A strong upper level system brought strong gradient winds to much of Indiana with the strongest winds generally along and north of Interstate 70. These strong winds caused widespread power outages, damaged buildings, and caused significant tree damage.
Every event with a place to put it; 24 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 upper level system brought strong gradient winds to much of Indiana with the strongest winds generally along and north of Interstate 70. These strong winds caused widespread power outages, damaged buildings, and caused significant tree damage. Over 200 crews were dispatched to return power to Marion County alone. At the peak of the event, at least 70,416 homes were without power.
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 Nov 27, 6:08 AM EST, 22 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 608 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 .UPDATE... The AVIATION Section has been updated below. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 315 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 - Hazardous gusty winds developing today, with gusts up to 60mph in some locations mainly north of I-70. - Cooler air arrives today, lingering into Thanksgiving Day. - Another system arrives Friday into Saturday with more rain. && .NEAR TERM /Today through Tonight/... Issued at 315 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 Early this morning regional radar shows ongoing convection across the area, mainly focused in the southern forecast area and quickly pushing east/northeast. Satellite imagery depicts considerable cloud shield stretching from Southern Manitoba south through the Tennessee Valley, with the coldest cloud tops now departing Central Indiana to the east. The heavier rain has pivoted east of the forecast area with the exception of the aforementioned line of convection, but this area of convection will be outrunning the better instability and should be slowly and steadily weakening as it moves east early this morning. The frontal boundary will be arriving in eastern Illinois later this morning. Temps will peak early this morning, then slowly fall throughout the remainder of the morning approaching the upper 30s around midday with wind chill values falling to the lower/middle 20s. The main focus for today will be on how high wind gusts will become. Isallobaric pressure changes will provide an opportunity for the boundary layer to experience very high winds today. With the mixed layer easily bringing pieces of the core of higher winds to the surface, guidance suggests gusts could easily exceed 45 mph at peak today. The further north across the forecast area and guidance indicates the surface may realize higher speeds, which is where the high wind warning remains in effect, and could see gusts nearing 60 mph at times. Even without the gusty winds, sustained winds will hover in the 25 to 35 mph range. As the day progresses high pressure will begin to introduce some calming to the atmosphere and help stabilize the well mixed lower levels, bringing an end to the higher gusts and expect a quick decoupling to the winds this evening. For tonight with high pressure building in, there should be enough subsidence to dry the lower levels, but the concern is that we could see a shallow moist layer linger. A few guidance members hint that this shallow moist layer could translate into some patchy fog and possibly freezing drizzle. Confidence is not high at this time, so will maintain a dry forecast overnight. Temps tonight will fall into the upper 20s to lower 30s. && .SHORT TERM /Thursday through Friday night/... Issued at 315 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 For the Thanksgiving holiday high pressure will be overhead; however, given the transient flow in the atmosphere, expect the high pressure to quickly push east by afternoon and allow flow to slowly turn southerly in advance of the next shortwave. High pressure is progged to stretch from Ontario Canada south through the Gulf Coast, and the downstream low may help to block or slow the departure to the surface ridge. 500mb heights will be on the rebound as well, helping to keep diffluent flow aloft and likely punt any precip arrival until the weekend. Guidance has been steadily backing off and realizing this scenario, so have trended to a dry Fri morning. The next chance for precip may not arrive until later in the day Fri, and could end up being late Fri ngt. Temps for Thanksgiving Day will be seasonal with highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s, then depending on how quickly high based cirrus shield returns for Thur ngt/Fri, temps may only fall overnight into the mid/upr 30s. && .LONG TERM /Saturday through Tuesday/... Issued at 458 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 Rain is expected across central Indiana on Saturday as a low pressure system moves east out of the Plains. Good forcing and moisture should be available with this system. The cold front will pass on Saturday night, and models are in agreement on a dry slot moving through the area in the wake of the frontal passage. Thus cut PoPs from the NBM for late Saturday night through much of Sunday. Sunday afternoon/evening an upper disturbance will swing southeast through the Great Lakes and bring a chance for rain changing to snow to the