During the 19th afternoon, an unstable airmass ahead of an approaching surface trough triggered a cluster of severe thunderstorms across central Indiana. Convection initially intensified over the western and northern portions of the Indianapolis metropolitan area shortly after 1500 EST, capitalizing on strong low-to-mid level wind shear.
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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 19th afternoon, an unstable airmass ahead of an approaching surface trough triggered a cluster of severe thunderstorms across central Indiana. Convection initially intensified over the western and northern portions of the Indianapolis metropolitan area shortly after 1500 EST, capitalizing on strong low-to-mid level wind shear. These storms quickly organized into severe segments that tracked eastward and southward, producing a concentrated swath of damaging straight-line winds across Hendricks, Hamilton, Delaware, and Bartholomew counties before exiting the IND CWA by 1700 EST.
Damaging winds were the primary hazard with this event, resulting in structural damage, power outages, and travel disruptions. Hamilton County was particularly hard hit, where estimated wind gusts up to 55 knots (63 mph) downed multiple utility lines, left a power pole leaning in Noblesville, and knocked a large tree through the roof of a residence. Transportation infrastructure was also impacted: in Delaware County, estimated gusts of 55 knots blew over a semi truck on Interstate 69 near mile marker 249. Earlier in the afternoon, severe gusts in Hendricks County downed several trees, including one that blocked a roadway southwest of Danville. As the severe weather pushed into south-central Indiana, the KBAK AWOS at Columbus Municipal Airport in Bartholomew County recorded a peak measured wind gust of 52 knots (60 mph).
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 19, 2:00 PM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 300 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Severe storms and locally heavy rain possible again this afternoon and evening, with damaging winds and localized flooding the primary concerns - A Flood Watch is in effect from 3pm today to 2pm Wednesday. - Cooler mid week with a brief break from rain chances, before showers and storms return to the forecast late week into the holiday weekend && .DISCUSSION (This evening through Tuesday)... Issued at 300 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026 Today and Tonight - Satellite imagery shows cumulus developing as the boundary layer becomes destabilized (IND ACARS shows around 1500 J/Kg MLCAPE). As such, renewed convective activity appears likely again this afternoon. In fact, a few showers have already popped up near Columbus as of 2pm. In terms of hazards, RAP soundings indicate that some mid-level dry air may be present today. ACARS soundings from IND show the dry air and DCAPE values of 1100 J/Kg as of 2pm. This, combined with steep lapse rates and a LLJ around 30-40kt, could allow for downburst and efficient downward momentum transfer. About 25 knots of effective shear may also be enough to allow for loose organization into multicell clusters. Therefore, strong to damaging wind gusts are possible with storms today. The wind threat diminishes after sunset as the column moistens and lapse rates weaken slightly. RAP soundings show the atmosphere becoming more efficient for rainfall production overnight (deep warm cloud layer, saturation to the EL, and moist adiabatic lapse rates). A cold front sagging south across Indiana will interact with an MCV approaching from the southwest, prolonging large-scale lift tonight. Most guidance is on board with showers and thunderstorms continuing on and off through the night. There is a signal for heavy rain within most guidance with pockets of 1 to 3 inches across the southern half of our area. QPF coverage in guidance isn't as widespread as yesterday, but these pockets tend to line up where the heaviest rain fell. Additional flooding may be possible tonight and a Flood Watch has been issued for the southern half of our CWA. Wednesday through Monday - Once the front has pushed south of the area, it will stall out a bit, though high pressure passing through the Great Lakes in its wake will keep it suppressed to the south and allow for both a brief cooldown and a break in precip chances from late Wednesday into Thursday evening. Rain chances return late week into early next week as a large upper level low swings through the northern tier of the country and pulls a warmer and moist airmass back into the area, though chances with the exception of Friday will be low for the time being given significant model inconsistencies and resulting uncertainty. && .AVIATION (18Z TAF Issuance)... Issued at 136 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026 Impacts: - Wind gusts today 25-30KT - Showers and thunderstorms possible late this afternoon into tonight - Scattered showers continue into the day Wednesday - MVFR ceilings tonight into Wednesday, IFR possible Discussion: Winds have strengthened this morning to between 15-25kt with gusts of 25-30KT likely through the day, generally from 210-230 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible late in the day as a cold front approaches and passes through the area. Winds with frontal passage will veer to westerly and northwesterly late in the period, with gusts ending in typical diurnal fashion this evening. Ceilings post frontal will likely drop into MVFR. IFR conditions are possible, but less likely. The placement of rain showers overnight will influence if/where IFR conditions develop. Rain showers continue on and off through tonight into Wednesday afternoon as the cold front slows. These will be scattered in nature so a VCSH group was carried through the end of the TAF period. && .IND WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through Wednesday afternoon for INZ052>055-060>064- 067>072. && AVIATION...Eckhoff DISCUSSION...Nield/Eckhoff
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Indianapolis IN 305 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-201915- 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- 305 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for central Indiana. .DAY ONE...Through Tonight. A Flood Watch is in effect from 3pm Tuesday to 2pm Wednesday. Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon into this evening. Severe storms are possible, with damaging winds the primary threat. Storms will also be capable of producing heavy rainfall and localized flooding. The most likely time frame for severe weather and flooding will be between 4 PM and 11 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Additional chances for thunderstorms return Friday into the holiday weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed from approximately 4 PM to 11 PM this afternoon and evening. && More information, along with other weather, hydrological and climate information can be found at http://weather.gov/ind
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
1029 AM EDT Tue May 19 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0247 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NE Carmel 39.98N 86.10W
05/18/2026 Hamilton IN Public
Delayed report. Power lines down. Report
from social media.
&&Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
332 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026
INZ036-045-046-192000-
Montgomery IN-Putnam IN-Hendricks IN-
332 PM EDT Tue May 19 2026
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of west central
Hendricks, southeastern Montgomery and northern Putnam Counties
through 400 PM EDT...
At 331 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles northwest of Greencastle, or 20 miles south of Crawfordsville,
moving northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Roachdale, Bainbridge, and Carpentersville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3970 8696 3978 8700 3993 8673 3980 8662
TIME...MOT...LOC 1931Z 241DEG 26KT 3975 8692
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
METhe Indianapolis radar (KIND), 61 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:02 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Utility lines down. Time roughly estimated from radar.
A couple smaller trees and one large tree were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
A tree was blown down across a road by thunderstorm winds near the intersection of South County Road 525 West and West County Road 150 South southwest of Danville.
Utility lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds. Nearby there were additional utility lines downed on Westfield Blvd.
Tree downed by thunderstorm winds onto a house and through the roof.
Utility pole is leaning from thunderstorm winds at Olio Road and SR38 in Noblesville.
Tree downed by thunderstorm winds across roadway on Quarry Court.
Tree downed by thunderstorm winds.
Thunderstorm winds blew over a semi on I69 at Mile Marker 249 Southbound Lanes.
A 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was measured by the KBAK AWOS.
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, May 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: 1328051, 1328052, 1328054, 1328056, 1328058, 1328057, 1328059, 1328060, 1328061, 1328062.