Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 24 to 25, 2026

Name: Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Indiana, January 24 to 25, 2026
Start: 2026-01-24T10:00
End: 2026-01-25T18:00
Location: Indiana

January 24 to 25, 2026 · NWS PAH · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $300,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

A major winter storm that brought Evansville's 2nd largest snowstorm on record impacted southwest Indiana on the 24th with light to moderate snow developing around midday. After a brief lull overnight, moderate to heavy snow developed with a second wave that continued into the morning hours of the 25th. A brief period of sleet had occurred as above freezing temperatures aloft advected north. Colder air wrapped around on the backside, allowing for precipitation to transition back to all snow before ending during the early evening hours. Between 7 to 14 inches of snow and sleet was observed with the lowest totals occurring in Spencer County, IN where the greatest mixing had fallen.

Significant travel impacts occurred with snow instantly accumulating on all surfaces due to temperatures only in the upper single digits and teens during the bulk of the event. Emergency dispatchers fielded 653 calls in Vanderburgh County, IN with deputies and firefighters responding to dozens of traffic accidents and medical emergencies. Near Evansville at Boeke and Vogel, a 52 year old woman who was driving under the influence was stuck in the snow with a tire coming off the rim of their car during the early morning hours of the 25th. Gibson County, IN issued an Emergency Declaration in line with the state of Indiana, in addition to a travel warning. Wind gusts around 20 to 25 mph led to blowing and drifting snow that led to travel becoming extremely dangerous. The extreme cold after the event hampered clean-up efforts and made snow removal extremely difficult. Key Impacts: transportation delays, traffic accidents, government closures.

What forecasters said that day

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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 24, 4:42 AM CST, 5 hours 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 24, 4:42 AM CST, 5 hours 18 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 24, 2:54 AM CST, 7 hours 6 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY
254 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-250900-
Jefferson-Wayne IL-Edwards-Wabash-Perry IL-Franklin-Hamilton-
White-Jackson-Williamson-Saline-Gallatin-Union-Johnson-Pope-
Hardin-Alexander-Pulaski-Massac-Gibson-Pike-Posey-Vanderburgh-
Warrick-Spencer-Fulton-Hickman-Carlisle-Ballard-McCracken-Graves-
Livingston-Marshall-Calloway-Crittenden-Lyon-Trigg-Caldwell-
Union KY-Webster-Hopkins-Christian-Henderson-Daviess-McLean-
Muhlenberg-Todd-Perry MO-Bollinger-Cape Girardeau-Wayne MO-Carter-
Ripley-Butler-Stoddard-Scott-Mississippi-New Madrid-
254 AM CST Sat Jan 24 2026 /354 AM EST Sat Jan 24 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

A major winter storm with heavy snow, mixed occasionally with
sleet and freezing rain, is expected today into tonight.
Dangerously cold conditions accompany the storm. Refer to the
Winter Storm Warning and Cold Weather Advisory for more details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

Heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain will continue until Sunday
afternoon. An extended period of below freezing temperatures will
continue through all of next week, with the most dangerous wind
chills occurring Monday morning and Tuesday morning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report snowfall totals, and
precipitation types as they are able during this event.

DW

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 24, 6:19 AM CST, 3 hours 41 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Posey

When: January 24, 10:00 AM CST to January 25, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Posey forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.022, -87.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Vanderburgh

When: January 24, 11:00 AM CST to January 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Vanderburgh forecast zone
Property damage: $300,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 38.025, -87.586 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Gibson

When: January 24, 12:00 PM CST to January 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Gibson forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 38.312, -87.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Warrick

When: January 24, 12:00 PM CST to January 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Warrick forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 38.092, -87.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Spencer

When: January 24, 12:00 PM CST to January 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Spencer forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.014, -87.008 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pike

When: January 24, 1:00 PM CST to January 25, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pike forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.399, -87.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history Warnings in Indiana, January 2026

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1304902, 1304903, 1304900, 1304904, 1304905, 1304901.