During the afternoon hours of May 23rd, thunderstorms moved across portions of central Indiana. Most of the storms remained subsevere, but a few stronger storms brought periods of large hail and damaging winds to the area.
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.
During the afternoon hours of May 23rd, thunderstorms moved across portions of central Indiana. Most of the storms remained subsevere, but a few stronger storms brought periods of large hail and damaging winds to the area.
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 May 23, 11:45 AM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 1245 PM EDT Sat May 23 2020 .UPDATE... The Aviation section has been updated below. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 200 AM EDT Sat May 23 2020 High pressure strengthening over the southeastern United States will result in a very warm and humid air mass arriving in Central Indiana this weekend and for the start of the next work week. This in combination with a passing upper level disturbance may lead to some showers and thunderstorms across Central Indiana this afternoon and evening. More showers and thunderstorms will be possible on Sunday and Monday afternoon and evening as daily afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms will be possible. The warm and humid weather is expected to persist into the next work week with above normal temperatures and continued chances for showers and thunderstorms each day. && .NEAR TERM /Today/... Issued at 200 AM EDT Sat May 23 2020 Surface analysis early this morning shows a dry warm front across central Illinois and SW Indiana...pushing northeast within the flow aloft. Easterly surface flow was in place across Central Indiana...but southerly flow was found in the wake of the warm front. GOES16 shows some mid and high clouds ahead of the front. Strong convection was found across TX and OK. The models suggest the warm front will surge northward across the forecast area this morning...placing Central Indiana within the warm sector along with warm and humid southerly flow. Dew points in the low to middle 60s look to be in place in the wake of the front...and we will expect these to advect to Central Indiana this afternoon resulting in warm and humid conditions. Forecast soundings today show steep lapse rates this afternoon favorable for convection. Convective temps look to be attained quite easily within the warm air mass and CAPE values to to surge over 2000 J/KG with pwats over 1.3 inches. Further aiding convection possibilities...the models suggest a short wave moving through the Great lakes and parts of Indiana aloft this afternoon and evening about the same time as max heating. HRRR suggests sct convection across this afternoon and evening. Thus will trend pops at or above the NBM this afternoon. Given the very warm air mass expected will also trend highs at or above the NBM also. && .SHORT TERM /Tonight through Monday Night/... Issued at 200 AM EDT Sat May 23 2020 Through Monday night the models continue to suggest a strong trough in place across the Rockies and western plain states. This highly amplified pattern aloft is result in strong ridging across the east coast and a resultant...warm...humid...southerly flow to Central Indiana. In response to the strong ridging in place aloft...strong high pressure sets up over the southeastern United states...creating a warm and moist gulf of mexico flow of air to the Ohio Valley. 850mb temps look to rise to the to around 14-15C and remain steady through Monday Night as there appears to be little change in the airmass. The models suggest some weak waves arriving within the southerly flow aloft that could produce some upper support...however confidence in these features is low. More confidence for daily showers and storms is present due to the details suggested within the forecast soundings each afternoon and evening. The forecast soundings show steep lapse rates each day...favorable for diurnal convection along with CAPE on Sunday and Monday afternoons near 3000 J/KG and 2500 J/KG respectively as pwats remain quite moist. Given the very warm and humid air mass in place along with plentiful late May sunshine...will trend temperatures at or above NBM. && .LONG TERM /Tuesday through Saturday/... Issued at 314 AM EDT Sat May 23 2020 The overall pattern during the long term continues to look a bit bizarre for the time of year, but will result in an open gulf and a prolonged southerly flow of warm, moist air, as an upper low slowly closes off over the plains and the remnants of our old upper low drift off in the Atlantic, with an upper ridge between them centered over the east coast. The prevailing westerlies and any significant synoptic support for convection will be displaced well to the north until very late in the period, which will likely lend a significant diurnal component to shower and thunderstorm chances. Blend captures this somewhat, maximizing pops in the afternoons and evenings, but may be overdone late nights and into the morning hours at times. These details will likely come into better focus as they move into the shorter term periods of the forecast. Blend was in the ballpark and required only minor adjustments. && .AVIATION /Discussion for the 23/18Z TAF Issuance/... Issued at 1245 PM EDT Sat May 23 2020 GFS LAMP and SREF lend high confidence in VFR conditions away from convection. High Resolution Rapid Refresh suggest scattered thunderstorms will move over central Indiana 18z-24z. Confidence in timing for each terminal is low to moderate though, so will keep VCTS going through 00z unless last minute radar data improves confidence enough for tempo groups. Winds will be from the south around 10 knots and then switch to southwest less than 10 knots after 09z Sunday. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...Puma NEAR TERM...Puma SHORT TERM...Puma LONG TERM...Nield AVIATION...MK
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 336 AM EDT Sat May 23 2020 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-240745- 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- 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, New Castle, 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 336 AM EDT Sat May 23 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Outlook: There is a MARGINAL RISK for severe thunderstorms across much of Central Indiana this afternoon and evening. Hazards: Large Hail...Damaging Winds...Lightning. Timing: after 2 pm. Discussion: An upper level weather disturbance along with a warm and humid air mass across Central Indiana may result in scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Outlook: Thunderstorms are possible Sunday through Friday. Discussion: A warm and humid air mass will arrive over Central Indiana this weekend. Afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms are possible Sunday through Friday. It is too soon to determine if the storms will be severe. Lightning is a threat from any thunderstorm. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is possible this afternoon. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind Puma
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
1239 PM EDT Sat May 23 2020
INZ044-051-052-231730-
Clay IN-Parke IN-Vigo IN-
1239 PM EDT Sat May 23 2020
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...
At 1239 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Dennison, or near Marshall, moving northeast at 30 mph.
Half inch hail will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Terre Haute, Brazil, West Terre Haute, Prairieton, Seelyville,
Knightsville, Rosedale, Harmony, Staunton, Carbon, Fontanet,
Shepardsville, Lena, Bridgeton, North Terre Haute, Indiana State
University and Sandford.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3958 8753 3961 8748 3961 8738 3965 8739
3980 8712 3965 8701 3954 8701 3933 8751
3936 8753
TIME...MOT...LOC 1639Z 238DEG 28KT 3944 8760
MKThe Indianapolis radar (KIND), 5 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:08 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Large tree uprooted due to thunderstorm wind gusts.
Emergency manager reported several trees uprooted due to thunderstorm wind gusts around the town of Arlington.
Several trees uprooted at this location due to thunderstorm wind gusts.
Several trees uprooted due to thunderstorm wind gusts near Columbus East High School.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, May 2020
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: 882605, 882602, 882606, 882609, 882603, 882608.