A strong area of low pressure brought strong winds to central Indiana during April 2. Winds of over 60 mph were recorded in some areas, with many trees and power lines down throughout the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 28 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 strong area of low pressure brought strong winds to central Indiana during April 2. Winds of over 60 mph were recorded in some areas, with many trees and power lines down throughout the area. In addition, cold air with the system brought up to an inch of snow to parts of the northern half of central Indiana.
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 2, 12:50 PM EST, 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 150 PM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 .UPDATE... THE LONG TERM SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED BELOW && .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 131 PM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 CHANGEABLE WEATHER IS EXPECTED THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS SEVERAL QUICK MOVING WEATHER SYSTEMS PASS ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. AS A COLD FRONT DEPARTS CENTRAL INDIANA THIS EVENING...DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED AS A COLD HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BUILDS ACROSS INDIANA. THE HIGH WILL PROVIDE DRY WEATHER FOR SUNDAY...HOWEVER IT WILL QUICKLY DEPART AS A SMALL BUT FAST MOVING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ARRIVES FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. THIS WILL BRING CHANCES FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN ON SUNDAY NIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE IS THEN EXPECTED TO BUILD ACROSS INDIANA AND THE GREAT LAKES ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY...PROVIDING DRY BUT COOL WEATHER. MORE RAIN CHANCES WILL RETURN MID WEEK AS ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM ARRIVES. && .NEAR TERM /OVERNIGHT/... ISSUED AT 131 PM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 SURFACE ANALYSIS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS LOW PRESSURE OVER LOWER MICHIGAN AND LAKE MICHIGAN WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING SOUTHWEST ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. A STRONG CYCLONIC PRESSURE GRADIENT WAS IN PLACE...RESULTING IN GUSTY WINDS ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. RADAR SHOWS SOME AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...PIVOTING AROUND THE LOW TO THE NORTH. ALOFT A SHORT WAVE TROUGH WAS IN PLACE OVER MICHIGAN...QUICKLY EXITING TO THE EAST. MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE TONIGHT WILL TEMPS. GFS AND NAM BOTH SUGGEST ALL OF THE FORCING AND THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEPART TO THE EAST AS RIDGING AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS FROM THE WEST. TIME HEIGHTS SHOW A DRY COLUMN WITH SUBSIDENCE AS THESE FEATURES ARRIVE THIS EVENING. THUS WILL TREND TOWARD A CLEAR SKY. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION IS EXPECTED ALSO WITH 850MB TEMPS FALLING TO NEAR -10C BY 06Z. WITH CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS...GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. DEWPOINTS IN THE TEENS ARE PRESENT UPSTREAM...THUS LOW FALLING BELOW FREEZING TONIGHT WILL BE A SLAM DUNK. ONGOING FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN GOOD SHAPE. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... ISSUED AT 131 PM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 MODELS AGREES THAT THE THE SURFACE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL QUICKLY DEPART ON SUNDAY AS STRONG WARM AIR ADVECTION OCCURS THROUGH THE DAY. A VERY DRY AIR MASS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...AS DEW POINTS WILL STRUGGLE TO CLIMB TOWARD 30 DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY. TIME HEIGHTS AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS REMAIN DRY...AND CONVECTIVE TEMPS ARE UNATTAINABLE IN THE 80S. THUS A MOSTLY SUNNY SKY AND WARM DAY WILL BE EXPECTED. AFTER A COLD START...WILL USE A BLEND ON TEMPS. GFS AND NAM THEN SUGGEST A QUICK MOVING SHORT WAVE AND ASSOCIATED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SWEEPING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES AND NRN INDIANA SUNDAY NIGHT. LOWER LEVEL Q VECTORS SUGGEST EXCELLENT CONVERGENCE. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW GOOD SATURATION ALOFT...BUT A DRY LAYER IN THE LOWER LEVELS. GFS 259K ISENTROPIC SURFACE SHOWS A SURGE IN SPECIFIC HUMIDITIES AND LIFT NEAR 06Z. SPECIFIC HUMIDITIES NEAR 4-5 G/KG. THUS MOISTURE IS A BIT SUSPECT AHEAD OF THIS QUICK MOVING SYSTEM. SO GIVEN THE FORCING WILL INCLUDE SOME LOW CHC POPS ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOR LIGHT PRECIP AMOUNTS. DRY WEATHER WILL BE EXPECTED ON MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS ACROSS THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW DRYING WITH SUBSIDENCE AND UNATTAINABLE CONVECTIVE TEMPS. WILL STICK CLOSE ON A BLEND OF TEMPS ON MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...BUT TREND WARMER ON TUESDAY AS RETURN FLOW AROUND THE HIGH IS EXPECTED AS THE HIGH PRESSURE DEPARTS TO THE EAST. FINALLY, EXPECT INCREASING CLOUD COVER ON LATE TUESDAY AMID THE WAA FLOW ALOFT AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING SATURATION WELL ALOFT. