Severe Indiana weather brings tornado to Indianapolis metro area, 70K without power
Editor's note: Get the latest live updates from Thursday here.
Severe storms capable of dropping heavy rain resulting in flooding, hail, and spawning tornadoes moved through Indiana Wednesday night, prompting warnings for Hoosiers.
National Weather Service (NWS) Indianapolis expected up to 3 inches of heavy rain Wednesday night and three additional rounds leading into Sunday. This could lead to widespread flooding. Southern Indiana is potentially experiencing double-digit rainfall through the weekend. A flood warning remained in effect early Thursday.
Keep an eye on real-time alerts as the storm moves across Indiana online at https://data.indystar.com/severe-weather-alerts-warnings-watches/indiana/18/.
Indianapolis, Indiana weather radar
IPS goes to remote learning
Indianapolis Public Schools said it will be having an asynchronous learning day because of power outages across multiple buildings.
AES Indiana is reporting more than 27,000 customers across Indianapolis remain without power early Thursday. Duke Energy is reporting 38,027 customers across the state without power, mostly along the path of the storm.
In Anderson, widespread outages and storm damage prompted the closure of all schools Thursday. Because many homes were without power, they opted not to attempt an e-Learning day. Only staff members asked to assist with storm damage cleanup and recovery are expected to attend.
The district hopes to resume instruction Friday, but that depends on how quickly power is restored.
Flood warning remains in effect early Thursday
The rainfall overnight prompted flood warnings still in effect Thursday morning across several counties including, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Morgan and Shelby. The main threat is the flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone areas.
Active tornado warnings continue across Indiana
Approaching 11 p.m. the NWS still had several active tornado warnings across Indiana.
They include:
At 10:51 p.m. EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 7 miles east of Bedford, moving northeast at 45 mph.
At 10:51 p.m. EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over New Castle, or 11 miles northwest of Cambridge City, moving northeast at 60 mph.
At 10:48 p.m. EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Bedford, moving northeast at 40 mph.
At 10:39 p.m. EDT/9:39 p.m. CDT/, severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado were located along a line extending from near Jasper to near Santa Claus, moving east at 50 mph.
Indiana power outages leave nearly 70K without service
Nearly 68,500 customers are without power as of 10:50 p.m. after another tornado watch was issued for Marion County. This time the outages hit areas in southern portions of Indianapolis, including clusters in Fountain Square, Whispering Pines and University Heights.
AES Indiana is reporting 45,078 customers without power across Indianapolis.
Duke Energy is reporting 23,382 customers without power across the state, including Brownsburg, parts of Hamilton County and other locations along the storm’s path through Indiana from Terre Haute to Anderson.
Indiana power outage map: How to check your status.
10:30 p.m. another tornado warning issued, sirens sounding
Flash flood warning in effect until 1 a.m.
About 10:20 p.m., NWS said between 1 and 2 inches of rain had fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches are possible in the area under warnings.
Areas in the warning include: Southeastern Boone County, Southern Hamilton County, Western Hancock County, Southeastern Hendricks County, Northern Johnson County, Marion County, Northeastern Morgan County, Northwestern Shelby County in central Indiana
Nearly 55k without power
Nearly 55,000 customers are without power as of 10:15 p.m., according to outage maps for AES Indiana and Duke Energy.
AES is reporting outages across Indianapolis, especially the portion of the city north of Washington Street. It's reporting 27,919 customers without power.
Duke Energy is showing 22,054 customers without power across 264 outages statewide.
Indiana power outage map: How to check your status.
Tornado Warning in Delaware County will expire at 10:30 p.m.
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 4 a.m. for central and east central Indiana.
Tornado moves over Indianapolis metro area
The city of Carmel confirmed a tornado was on the ground as sirens blared around the Greater Indianapolis metro area.
What to do if power, traffic lights are out
IMPD confirmed on X that powerlines are down and several traffic lights are out. They gave this advice on X:
'Please heed the warnings'
"There are multiple reports of trees down on the west side of Indianapolis," IMPD posted to X just before 9:30 p.m. "Please heed the warnings and take precautions."
Tornado Warning issued for Marion County
Tornado Warning continues for Brownsburg, Clermont and Rocky Ripple
Severe Thunderstorm Warning includes Plainfield, Brownsburg and Avon
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Plainfield, Brownsburg and Avon active until 9:30 p.m. This destructive storm will contain wind gusts to 80 mph.
