On March 26, 2026, a potent cold front tracked across central Indiana, interacting with a warm and unstable airmass to trigger severe storms. Severe thunderstorms developed rapidly, producing large hail and damaging wind gusts across northern central Indiana that downed trees and power lines, leading to over 1,700 power outages as residents dealt with the abrupt onset of hazardous weather.
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.
On March 26, 2026, a potent cold front tracked across central Indiana, interacting with a warm and unstable airmass to trigger severe storms. Severe thunderstorms developed rapidly, producing large hail and damaging wind gusts across northern central Indiana that downed trees and power lines, leading to over 1,700 power outages as residents dealt with the abrupt onset of hazardous weather.
Significant structural damage was observed, including a destroyed pole barn and a garage roof failure in Clinton County. While the environment supported supercellular rotation and prompted numerous tornado warnings, the only severe modes were straight-line damaging winds and large hail, with reports of 1.5-inch hail in Veedersburg. The convective activity gradually weakened as it progressed south of the I-70 corridor and encountered a more stable airmass, effectively concluding the active weather event for the region.
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 Mar 26, 5:51 PM EST, 4 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 651 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - A round of strong to severe storms are expected this evening into tonight, all hazards are possible - Cooler on Friday, with a warming trend resuming over the weekend - Active pattern may develop first week of April && .MESOSCALE UPDATE... Issued at 650 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 Recent surface mesoanalysis shows a surging convectively aided frontal boundary extending from NE IN back towards near Lafayette and then more west to near Champaign IL. Recent observations showing winds near severe levels at Lafayette and to the west of Warren County Indiana. Mesoanalysis show a fairly robust corridor of DCAPE with values just ahead of the convection running from 800-1000 j/kg. DCAPE values from a recent ACARS sounding at KIND show DCAPE around 900 j/kg, with around 1200 j/kg of MUCAPE. TS activity will continue to grow upscale as more cell development/mergers occur thanks to strong moisture convergence along surging boundary coupled with convergence on the cyclonic side of the low level jet. Therefore an increasing severe wind threat is expected over the next 2 hours. Steep mid level lapse rates combined with 50kts of effective shear will continue to support a large hail threat, and several 1 inch hail reports have already been received north and west of central Indiana. Despite the presence of a strongly curved low level hodograph, storm motion will tend to keep 0-1 km SRH around 100 m2/s2. If any convection manages to right move and break away from the composite linear organization, which is looking much less likely based on the surging outflow, then an isolated tornado would be possible. Recent WoFs data combined with TOA tool shows activity reaching a line from northern Madison to Boone to Parke counties by around 8 pm. && .SHORT TERM (This evening through Friday)... Issued at 143 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 Some weak upper energy may continue to produce isolated showers or storms north of central Indiana into mid-afternoon, with no severe threat from these. Record warm temperatures and breezy conditions will persist this afternoon ahead of a potent cold front. Warm air aloft will continue to act as a cap for the remainder of the afternoon across central Indiana. However, forcing and good convergence with the potent cold front will create thunderstorms along it north of the area, with storms potentially reaching far northern portions of central Indiana after 600 PM EDT. Strong shear and instability of 1000-1500 J/kg of CAPE will lead to the potential of severe convection, especially across the northern forecast area where CAPE is highest. If supercells form and remain ahead of the front, a few tornadoes will be possible in addition to large hail and damaging winds. Initial storms will then form a line along the front which will move south through the evening and could reach Indy by 9-10PM. As the storms become linear, the threat for wind damage will increase with tornado threat lowering some. (Tornado threat will remain non-zero along a QLCS). Additional showers and storms will develop behind the surface front and remain elevated. Large hail with be a threat with these, though wind damage remains possible. Instability will weaken later this evening into the overnight, diminishing the severe threat. Another concern is localized flooding with potential training of storms across the northern forecast area tonight. HREF LPMM shows the potential of over 2 inches of rain north of I-70. Will continue to mention the threat of heavy rain and flooding in messaging tonight. Temperatures will drop sharply behind the front, with the HRRR showing the potential of a 25-30 degree drop in an hour at Lafayette as the front passes. Lows tonight will be in the mid 30s north to mid 40s south. Some rain will linger in the south Friday morning as the system exits. Otherwise, much colder and drier air will continue to filter in. Highs will only reach the middle 40s north to the middle 50s south. && .LONG TERM (Friday night through Thursday)... Issued at 143 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 Central Indiana will be in northwest flow aloft through the weekend. High pressure will keep the weather quiet. Temperatures will remain below normal with highs around 50 on Saturday, but warm advection on the west side of the high on Sunday will bring a return to above normal readings in the 60s. Next week, an upper high will slide across the far southern USA. The edge of the upper high will nudge into the local area, bringing highs in the 70s for most areas Monday through Wednesday. A surface front will set up north of central Indiana for Monday through Wednesday. Most forcing from the front will remain out of the area, but upper impulses moving around the high may be enough to bring chances for some showers and thunderstorms at times. Late in the period, an upper wave moving through may bring the surface front south into the area on Thursday. This would bring better chances for rain to the area, as well as at least slightly cooler temperatures. Uncertainty remains high on the details though that far out. Looking into next weekend, upper troughing to the west and the high to the east will put central Indiana in potentially active southwest flow, with energy ejecting from the trough at times. && .AVIATION (18Z TAF Issuance)... Issued at 107 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 Impacts: - Wind gusts near 30kt possible this afternoon - Convection moving north to south 23Z-06Z. Severe convection possible, especially KLAF/KIND - Wind shift to N through the evening - MVFR ceilings overnight through Friday morning Discussion: A cold front will move south through the sites roughly 23Z-06Z, shifting winds to the north. Convection will be along and behind the front, with rain lingering behind the convection overnight. Severe convection is possible with damaging winds and very large hail, mainly before 05Z. IFR and worse possible in convection. Ceilings will lower to MVFR behind the front and will persist through Friday morning. Brief IFR is possible. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && MESOSCALE...Crosbie SHORT TERM...50 LONG TERM...50 AVIATION...50
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 230 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-271830- 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- 230 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Through Tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible from about 600 PM EDT through 100 AM EDT. Large hail and damaging wind gusts are the primary threats though a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Localized heavy rain is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Thunderstorms are possible next week. Severe weather is not expected, but lightning is a hazard with any storm. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this evening into tonight. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind
The Indianapolis radar (KIND), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:54 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the KFKR AWOS.
A small tree was snapped by thunderstorm wind gusts near its base.
Numerous trees, limbs, and utility poles were blown down by thunderstorm winds across the county.
A pole barn and trees were damaged by thunderstorm wind gusts. Nearby a garage roof was blown off and a fence was blown down. Numerous pictures showed visibility greatly reduced by dust from the strong winds.
A 4.5-inch diameter pine tree was downed by thunderstorm wind gusts.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm wind gusts onto a power line.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, March 2026
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: 1322450, 1322451, 1322453, 1322454, 1322456, 1322457, 1322458, 1322461, 1322459.