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... ISSUED AT 150 PM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 THE INITIALIZATION FROM THE REGIONAL SOFTWARE WILL BE USED WITH MODERATE TO HIGH CONFIDENCE. VARIOUS DETERMINISTIC GUIDANCE IS FAIRLY CLOSE. HOWEVER UNTIL FRIDAY THE DOMINANT FACTOR IN INDIANA WEATHER WILL BE SLOW MOVING LOW PRESSURE. RELATIVELY MODEST ERRORS IN PLACING THIS COULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE SENSIBLE WEATHER...LIMITING FORECAST CONFIDENCE. CONFIDENCE IS HIGHER SATURDAY THAN EARLIER. THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTROL INDIANA WEATHER. EVEN IF THE PREDICTED POSITION OF THE HIGH IS OFF A LITTLE...IT WONT MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE TO THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION /DISCUSSION FOR 021800Z TAF ISSUANCE/... ISSUED AT 1238 PM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS SUSTAINED AT 25-30 KNOTS AND GUSTING TO 45 KNOTS WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY STARTING AROUND SUNSET. BY 06Z SPEEDS SHOULD BE LESS THAN 10 KNOTS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SOUTHWEST AND INCREASE RAPIDLY AGAIN SUNDAY MORNING AS LOW PRESSURE PASSES TO THE NORTH. BY AFTERNOON SUSTAINED SPEEDS SHOULD BE 20 KNOTS AND GUSTS 35 KNOTS. BROKEN CLOUDS AROUND 5 THOUSAND FEET AND WIDELY SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS WILL GIVE WAY TO CLEAR SKIES WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. CLEAR WEATHER WILL THEN CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZE WARNING FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR INZ036-037- 039>049-051>057-060>065-067>072. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR INZ021-028>031- 035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072. && SYNOPSIS...PUMA NEAR TERM...PUMA SHORT TERM...PUMA LONG TERM....JK AVIATION...JK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 446 AM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 INZ036-037-039>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-030900- MONTGOMERY-BOONE-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...CRAWFORDSVILLE...ANDERSON...MUNCIE... INDIANAPOLIS...TERRE HAUTE...SHELBYVILLE...BLOOMINGTON...COLUMBUS... VINCENNES...BEDFORD...SEYMOUR 446 AM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. FREEZING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. HAZARDS: WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL DIP TO THE MIDDLE 20S TO AROUND 30. TIMING: WIND GUSTS 10 AM TO 8 PM. TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING 3 AM TO 9 AM SUNDAY MORNING. DISCUSSION: A STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SWING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES TODAY. THIS WILL DRAG A COLD FRONT THROUGH CENTRAL INDIANA. STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL MIX DOWN FOR A VERY WINDY DAY...AND THE COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT ALONG WITH CLEARING SKIES AND WINDS DROPPING OFF LATE TONIGHT WILL LEAD TO FREEZING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. OUTLOOK: BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLY AGAIN LATE MONDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR MIXED PRECIPITATION THURSDAY NIGHT. DISCUSSION: A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME BUT LIGHTNING IS A THREAT WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. ANOTHER UPPER SYSTEM WILL DIG SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES THURSDAY NIGHT AND BRING A CHANCE OF MIXED PRECIPITATION TO THE AREA. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS NOT EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY WIND DAMAGE TODAY. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) INZ021-028>031-035-038-030900- CARROLL-WARREN-TIPPECANOE-CLINTON-HOWARD-FOUNTAIN-TIPTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAFAYETTE...FRANKFORT...KOKOMO 446 AM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. OUTLOOK: WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. HAZARDS: WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH. TIMING: 10 AM TO 8 PM. DISCUSSION: A STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SWING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES TODAY. THIS WILL DRAG A COLD FRONT THROUGH CENTRAL INDIANA. STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL MIX DOWN FOR A VERY WINDY DAY...AND THE COLD AIR BEHIND THE FRONT ALONG WITH CLEARING SKIES AND WINDS DROPPING OFF LATE TONIGHT WILL LEAD TO FREEZING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. OUTLOOK: BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLY AGAIN LATE MONDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR MIXED PRECIPITATION THURSDAY NIGHT. DISCUSSION: A FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME BUT LIGHTNING IS A THREAT WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. ANOTHER UPPER SYSTEM WILL DIG SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES THURSDAY NIGHT AND BRING A CHANCE OF