An arctic cold front passed through central Indiana during the late evening hours of December 4th with strong gradient winds amid and immediately following a rather narrow band of rain that quickly transitioned to snow. Wind gusts generally peaked in the 40-55 mph range across most of the region, but a few locations reported gusts as high as 64 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
An arctic cold front passed through central Indiana during the late evening hours of December 4th with strong gradient winds amid and immediately following a rather narrow band of rain that quickly transitioned to snow. Wind gusts generally peaked in the 40-55 mph range across most of the region, but a few locations reported gusts as high as 64 mph. The winds produced sporadic power outages with peak outages over 30,000, but most were resolved by the morning of the 5th. The strong to severe wind also combined with the burst of snow to briefly reduce visibility, causing minor travel impacts, primarily from southeast of Lafayette to areas between Indianapolis and Muncie.
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 Dec 4, 8:31 PM EST, 9 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 831 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Windy through tonight, particularly this evening with passage of an Arctic front, which will produce a flash freeze - Snow showers expected, with localized snow squalls possible; minor accumulations possible - Subzero wind chills as low as -10 late tonight into early Thursday morning && .MESOSCALE UPDATE... Issued at 828 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 Latest observations indicate approaching polar cold front as of 800P EST stretching from near South Bend, southwestward to just south of Bloomington, IL...followed by a distinct west-northwesterly surface flow gusting up to 30-40 MPH, with strongest winds towards the Great Lakes, and on a trajectory towards our northern zones. Recent radar imagery shows a light rain shower slowly crossing a couple southeastern counties, as focus turns instead northwest, to developing showers along the approaching boundary, with a few light echoes so far entering the Upper Wabash Valley. Increasing coverage and overall strengthening intensity is so far in alignment with latest HRRR runs. Although timing appears to be lagging about an hour behind this afternoon's update, with perhaps less confidence in organized or moderate intensity precipitation over southwest zones later this evening. Still expecting at least briefly boisterous snow showers crossing the CWA from at least the northwest/north-central counties...to Indy Metro/ northeast counties. Expect precipitation to begin as a brief period of rain for most locations, with a more or less straight changeover to snow that will be followed by a quick temperature drop into the 20s. Liquid content and snowfall amounts will not be heavy, yet the flash freeze aspect of this fast transition will likely spell havoc for untreated surfaces that see more than a flurry. Snowfall accumulations, so-called, are expected to be mainly under one inch...although what snow does fall will generally blow horizontally, and perhaps pile up on the eastern sides of north-south or NE-SW aligned roadways, with black ice possible. Wind Advisory to continue along/north of the Spencer-Rushville line for gusts 45-50 MPH through 400AM EST tonight. SPS for locally hazardous travel in snow showers/isolated squalls will be updated as needed for the overnight. Additional, local short-fuse SPS will be issued as necessary for the locally more-intense snow showers this evening. && .SHORT TERM (This evening through Thursday)... Issued at 240 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 A busy night is expected across central Indiana with the imminent passage of an Arctic front, which will produce rapidly plummeting temperatures/a flash freeze, strong gusty winds as high as 40-50 MPH, snow showers and potential snow squalls, and subzero wind chills as low as -10 by late tonight into daybreak Thursday. Some virga associated with a weak prefrontal trough is currently noted on area radar mosaic passing through the northern half of the area, which will help to erode some lingering dry low level air. The primary Arctic front is further northwest at this time, stretching from the UP of Michigan southwest into eastern Iowa and northwest Missouri - this front will rapidly sweep through the area later this evening into tonight, with potential for scattered to numerous showers, beginning as rain ahead of the boundary and transitioning rapidly to snow as very potent cold air advection ramps up first in the wake of the prefrontal trough and then especially as the Arctic front itself rapidly pushes through the area. While not a classic snow squall pattern, due at least in part to the later diurnal timing, the rapidly falling temperatures, strong, gusty winds, and scattered snow showers, which may become briefly intense, will certainly have the potential to produce localized impacts on roadways - variable visibility, localized slick spots, and impacts to drivers from gusty winds, particularly those in high profile vehicles. Minor accumulations will certainly be possible, but may be quite variable given the showery nature of the precipitation. Anywhere from a light dusting up to an inch will be possible. Wind advisory will be left in place in the areas it is currently valid for - BUFKIT profiles suggest frequent gusts around 40 MPH tonight with occasional gusts in the 40-50 MPH range. Even areas outside the advisory will likely see a few gusts to around 40 MPH. Conditions will remain breezy but winds will weaken late tonight as the surface pressure gradient relaxes somewhat - but gusty winds will remain an issue into Thursday, though more in the 20-30 MPH range. Again, temperatures will drop rapidly overnight, from the mid 30s to mid 40s by 00Z to the low to mid teens by daybreak Thursday. This will produce subzero wind chill values as low as -10F late tonight into daybreak Thursday - the coldest conditions experienced thus far this season. Thursday will be quite a bit quieter, if quite cool - highs are likely to struggle to get out of the low to mid 20s, and continued breezy conditions will keep wind chills largely in the teens throughout the day. A few lake-effect flurries may sneak into far northern/northeastern portions of the area, but should be of little to no impact. && .LONG TERM (Thursday night through Wednesday)... Issued at 240 