Widespread snow arrived to central Indiana during the overnight hours from February 14th into the 15th. Snow would be heaviest during the afternoon and evening hours on the 15th with gradual improvement during the morning hours.
Every event with a place to put it; 39 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.
Widespread snow arrived to central Indiana during the overnight hours from February 14th into the 15th. Snow would be heaviest during the afternoon and evening hours on the 15th with gradual improvement during the morning hours. A widespread swath of 7-12 inches fell across most of central Indiana. Indiana State Police responded to 117 crashes and 103 slide-offs across the Indianapolis district with 382 crashes and 474 slide offs statewide. At the peak of the event, 28 of 39 counties were in the most severe level of travel status with numerous local and county disaster declarations already issued.
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 Feb 14, 6:44 PM EST, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 644 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 .UPDATE... The AVIATION Section has been updated below. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 248 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 Snow will move in late this evening and into the overnight hours with more significant snow arriving tomorrow and tomorrow night. A brief break in precipitation for Wednesday before the next wintry round arrives Wednesday night. Slightly warmer weather returns this weekend. && .NEAR TERM /Tonight/... Issued at 248 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 Chances for snow begin to increase late this evening with widespread snow arriving during the overnight hours as deep moisture advects into a very cold air mass. A decaying upper level wave will be passing over the area tonight bringing this area of widespread light to moderate snow. Low level dynamics are fairly minimal with this system, but model guidance shows an area of lift aloft between 06 and 12Z. A warm nose aloft will be maximized at around 700mb with temperatures around -5 degrees with a nearly saturated column all the way up to the tropopause. This should help lead to a thick cloud deck with plenty of ice growth within the dendritic growth zone, although the best lift being associated outside that favored ice growth region. This combined with the frigid surface temperatures will allow for high snow ratios of 13-16:1 which should lead to widespread light snow accumulations. Overall expectations are for amounts of 1.5-2.5 inches tonight with additional snow continuing into the daytime hours tomorrow. In addition to the snow, wind chills will again drop below zero for much of central Indiana with some areas in west central Indiana dropping below -10. Will focus on the snow headlines rather than consider a new Wind Chill Advisory for tonight, although will mention it in other products. && .SHORT TERM /Tomorrow and Tomorrow night/... Issued at 248 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 The upper level trough and associated surface low pressure system that is currently bringing hazardous winter conditions to the Southern Plains will be tracking to the northeast through the day tomorrow with initial impacts of the system arriving by the morning hours tomorrow. 12Z model guidance has come much closer in line, although much different than where we stood yesterday. The synoptic low looks to begin to close with much stronger surface cyclogenesis along with a slightly more northerly track. This is leading to the axis of heaviest snow to fall more over central Indiana than southern Indiana and Kentucky. Moisture transfer vectors at 700 and 850mb also are showing a deeper intrusion of Gulf air further into the Ohio Valley which has upped the QPF values from yesterday. This increase is due to the much stronger low at 700mb and the fact that it looks to close off late tonight. Snow ratios still look a bit too high based mainly on the fact that although temperatures are favoring the higher ratios, much of the snow production is happening at warmer temperatures due to the warm nose aloft associated with the WAA advection ahead of the low. The warm nose will gradually erode due to evaporative cooling which will allow for those higher ratios later in the night. Snow will ramp up during the daytime hours with the heaviest snow occurring between 4PM and 12AM tomorrow. Snow accumulations during that time are likely to excess an inch an hours with periods of 2+ inches per hour. In addition to all the snow, winds will frequently gust in excess of 20 mph with occasional gusts of 30 mph. This will lead to blowing snow, especially with the low water content of the snowfall. Snow will then begin to come to an end by Tuesday morning with additional blowing snow possible through the day. The best lift is closer to -8C which doesn't favor the 25:1 to as high as 30:1 snow ratios that the kuchera method is throwing out. That leads to the extreme snowfall graphics that have been posted around social media last night and