Flooding and Hail in Indiana, March 30, 2012

Name: Flooding and Hail in Indiana, March 30, 2012
Start: 2012-03-30T15:04
End: 2012-03-30T19:30
Location: Indiana

March 30, 2012 · NWS IND · 29 events in 13 counties and zones

A line of showers and thunderstorm developed across central Indiana during the afternoon hours of the 30th of March. As this line of thunderstorms pushed southeast across the remainder of central Indiana, numerous large hail reports were received.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $3,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 29

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 IND wrote it up.

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 Indianapolis, IN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 1:15 PM EST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 1:15 PM EST, 1 hour 49 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
215 PM EDT FRI MAR 30 2012

.UPDATE...
THE LONG TERM SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...

A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA
THIS EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WILL BE ALONG AND
AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THEN...HIGH PRESSURE WILL KEEP IT DRY UNTIL
EARLY NEXT WEEK WHEN ANOTHER SYSTEM BRINGS ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM
CHANCES THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. FINALLY...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN
FROM THE WEST ALLOWING FOR A DRY END OF THE WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL
CONTINUE TO BE ABOVE NORMAL WITH WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN
THE 70S AND 80S EXPECTED SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/...

MAIN CHALLENGE TO THE NEAR TERM WILL BE TIMING THE COLD FRONT AND
RESULTANT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS
EVENING AS WELL AS ANY ASSOCIATED SEVERE WEATHER.

MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT ON SLIDING A COLD FRONT SOUTHEAST
ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA THIS EVENING TO SOMEWHERE NEAR A RUSHVILLE TO
BLOOMINGTON TO VINCENNES LINE AROUND 00Z AND JUST SOUTH OF THE
FORECAST AREA AROUND 03Z. NOT EXPECTED ANY POST FRONTAL ACTIVITY
WITH DOWNWARD VERTICAL MOTION...DRIER AIR AND LOSS OF SUNSHINE.
LATEST RAPID REFRESH REFLECTS PRETTY CLOSE WHERE THE BACK EDGE OF
THE ACTIVITY SHOULD BE IF NOT POSSIBLY AN HOUR OR TWO SLOWER TO PUSH
THE STORMS THROUGH. AT ANY RATE...AT VALID 00Z TONIGHT TIME
FRAME...SHOULD SEE ONGOING STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ALONG AND SOUTH
OF THE FRONT WITH NAM12 SOUNDING CAPES NEAR 2000 J/KG AND DEEP LAYER
SHEAR TO AROUND 35 KNOTS. ANY DISCRETE STORMS MAY CONGEAL INTO A
LINE AS MODELS ARE ALL INDICATING AN ELONGATED AND DECENT UPWARD
VERTICAL MOTION FIELD. ALSO...THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE IN THE RIGHT
REAR QUADRANT OF AN 80+ KNOT UPPER JET ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT
LAKES WHICH SHOULD HELP PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LIFT AND UPPER LEVEL
EVACUATION. OVERALL...SPC SLIGHT RISK LOOKS ON THE MARK. LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE HANGS AROUND TONIGHT PER MODEL TIME SECTIONS...SO NOT
EXPECTING FULL CLEARING DESPITE HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING IN FROM THE
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY...AND WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS IN THROUGH 04Z ACROSS
SOUTHERN SECTIONS.

MOS TEMPERATURES ARE CLOSE TONIGHT AND APPEAR REASONABLE.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...

COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN SETTING UP FOR THE LATE WEEKEND AND EARLY
NEXT WEEK. TIMING AND COVERAGE OF ANY QPF IS THE MAIN FOCUS WITH LOW
CONFIDENCE DO TO VARIOUS MODEL DIFFERENCES REGARDING A FRONTAL
POSITION ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND ASSOCIATED DEEPER MOISTURE AND
QPF. PER THE MODEL DIAGNOSTIC DISCUSSION FROM THE
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER...DECIDED TO GO MAINLY WITH
THE 12Z GFS WHICH BRINGS A BACKDOOR FRONT SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL
INDIANA ON SUNDAY. THE FRONT THEN STALLS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY.
BEST MOISTURE FROM THE GFS ALBEIT LIMITED STRETCHES JUST NORTH OF
OUR FORECAST AREA ON SUNDAY AND SETTLES ACROSS OUR NORTHEASTERN
FORECAST AREA ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. MEANWHILE...MODELS ALL
HAVE A SHARP UPPER RIDGE JUST TO OUR WEST WITH PERIODIC WEAK
IMPULSES DROPPING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE LOWER GREAT LAKES AND OHIO
VALLEY. THIS ALL SUGGEST...THERE COULD BE A FEW SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS AROUND STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY...BUT
WILL GO NO HIGHER THAN SLIGHT CHANCE WITH MODELS NOT COMING TOGETHER
BETTER. SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT LOOK DRY WITH LOW LEVEL RIDGING.

