215, 411205, 411216, 411217, 411218, 411226, 411227.