today. More reasonable ratios will be around 16:1 in the SE to 20:1 in the NW with ratios increasing through the night. All that leads to snowfall amounts of 8-11 inches pretty much across the board for central Indiana, although locally higher amounts are a given. With that in mind, upgraded the Winter Weather Advisory into a Winter Storm Warning for all sites across the forecast area. && .LONG TERM /Tuesday through Sunday/... Issued at 248 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 Tuesday morning begins with surface low pressure centered near PA/NJ and heading northeast from there, with high pressure over much of Ontario stretching back through MN and into the eastern plains states. A broad upper trough will be in place over much of the central U.S. A lobe of upper energy over northwestern Canada will start to strengthen and dip southward, increasing the strength of the trough over the intermountain west and weak ridging moves through central indiana Tuesday night into Wednesday as a downstream result. The deepening upper trough then spends Wednesday through Friday swinging out of the intermountain west and toward the eastern U.S. and finally off the east coast on Saturday/Sunday. As the strengthening trough moves eastward Wednesday/Wednesday night, it induces cyclogenesis over the Gulf and and then pulls the low northeast ahead of itself. A warm front firms up from Mississippi through WV and the low then tracks along it Wednesday night through Thursday night. A strong low level jet is produced ahead of the low that will draw significant moisture and warm air northward from the Gulf. Forcing from isentropic lift and some frontogenesis will be the main players on Wednesday night, but Thursday during the day significant upper forcing will arrive with the low level jet continuing to provide forcing as well. This system continues to show potential to produce significant impactful winter weather across central Indiana. Still big questions on how far north the warm nose will get, but this set of model runs is a little further south with that than those yesterday, which would trend this in more of a snow rather than mixed precipitation/ice direction. Heavy snow looks possible with this event and it merits monitoring. Friday into the weekend high pressure slides through and could bring a dry stretch to central Indiana. Below zero wind chills are possible early Tuesday morning, and low temperatures from near zero to the single digits, along with wind chills below zero, are expected Wednesday morning. Snowpack could decrease the temperatures to end the week and move into the weekend, but right now with the pattern starting to move a bit could see highs above freezing on Sunday. && .AVIATION /Discussion for the 150000Z Tafs/... Issued at 644 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 IMPACTS: Flying conditions are expected to deteriorate to MVFR this evening...with IFR conditions expected at times on Monday DISCUSSION: Obs across the area indicate some holes within the MVFR cigs...namely at IND...but this will only be a short reprieve. Cold air in place at the surface along with a moist flow aloft will make for cloud cover once again overnight. Upper support is expected to arrive overnight as a short wave is ejected from the deep upper trough in place over the southern plains states. Forecast soundings show deep saturation arriving tonight and persisting through the end of the TAF period...thus MVFR or worse will be expected...with periods of IFR expected on Monday afternoon and evening as the strongest forcing moves through the area. CONFIDENCE: High confidence for deteriorating flying conditions this taf period. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 7 AM EST Tuesday for INZ021-028>031- 035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072. && SYNOPSIS...White NEAR TERM...White SHORT TERM...White LONG TERM....CP AVIATION...JP
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 240 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-151945- 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 240 PM EST Sun Feb 14 2021 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST TUESDAY... This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Snow will develop tonight and will cause some slick roads, especially after midnight. Snow is expected to impact the Monday morning commute. Around 2 inches of snow is possible by Monday morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. A WINTER STORM WARNING will continue through early Tuesday morning. Total snowfall amounts of 7 to 12 inches are possible by early Tuesday morning, resulting in slick snow covered roads and difficult travel. Another round of winter precipitation is possible Wednesday night into Thursday night, which could lead to additional travel difficulties. Below zero wind chills will continue at times into next weekend. Ice jams may be possible on a few area rivers. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report snowfall amounts tonight through Tuesday morning. && 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.