MET MOS CONTINUES TO LOOK TOO COOL BASED ON 850 MILLIBAR FORECASTING
CHART ALONG WITH TRENDS.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...

ENSEMBLES IN GENERAL AGREEMENT IN BRINGING A SYSTEM THAT IS PROGGED
TO BE MOVING INTO THE WEST COAST OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND ACROSS
THE LOCAL AREA AROUND NEXT TUESDAY. IT APPEARS THE BEST CHANCES FOR
PRECIPITATION DURING THE EXTENDED WOULD BE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY
NIGHT...IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS SYSTEM. WILL GO WITH CHANCE POPS
MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. A FEW ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO SUGGEST
THIS SYSTEM MAY CUTOFF ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY BY THE MIDDLE OF
NEXT WEEK...BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS KEEP THIS TROUGH FAIRLY
PROGRESSIVE. WILL KEEP THE WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PERIOD DRY FOR
NOW.

&&

.AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR THE 301800Z TAFS/...

SHORT TERM MODEL DATA AND CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES SUGGEST
CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN DEVELOPING ALONG COLD FRONT CURRENTLY
MOVING THROUGH ILLINOIS AROUND 301900Z. CONVECTIVE THREAT AT KLAF
STILL IN DOUBT SOMEWHAT AS CONVECTION ALONG FRONT MAY BE IN THE
PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AND MORE SPARSE IN COVERAGE AS FRONT PASSES
THAT AREA...BUT CONFIDENCE IS QUITE HIGH THAT CONVECTION WILL
AFFECT THE REMAINING TAF SITES ROUGHLY 302000Z-310100Z. IFR
VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS EXPECTED IN THE HEAVIER CELLS...ALONG WITH
POTENTIAL SURFACE WIND GUSTS 30-35 KTS. CONVECTIVE CLOUD BASES
AROUND 030.

CONVECTIVE THREAT EXPECTED TO END AROUND 310100Z AS FRONT DROPS
SOUTH OF THE AREA. APPEARS TOWARDS 310600Z...LOWER CEILINGS
IN THE WAKE OF SYSTEM MAY BEGIN ADVECTING INTO THE AREA FROM THE
NORTHWEST. MVFR CEILINGS 012-015 APPEAR THE MOST LIKELY AT THIS
TIME...ALTHOUGH IFR CEILINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

&&

.IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

SYNOPSIS...MK
NEAR TERM...MK
SHORT TERM...MK
LONG TERM....JAS
AVIATION...JAS

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 30, 2:37 PM EST, 27 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
337 PM EDT FRI MAR 30 2012

INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-311000-
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-
337 PM EDT FRI MAR 30 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON.
THE STORMS WILL BE MOVING OUT OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PARTS OF
CENTRAL INDIANA LATE THIS EVENING.

HAZARDS: FREQUENT LIGHTNING...DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...HEAVY
RAIN AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.

TIMING: THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH 1100 PM EDT.

DISCUSSION: A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA
THIS EVENING...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF
WHICH MAY BE SEVERE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

OUTLOOK: THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY NIGHT. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED AT
THIS TIME...LIGHTNING IS A THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM.

DISCUSSION: A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING A THUNDERSTORM THREAT
TO CENTRAL INDIANA EARLY NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED 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

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 30, 2:54 PM EST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
354 PM EDT FRI MAR 30 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0353 PM     HAIL             PLAINFIELD              39.70N  86.39W
03/30/2012  M0.25 INCH       HENDRICKS          IN   NWS EMPLOYEE

&&

EVENT NUMBER IND1200073

ELB

The radar

The Indianapolis radar (KIND), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:03 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Boone

When: March 30, 3:04 PM EST to 3:06 PM EST
Where: Boone County, 0.28 mi SSE of Advance
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.996, -86.619

Hail, Clinton

When: March 30, 3:40 PM EST to 3:42 PM EST
Where: Clinton County, 1.73 mi WSW of Jefferson
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.270, -86.610

Hail, Parke

When: March 30, 3:41 PM EST to 3:43 PM EST
Where: Parke County, 1.27 mi WSW of Hudnut
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.660, -87.400

Hail, Parke

When: March 30, 3:42 PM EST to 3:44 PM EST
Where: Parke County, 1.74 mi ESE of Nyesville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.770, -87.140

Hail, Sullivan

When: March 30, 3:45 PM EST to 3:47 PM EST
Where: Sullivan County, 0.46 mi E of Fairbanks
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.219, -87.521

Hail, Hamilton

When: March 30, 4:00 PM EST to 4:02 PM EST
Where: Hamilton County, 2.81 mi S of Noblesville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 40.010, -86.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Hendricks

When: March 30, 4:02 PM EST
Where: Hendricks County, 1.27 mi WNW of Danville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.780, -86.550

A thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 60 mph was observed in this location.