area for Sunday night/possibly into Monday morning. The chances will be highest across the northern counties. After that looks like dry weather could move in for a couple days. Temperatures will run below normal starting Sunday night. && .AVIATION /Discussion for 271200z TAF issuance/... Issued at 559 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 Low level wind shear will continue over the next hour or two. Gusty winds will ramp up during that time, and should see gusts of 45 to over 50 kts at the sites today. Winds will generally be out of 230 to 260 through the day, veering to 280 to 320 after 22 to 0z. Wind gust speeds should start to decrease by around 0z and then drop off during the overnight. Ceilings are starting off VFR as the dry slot is moving across central Indiana currently. Within a few hours, though, expect MVFR ceilings to return and overspread from the west and then will continue through the rest of the day and much of the overnight. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 9 PM EST this evening for INZ051>057-060>065- 067>072. High Wind Warning until 9 PM EST this evening for INZ021-028>031- 035>049. && SYNOPSIS...Beach NEAR TERM...Beach SHORT TERM...Beach LONG TERM....CP AVIATION...CP
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 501 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 INZ021-028>031-035>049-281015- Carroll-Warren-Tippecanoe-Clinton-Howard-Fountain-Montgomery-Boone- Tipton-Hamilton-Madison-Delaware-Randolph-Vermillion-Parke-Putnam- Hendricks-Marion-Hancock-Henry- Including the cities of Delphi, Flora, Williamsport, West Lebanon, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Frankfort, Kokomo, Attica, Covington, Veedersburg, Crawfordsville, Lebanon, Zionsville, Tipton, Fishers, Carmel, Noblesville, Anderson, Muncie, Winchester, Clinton, Newport, Rockville, Greencastle, Plainfield, Brownsburg, Danville, Indianapolis, Greenfield, Cumberland, and New Castle 501 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 9 PM EST TODAY... This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Outlook: Gusty winds today. Hazards: Peak wind gusts up to 60 mph are possible today. Discussion: The strong low pressure system will bring the potential for strong winds today with the best chance for strongest winds during the morning and early afternoon hours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Outlook: Locally heavy rain is possible on Saturday. Discussion: Another system will bring more rain late this week into the weekend, and locally heavy rain is possible. Rain may mix with snow at times early Friday and again late on Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report wind gusts and any damage. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind INZ051>057-060>065-067>072-281015- Vigo-Clay-Owen-Morgan-Johnson-Shelby-Rush-Sullivan-Greene-Monroe- Brown-Bartholomew-Decatur-Knox-Daviess-Martin-Lawrence-Jackson- Jennings- Including the cities of Terre Haute, Brazil, Clay City, Spencer, Martinsville, Mooresville, Greenwood, Franklin, Shelbyville, Rushville, Sullivan, Linton, Bloomfield, Bloomington, Nashville, Columbus, Greensburg, Vincennes, Washington, Loogootee, Shoals, Bedford, Mitchell, Seymour, Brownstown, and North Vernon 501 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 9 PM EST TODAY... This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Outlook: Gusty winds today. Hazards: Peak wind gusts up to 55 mph are possible today. Discussion: The strong low pressure system will bring the potential for strong winds today with the best chance for strongest winds during the morning and early afternoon hours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Outlook: Locally heavy rain is possible on Saturday. Discussion: Another system will bring more rain late this week into the weekend, and locally heavy rain is possible. Rain may mix with snow at times early Friday and again late on Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report wind gusts and any damage. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind Beachler
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
339 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019
INZ052-053-060-061-067-068-270915-
Daviess IN-Knox IN-Owen IN-Clay IN-Greene IN-Sullivan IN-
339 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN SULLIVAN...
NORTHEASTERN KNOX...SOUTHWESTERN CLAY...SOUTHERN OWEN...GREENE AND
NORTHERN DAVIESS COUNTIES UNTIL 415 AM EST...
At 339 AM EST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 15 miles north of Linton to near Russellville.
Movement was northeast at 50 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Vincennes, Linton, Bloomfield, Spencer, Bicknell, Jasonville,
Worthington, Odon, Dugger, Clay City, Lyons, Carlisle, Elnora,
Oaktown, Bruceville, Plainville, Sandborn, Edwardsport, Switz City
and Newberry.
LAT...LON 3869 8753 3874 8750 3877 8750 3877 8751
3878 8749 3882 8753 3885 8754 3932 8714
3934 8669 3922 8668 3869 8706 3867 8757
TIME...MOT...LOC 0839Z 247DEG 43KT 3926 8712 3875 8757
CPSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
405 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019
INZ046-047-053>055-062-063-270945-
Johnson IN-Owen IN-Brown IN-Morgan IN-Hendricks IN-Monroe IN-
Marion IN-
405 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN MONROE...MORGAN...