MIXED PRECIPITATION TO THE AREA. ACCUMULATING SNOW IS NOT EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY WIND DAMAGE TODAY. && MORE INFORMATION...ALONG WITH OTHER WEATHER...HYDROLOGICAL AND CLIMATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/IND (ALL LOWERCASE) CP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 957 AM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 INZ021-028>031-035-038-022200- CARROLL-WARREN-TIPPECANOE-CLINTON-HOWARD-FOUNTAIN-TIPTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAFAYETTE...FRANKFORT...KOKOMO 957 AM EDT SAT APR 2 2016 ...CHILLY OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TONIGHT AND DURING THE NEXT WEEK... LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT...AND AT TIMES DURING THE NEXT WEEK TO 10 DAYS...ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 20S AT TIMES. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON SOME DAYS WILL LIKELY REMAIN IN THE 40S. WHILE THE GROWING SEASON HAS BEEN LIMITED SO FAR ACROSS MOST OF THE NORTHERN WABASH VALLEY...THE MARCH DAYS THAT DID SEE WARM TEMPERATURES ABOVE 60 DEGREES LIKELY HAVE HELPED BEGIN THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF SOME PLANTS AND BUDS ON TREES THAT COULD BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 20S. IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE PLANTS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED EARLY OR ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES...YOU SHOULD MONITOR THE FORECAST THROUGH THE FIRST SEVEN TO TEN DAYS OF APRIL AND BE PREPARED TO CARE FOR SENSITIVE VEGETATION. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE INPUT ON THE STATE OF YOUR VEGETATION AND RISK TO DAMAGE FROM FROST OR FREEZING TEMPERATURES...PLEASE VISIT THE VEGETATION IMPACT PROGRAM WEBSITE AND SUBMIT YOUR INFORMATION AT WWW.MRCC.ISWS.ILLINOIS.EDU AND CLICK ON THE VIP LINK.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
28 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 62 mph high wind gust was measured at the Purdue University Airport.
A 65 mph high wind gust was measured 2 miles west southwest of New Castle.
Trees were downed, blocking State Route 71, by non-thunderstorm wind gusts. Siding was also blown off the Post Office in Blanton.
A 58 mph high wind gust was measured at the Kokomo Municipal Airport.
Trees were snapped or uprooted with power outages due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts. Tree limbs and power lines were also downed in Lebanon.
An estimated 65 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was observed 2 miles northeast of Beech Grove.
A 14-inch diameter spruce tree was uprooted due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts. A downspout was also torn from a house.
A 58 mph high wind gust was measured at the Indianapolis International Airport.
A mature pine tree was blown down due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A measured 71 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was observed 2 miles northwest of Straughn.
A 60 mph high wind gust was measured at the Eagle Creek Airpark Airport.
A large tree was downed on Hague Road between 106th and 116th Streets due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A pear tree was blown down due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A tree fell onto utility lines 2 miles northwest of Bruceville due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A large plaza sign was blown down in Frankfort due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A 60 mph high wind gust was measured 2 miles northwest of Crows Nest.
A measured 59 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was observed near Seymour.
A tree was blown on to a roadway 2 miles northeast of Bicknell due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A measured 59 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was observed 3 miles northwest of Muncie.
A 63 mph high wind gust was measured 4 miles east southeast of Bloomington.
A tree was snapped off about halfway up in Muncie due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A street light was blown down in Michigantown due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A 58 mph high wind gust was measured at the Columbus Municipal Airport.
A measured 63 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was observed near Columbus.
A 59 mph high wind gust was measured at the Shelbyville Municipal Airport.
Numerous utility lines, power poles, and trees were downed throughout the county due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts. Several roads are closed due to lines or trees on roads. Two buildings were damaged by fallen trees. Approximately 8000 homes were without power.
A pine tree was downed 1 mile northeast of Camby due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A Bradford Pear was snapped in half 2 miles south of Camby due to damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, April 2016
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: 631471, 631454, 632948, 631481, 632956, 632957, 632963, 631479, 632964, 632958, 631477, 632968, 632969, 632970, 632971, 631475, 632959, 632972, 632960, 631467, 632973, 632974, 631458, 632961, 631478, 632975, 632976, 632977.