An area of low pressure brought heavy, wet snow to southeast portions of central Indiana. The heaviest of the snow fell across portions of Lawrence and Decatur counties.
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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 brought heavy, wet snow to southeast portions of central Indiana. The heaviest of the snow fell across portions of Lawrence and Decatur counties.
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 20, 2:53 PM EST, 2 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 353 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 .UPDATE... The SYNOPSIS...NEAR TERM and SHORT TERM Sections have been updated below. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 254 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 A rather active forecast period is expected across central Indiana over the next several days. First, an upper low will generate accumulating snow across the eastern third of central Indiana tonight/tomorrow morning. Then a weak disturbance could produce a light wintry mix from Thursday night into Friday. After that, a more potent system will bring higher chances of rain, snow, and a combo of the two early in the weekend. Light snow accumulations will be possible with this system. After a bit of a lull over most of the forecast area on Sunday, the effects of a very broad upper low over the central U.S. will start impacting the forecast area late in the extended period. && .NEAR TERM /Tonight/... Issued at 254 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 The main focus of the near term period will be snow total across the eastern and southern counties with low pressure system. Forecast models continue to have an upper low rotating through Kentucky tonight and then continuing east/northeast toward New England. The initial forecast issuance on this event targeted the east/southeastern portions of central Indiana, and this continues to be the trend with a few additional counties added westward. However, latest QPF and snow amounts have come in higher over the southeasternmost counties. This matches well with a deformation band set up to track along the Indiana/Kentucky border tonight and a weak trowal. As a result, will go with a winter storm warning for the following counties: Jackson, Jennings, Bartholomew, Decatur, and Rush. Even though most areas will end up on the low side of the warning criteria, this is an event where very localized areas could see up to 6 inches of snow accumulation dependent on where that deformation band sets up. Current radar mosaic shows precipitation filtering into the southern and eastern portions of central Indiana, but it will be in the form of a wintry mix through the evening hours. The main time frame of impact will fall between 800 PM EDT through 4 AM EDT tonight when temperatures really start to drop and the main band comes through the area. As a result, this will result in a poor morning commute on Wednesday morning. Generally relied on the blended initialization for temperatures during the period. However, did trend toward the NAM for QPF and snow amounts tonight since it correlated best with deformation band track and trowal set up. && .SHORT TERM /Tomorrow through Friday/... Issued at 254 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 The main focus of the short term period will be lingering snow chances tomorrow morning and additional winter precipitation from Thursday night into Friday. Snow rates will rapidly diminish from west to east by mid-morning tomorrow as aforementioned upper low tracks farther east. So, only expect up to an additional inch at most during the Wed 12-18Z hours over the far eastern counties. At that point, the upper low will be well into Virginia, and high pressure will become the predominant weather feature over central Indiana. Nonetheless, there will be low chances for rain and a wintry mix as temperatures fall Thursday night over the southwest corner of central Indiana due to a strong upper level jet. This is a low to moderate confidence forecast though, and no snow accumulations are expected. Meanwhile, temperatures through the period will generally be below normal with highs generally in the 40s and lows in the 20s and 30s. No changes were made to blended initialization. && .LONG TERM /Friday Night through Tuesday/... Issued at 148 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 Active weather pattern will continue this weekend and early next week as several systems flow across the Ohio valley. The ECMWF suggests a warm front and associated low pressure system push across southern Indiana on Late Friday into Saturday...as the broad troughy pattern aloft across the eastern parts of the Unites States continues. As the low pressure system departs on Saturday night...Subsidence...ridging aloft and High pressure looks to arrive across the area fro Sunday and Monday. Surface flow looks to remain from the northeast...thus cool...continental air will remain across Indiana...providing below normal temperatures. Another chance for precipitation will be expected on Monday Night into Tuesday as a warm front arrives from the southwest. && .AVIATION /Discussion for the 201800Z Tafs/... Issued at 108 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 VFR Conditions are expected for much of this afternoon. A deterioration to MVFR or worse will be possible after 00Z at IND and BMG. An upper level low pressure system is expected to settle across Ohio Tonight. This Low will wrap moisture across Central Indiana...with precipitation across mainly the eastern 1/2 of the state...impacting our IND and BMG Taf sites. Time heights and forecast soundings show best moisture arriving during the evening and overnight hours as the GFS shows an inverted trough axis pivoting across eastern Indiana from NE to SW. Thus precip chances have been included in the IND and BMG Tafs...but due to a sharp cut-off with moisture...just VFR Clouds will be expected at LAF and HUF. MVFR Clouds will persist in the wake of the upper low on Wednesday morning as time heights shows lingering lower level moisture. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 2 PM EDT Wednesday for INZ041-042-048-049-055-056-062-063-069-070. Winter Storm Warning from 8 PM this evening to 2 PM EDT Wednesday for INZ057-064-065-071-072. && SYNOPSIS...TDUD NEAR TERM...TDUD SHORT TERM...TDUD LONG TERM....Puma AVIATION...JP
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 444 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 INZ021-028-029-035-036-043-044-051-212045- Carroll-Warren-Tippecanoe-Fountain-Montgomery-Vermillion-Parke-Vigo- Including the cities of Lafayette, Crawfordsville, and Terre Haute 444 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Outlook: Rain and snow showers. Little to no snow accumulation tonight. Discussion: A low pressure system will bring rain and snow showers. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Outlook: Light accumulations of snow are possible Friday night into Saturday morning. Discussion: A low pressure system will bring additional chances for accumulating snow this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Winter weather spotters are encouraged to send in snow amounts. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind INZ040>042-048-049-055-056-062-063-069-070-212045- Madison-Delaware-Randolph-Hancock-Henry-Johnson-Shelby-Monroe-Brown- Martin-Lawrence- Including the cities of Anderson, Muncie, Shelbyville, Bloomington, and Bedford 444 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Outlook: 2 to 4 inches of snow accumulation tonight. Hazards: Slick and snow covered roads. Reduced visibility in blowing snow. Timing: Heaviest snow from 8 pm EDT to 4 am EDT tonight. Discussion: An upper low will bring snow tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Outlook: Accumulating snow is possible through Wednesday morning. Light accumulating snow is also possible this weekend and early next week. Discussion: A low pressure system will move through the Ohio Valley through tomorrow morning. This will bring accumulating snow to the area Wednesday and there will be additional chances for accumulating snow this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Winter weather spotters are encouraged to send in snow amounts. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind INZ057-064-065-071-072-212045- Rush-Bartholomew-Decatur-Jackson-Jennings- Including the cities of Columbus and Seymour 444 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Outlook: 4 to 6 inches of snow accumulation tonight. Hazards: Slick and snow covered roads. Reduced visibility in blowing snow. Timing: Snow heaviest during 8 pm EDT to 4 am EDT tonight. Discussion: An upper low will bring accumulating snow tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Outlook: Accumulating snow is possible through Wednesday morning. Light accumulating snow is also possible this weekend and early next week. Discussion: A low pressure system will move through the Ohio Valley through tomorrow morning. This will bring accumulating snow to the area Wednesday morning and there will be additional chances for accumulating snow this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Winter weather spotters are encouraged to send in snow amounts. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind INZ030-031-037>039-045>047-052>054-060-061-067-068-212045- Clinton-Howard-Boone-Tipton-Hamilton-Putnam-Hendricks-Marion-Clay- Owen-Morgan-Sullivan-Greene-Knox-Daviess- Including the cities of Frankfort, Kokomo, Indianapolis, and Vincennes 444 PM EDT Tue Mar 20 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Outlook: 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulation tonight. Hazards: Slippery and snow covered roads. Reduced visibility in blowing snow. Timing: Best chances from 6 pm EDT to 2 am EDT tonight. Discussion: An upper low will bring snow tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Outlook: Light accumulations of snow are possible Friday night into Saturday morning. Discussion: There will be additional chances for accumulating snow this weekend when another low pressure system moves through central Indiana. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Winter weather spotters are encouraged to send in snow amounts. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
CBS4 relayed a snow amount of 6.0 inches in the Greensburg area. No other impacts were reported.
A CoCoRaHS report of 7.4 inches of snow was reported four miles east of Mitchell. Additionally, a CoCoRaHS report of 6.8 inches of snow was reported five miles northeast of Mitchell. No other impacts were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, March 2018
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: 761478, 761486.