NORTHWESTERN BROWN...WESTERN JOHNSON...SOUTHEASTERN HENDRICKS...
EASTERN OWEN AND SOUTHERN MARION COUNTIES UNTIL 445 AM EST...
At 405 AM EST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 6 miles southwest of Plainfield to 6 miles
northeast of Spencer. Movement was east at 40 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Indianapolis, Greenwood, Plainfield, Beech Grove, Martinsville,
Mooresville, Spencer, Southport, Ellettsville, New Whiteland,
Cumberland, Whiteland, Bargersville, Brooklyn, Warren Park, Monrovia,
Morgantown, Clayton, Gosport and Homecroft.
LAT...LON 3947 8672 3947 8669 3951 8669 3969 8655
3981 8595 3923 8629 3923 8690
TIME...MOT...LOC 0905Z 257DEG 34KT 3965 8650 3935 8668
CPSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
446 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019
INZ055>057-063>065-271030-
Rush IN-Johnson IN-Brown IN-Decatur IN-Bartholomew IN-Shelby IN-
446 AM EST Wed Nov 27 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SHELBY...WESTERN RUSH...
NORTHWESTERN DECATUR...BROWN...EASTERN JOHNSON AND BARTHOLOMEW
COUNTIES UNTIL 530 AM EST...
At 446 AM EST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 8 miles east of Greenwood to 11 miles southeast
of Bloomington. Movement was east at 45 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Columbus, Shelbyville, Franklin, Rushville, Nashville, Edinburgh,
Whiteland, Hope, Flat Rock, Princes Lakes, Geneva, Morristown,
Trafalgar, St. Paul, Carthage, Elizabethtown, Hartsville, Fairland,
Clifford and Peoga.
LAT...LON 3909 8581 3905 8637 3912 8637 3964 8601
3964 8595 3968 8595 3970 8582 3970 8563
3973 8563 3978 8533
TIME...MOT...LOC 0946Z 253DEG 41KT 3963 8595 3906 8637
CPThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
24 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 58 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the KLAF ASOS.
A 60 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the KTYQ AWOS.
Pictures received via social media of several large trees that were downed due to strong non-thunderstorm wind gusts. Numerous power outages were caused due to downed power poles.
A fence was partially destroyed due to strong non-thunderstorm winds. A large tree fell on two vehicles and an outbuilding near Chesterfield.
Much of the town of Greencastle was briefly without power due to strong non-thunderstorm wind gusts downing numerous power poles and tree limbs across town.
A 60 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the KIND ASOS.
A gas station canopy was destroyed due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts near Beech Grove. At least 37,548 homes were without power at one point with over 60,000 estimated during the whole event. Indianapolis Power and Light had over 200 crews out during the event. Several fires were started due to downed live power lines which had to be put out.
Numerous small to large tree limbs downed due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts across the county. At least 636 homes were without power at one point.
Numerous tree limbs were knocked down across the county due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts. At least 812 homes were without power at one point during the event.
Numerous medium to large tree limbs downed across the county due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
Numerous medium tree limbs and power poles downed across the county due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A 62 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the KCFJ AWOS.
Several large tree limbs knocked down due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts near Pine Village. An unknown number of homes were also without power during this time.
A 68 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was reported by a public automated weather station southeast of Frankfort.
Power outages due to power poles being downed by non-thunderstorm wind gusts. At least 10 poles were knocked down with more than 500 homes without power at one point.
Several trees uprooted with numerous smaller tree limbs downed due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
A Semi Trailer was blown over due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts on Interstate 65 south of the Franklin exit.
Tree limbs downed due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts across the county led to numerous power outages.
Shingles were blown off of a roof due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts near Albany.
Several trees were uprooted and a roof was blown off due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts near Cortland.
Several tree limbs were snapped due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts near Fortville. At least 1500 homes were without power with numerous power poles broken.
A 60 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured by a personal automated weather station in rural east Fountain County.
Numerous power poles were downed due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts across the county.
A 62 MPH non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the KMIE ASOS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, November 2019
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: 859330, 859331, 859335, 859336, 859469, 859339, 859363, 859459, 859461, 859462, 859463, 859342, 859465, 859375, 859464, 859466, 859360, 859468, 859361, 859362, 859378, 859387, 859364, 859365.