Hail, Hendricks

When: March 30, 4:02 PM EST to 4:04 PM EST
Where: Hendricks County, 1.27 mi WNW of Danville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.780, -86.550

Hail, Madison

When: March 30, 4:08 PM EST to 4:10 PM EST
Where: Madison County, Frankton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.220, -85.770

Hail, Hendricks

When: March 30, 4:15 PM EST to 4:17 PM EST
Where: Hendricks County, 2.53 mi NNE of Plainfield
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.734, -86.381

Quarter-sized hail was observed near Dan Jones Road and County Road 200 South.

Hail, Hamilton

When: March 30, 4:21 PM EST to 4:23 PM EST
Where: Hamilton County, 4.87 mi S of Clarksville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 39.960, -85.910

Hail, Delaware

When: March 30, 4:28 PM EST to 4:30 PM EST
Where: Delaware County, Devon Park
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 40.230, -85.430

Hail, Hendricks

When: March 30, 4:33 PM EST to 4:35 PM EST
Where: Hendricks County, 0.53 mi E of Plainfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.700, -86.390

Hail, Hendricks

When: March 30, 4:33 PM EST to 4:35 PM EST
Where: Hendricks County, 0.53 mi E of Plainfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.700, -86.390

Hail, Delaware

When: March 30, 4:35 PM EST to 4:37 PM EST
Where: Delaware County, 0.17 mi SW of Muncie
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.178, -85.403

Hail, Hancock

When: March 30, 4:35 PM EST to 4:40 PM EST
Where: Hancock County, 0.53 mi E of Nashville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.929, -85.660

Quarter-sized hail was observed at the intersection of Nashville Road and County Road 775 East. The hail fell for five minutes.

Hail, Delaware

When: March 30, 4:37 PM EST to 4:39 PM EST
Where: Delaware County, 1.08 mi NNW of Mayfield
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.194, -85.380

Hail, Hancock

When: March 30, 4:40 PM EST to 4:42 PM EST
Where: Hancock County, 2.07 mi N of Warrington
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 39.930, -85.630

Hail, Marion

When: March 30, 4:45 PM EST to 4:47 PM EST
Where: Marion County, 0.96 mi NNE of Glenns Vly
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.664, -86.196

Hail, Marion

When: March 30, 4:45 PM EST to 4:47 PM EST
Where: Marion County, 0.29 mi WNW of Glenns Vly
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 39.651, -86.205

Hail, Johnson

When: March 30, 4:50 PM EST to 4:52 PM EST
Where: Johnson County, 0.53 mi E of Greenwood
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.620, -86.110

Hail, Marion

When: March 30, 4:51 PM EST to 4:53 PM EST
Where: Marion County, 1.61 mi WSW of Sunshine Gardens
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 39.670, -86.248

Thunderstorm Wind, Hancock

When: March 30, 4:57 PM EST
Where: Hancock County, 2.46 mi E of Finly
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.699, -85.774

Power lines were reported down in this location due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.

Hail, Johnson

When: March 30, 4:58 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Johnson County, 2.14 mi SSE of Greenwood
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.590, -86.110

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When: March 30, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Johnson County, 0.87 mi NW of Franklin
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.490, -86.060

Small tree limbs were downed due to strong thunderstorm wind gusts.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: March 30, 5:35 PM EST
Where: Henry County, 0.9 mi SSE of Straughn
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $750
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.809, -85.291

Power lines were reported down along Highway 40 in the town of Straughn, due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.

Flood, Johnson

When: March 30, 5:40 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Johnson County, 0.4 mi W of Franklin to 0.19 mi W of Franklin
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.481, -86.057

Minor street flooding was reported along Jefferson Street due to thunderstorm heavy rainfall.

Flood, Johnson

When: March 30, 5:40 PM EST to 7:30 PM EST
Where: Johnson County, 0.79 mi W of Franklin to 0.73 mi W of Franklin
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 39.481, -86.065

Minor street flooding was reported at the intersection of State Route 44 and Highway 31 due to heavy rainfall.

Hail, Knox

When: March 30, 6:36 PM EST to 6:38 PM EST
Where: Knox County, 2.82 mi N of Vincennes
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.720, -87.510

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Indiana, March 2012

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: 370500, 370501, 370502, 370503, 370504, 370513, 370506, 370507, 370509, 370510, 370512, 370514, 370515, 370516, 370517, 370518, 370519, 370520, 370522, 373531, 370523, 370524, 370525, 370526, 370527, 373548, 370530, 373550, 370528.