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 Thursday Night Through Monday. Another very cold night is expected for Thursday night with temperatures in the low teens, but winds will be closer to calm which will keep wind chills above zero. Upper level flow will remain northwesterly going into the weekend but surface ridging over the Southern Appalachians will help to pivot the surface flow to a more southerly direction which will allow for gradual warming Friday into Saturday with highs approaching 50 by Sunday. Focus then shifts to a low pressure system exiting the southern Four Corners Region and tracking rain chances as it moves to the northeast. There isn't very strong surface cyclogenesis with this system, but there will be a rapidly strengthening LLJ that will advect large amounts of Gulf Moisture and bring PWATs well into the 90th-95th percentile of climatology. Ensembles have good agreement in rain amounts in excess of a half inch with decent probabilities of greater than an inch of rain. Will have to track the potential for thunderstorms and potentially a strong to severe storm, but those chances look much higher down into the southern Ohio Valley which lines up with the low CSU probabilities for severe weather that highlights Tennessee into the Gulf states. There then is a potential for a secondary to to develop on the backend which could keep precipitation around into Monday, but confidence is low as ensembles show that solution remains to be the outlier vs most likely outcome. Tuesday Through Wednesday. Cooler weather then is expected Tuesday into Wednesday but overall confidence in the forecast is low beyond that. The 06Z showed an impactful winter system Wednesday into Thursday with a TROWAL axis of heavy across the Wabash River Valley, but there is very little support in this within the GFS ensembles or other deterministic models outside of the Canadian which keeps the impacts isolated to the East Coast. Will continue to monitor trends, but at this point there isn't even enough confidence for anything more than Slight Chance POPs. && .AVIATION (00Z TAF Issuance)... Issued at 633 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 Impacts: - Strong wind gusts throughout the period, approaching 40-45KT at times depending upon the site - Snow showers advancing from NW to SE along polar frontal zone...within 01Z-04Z this evening...with possible snow squalls, especially at KLAF/KIND - WSW winds veering quickly to northwest with frontal passage...when gusts may briefly exceed 40KT this evening Discussion: Potent polar cold front will pass the terminals this evening, quickly veering robust WSW winds to gusty northwesterly...which will be sustained at 18-25KT, and gust to 36-40KT...before slowly diminishing from pre-dawn to midday Thursday. Gusts may briefly exceed 40KT following the boundary. Numerous snow showers are expected with possibly a few snow squalls this evening...which may actually start as a brief period of rain as temperatures fall quickly below freezing. At least brief MVFR/worse ceilings/visibilities are on the table. High confidence in strong NW winds impacting KIND during the critical evening push period...with chances for lingering snow showers also early in this period. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 4 AM EST Thursday for INZ021-028>031-035>049- 051>057. && MESOSCALE...AGM SHORT TERM...Nield LONG TERM...White AVIATION...AGM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 337 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-052045- 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- 337 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Through Tonight. Gusty winds to 45 mph are expected late this evening and into the overnight hours. Refer to the Wind Advisory for more details. Snow showers late this evening may result in low visibility, blowing snow, and hazardous travel conditions at times. Any snow accumulations will be minor. Wind chill values will fall below zero late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Wind chill values as low as -5 are expected Thursday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind INZ060>065-067>072-052045- Sullivan-Greene-Monroe-Brown-Bartholomew-Decatur-Knox-Daviess-Martin- Lawrence-Jackson-Jennings- 337 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Through Tonight. Snow showers late this evening may result in low visibility, blowing snow, and hazardous travel conditions at times. Any snow accumulations will be minor. Wind chill values will fall to near zero late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Wind chill values as low as 0 are expected Thursday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 247 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-050315- 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, Union City, Farmland, Parker City, Clinton, Fairview Park, Rockville, Montezuma, Rosedale, Greencastle, Plainfield, Brownsburg, Danville, Indianapolis, Greenfield, New Castle, Terre Haute, Brazil, Spencer, Gosport, Martinsville, Mooresville, Greenwood, Franklin, Shelbyville, Rushville, Sullivan, Carlisle, Shelburn, Farmersburg, Linton, Bloomfield, Jasonville, Worthington, Bloomington, Nashville, Columbus, Greensburg, Vincennes, Washington, Loogootee, Shoals, Bedford, Mitchell, Seymour, and North Vernon 247 PM EST Wed Dec 4 2024 ...SNOW SHOWERS MAY RESULT IN LOCALLY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS LATE THIS EVENING... Rain and snow showers this evening will transition to snow showers and perhaps a few snow squalls tonight across much of central Indiana, particularly along and northeast of the Interstate 74 corridor, as an Arctic front passes through the area. Snow showers, in addition to rapidly falling temperatures and gusty winds as high as 40 to 50 MPH may result in locally hazardous travel conditions at times later this evening and into the overnight hours. Minor accumulations will be possible in spots. Additionally, wind chills values late tonight into daybreak Thursday will drop as low as 5 to 10 degrees below zero.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 59 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was reported at the KLAF airport at 2052 EST.
A 64 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was reported at the KEYE airport at 2217 EST, followed by a 62 mph gust at the KIND airport at 2222 EST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, December 2024
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: 1219737, 1219738.