39 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts up to 12 inches near Frankfort. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall ranged from 9.0 to 10.5 inches with the heaviest amounts near Flora. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.2 to 9.9 inches with the heaviest amounts northwest of Washington. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 9.0 to 10.0 inches with the heaviest amounts in Covington. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall ranged from 7.0 to 9.1 inches with the heaviest amounts northwest of Kokomo. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time. Local emergency management reported that there were more than a dozen crashes between 2 PM on the 14th and 2 AM on the 15th. No injuries were noted.
Snowfall ranged from 4.5 to 6.5 inches with the highest amounts northwest of Bedford. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8.0 to 9.0 inches with the heaviest amounts near the town of Crawfordsville. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall reports ranged from 7.0 to 11.0 inches with the heaviest amounts south of Lafayette. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall ranged from 6.5 to 11.0 inches with the heaviest amounts northwest of Tipton. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
A 10.0 inch snowfall report was received east of State Line City. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8.0 to 8.7 inches with the heaviest amounts southwest of Poland. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
A 9.0 inch snowfall measurement was taken in the town of Brownstown. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
A 6.5 inch measurement was taken near the town of North Vernon. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall ranged from 6.9 to 10.0 inches with the heaviest amounts in Oaktown. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.8 to 10.0 inches with the heaviest amounts northwest of Graysville. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 7.3 to 9.2 inches with the heaviest snowfall west of Lebanon. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 5.6 to 8.2 inches with the heaviest snow recorded northwest of Nashville. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.5 to 9.0 inches with the heaviest amounts in Bloomfield. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.0 to 7.8 inches with the highest amounts west of Wilkinson. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8.0 to 11.8 inches with the highest amounts south of Franklin. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
A total of 8.5 inches of snow fell in Loogootee. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.0 to 9.5 inches with the heaviest amounts near Mooresville. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.3 to 8.0 inches with the heaviest amounts northeast of Rockville. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.1 to 6.9 inches with the heaviest amounts west of Cloverdale. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.0 to 8.3 inches with the highest amounts southwest of Avon. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8.0 to 10.3 inches with the heaviest amounts near Clarksburg. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.8 to 10.0 inches with the heaviest amounts northwest of Carmel. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 7.5 to 9.9 inches with the heaviest amounts southwest of New Castle. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8.1 to 10.7 inches with the highest amounts across northwestern Marion county. 8.1 inches was officially recorded for the city of Indianapolis. Indiana State Police responded to 117 crashes and 103 slide-offs across the Indianapolis district.
Snowfall reports ranged from 6.5 to 9.0 inches with the heaviest amounts near Ellettsville. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 7.0 to 10.0 inches with the heaviest amounts in Spencer. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 5.0 to 7.0 inches with the heaviest amounts in Clinton. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.5 to 9.1 inches with the heaviest amounts north of Terre Haute. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions. A crash with injuries briefly shut down eastbound traffic on Interstate 70.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 5.5 to 6.0 inches with the heaviest snow recorded near Columbus. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8.2 to 10.5 inches with the heaviest amounts northeast of Springport. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 6.0 to 9.5 inches with the heaviest amounts north of Anderson. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions. From 3 PM Monday to 8 AM Tuesday the sheriff's department responded to three personal injury accidents; six property damage accidents; 75 calls to assist motorists; and 13 road hazards.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 7.0 to 7.8 inches with the heaviest amounts southwest of Winchester. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 7.0 to 9.5 inches with the heaviest amounts near Rushville. A travel warning was issued for the county which is the highest level of local travel advisory due to the extreme impacts of the snow on road conditions.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 7.8 to 10.0 inches with the heaviest amounts near Fairland. A travel watch was issued for the county which is the second highest level of travel advisory. This was issued due to dangerous road conditions at the time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, February 2021
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: 933741, 933737, 933742, 933745, 933754, 933759, 933895, 933919, 933920, 933923, 933739, 933755, 933756, 933758, 933918, 933717, 933719, 933746, 933750, 933757, 933892, 933904, 933910, 933914, 933924, 933743, 933749, 933753, 933891, 933893, 933908, 933921, 933922, 933715, 933744, 933890, 933915, 933916, 933917.