Tornado Warning issued for Linton, Bloomfield and Lyons
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are still in place for several counties
At 8:54 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles east of Greencastle, or 27 miles southeast of Crawfordsville, moving northeast at 75 mph.
The National Weather Service still has thunderstorm warnings issued for Southeastern Vigo, Monroe, Morgan, Northern Knox, Owen, Northern Martin, South Central Boone, Northwestern Lawrence, Southern Putnam, Northern Daviess, Sullivan, Hendricks, Clay and Greene Counties.
Tornado Warning remains in effect for Eastern Parke and Northwestern Putman counties
At 8:40 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 9 miles east of Rockville, or 22 miles south of Crawfordsville, moving northeast at 65 mph, according to NWS.
Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Trees will likely be damaged.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Bloomington, Plainfield and Brownsburg
Tornado Warning issued for Van Bibber Lake, Russellville and Bloomingdale
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Crawfordsville, Lebanon, and Greencastle
Tornado Warning issued for Vincennes.
Tornado Warning issued for Rockville, Rosedale and Van Bibber Lake.
NWS advises people living in Northern Indiana to take shelter
Tornado Warning issued for Evansville, Mount Vernon, and Henderson, KY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Terre Haute, Brazil and Linton.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Vincennes, Monroe City and Wheatland.
NWS issues tornado warning for St. Joseph County until 8:30 p.m.
At 8:01 p.m., the National Weather Service of Northern Indiana posted on social media, that there is a tornado warning put in place for Bourbon, Argos and Etna Green Indiana, until 8:30 p.m.
NWS severe tornado warning in Terre Haute until 8:45 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Terre Haute, Clinton and North Terre Haute was issued until 8:30 p.m. NWS is recording wind gusts as high as 70 mph.
Duke Energy reports over 890 power outages across Indiana
As of 7:30 p.m., Duke Energy reports that about 890 homes across Indiana are without power as an intense storm rolls through the state, according to Duke Energy's power outage map.
Most of the homes without power are located in western Indiana, which has been hit by the storm. Duke Energy reports that 738 people in the state's western region are without power.
Images and videos show toppled semi-trucks in western Indiana
The storm system heading toward central Indiana toppled several semis Wednesday afternoon.
Shortly before 3 p.m., Indiana State Police deputies responded to a call that five semi-trucks had toppled over on I-65 South near the Lowell exit, according to Indiana State Police in Lowell.
All of the drivers were reportedly not injured and told deputies that an extremely strong gust caused all of their trucks to topple over, according to the social media post.
NWS expects storm to hit Metro Indy area around 9 p.m.
At 7:06 p.m., the National Weather Service of Indianapolis posted on social media, that it expected the intense thunderstorm to hit the Indianapolis Metropolitan area at about 9 p.m.
The storm is expected to move through western Indiana until 8 p.m.
People should expect tornadoes, widespread damaging winds up to 70 mph, large hail and flash flooding, according to NWS Indianapolis.
NWS Chicago issues tornado warning for Gifford, Indiana
At 6:04 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service of Chicago posted on social media, a tornado warning for Gifford, Indiana, in Dearborn County until 6:30 p.m.
NWS announces Severe Thunderstorm Warning for western Indiana
At 6:17 p.m., the National Weather Service of Chicago posted on social media a severe Thunderstorm Warning for Rensselaer, Roselawn and DeMotte.
Chicago airport delays reach over 1,200 flights as of 6 p.m.
Over 1,200 flights scheduled to take off from Chicago O'Hare International Airport have been canceled or delayed as of about 6 p.m.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows 297 cancelled flights in and out of the airport, with 1,225 delayed flights. The average delay time was around 65 minutes.
At Indianapolis International Airport, about 65 flights have been delayed and 15 canceled as of 6 p.m. The average delay time was about 5 minutes.
NWS Indianapolis provides updated storm timeline
At 5:56 p.m., the National Weather Service of Indianapolis provided an updated timeline of when the storm is expected to hit certain regions of Indiana.
The storm is expected to hit western Indiana between 7-8 p.m., central Indiana between 8-9 p.m. and eastern Indiana between 9-11 p.m., according to NWS Indianapolis.
People should be prepared for heavy rain, damaging winds gusting up to 60 mph and tornadoes throughout the night.
Indianapolis Airport is prepared for disruptive weather
As of 5:28 p.m., the Indianapolis Airport has experienced no major impact to its operation, according to a spokesperson for the airport.
Officials noted that there were three flight diversions from Chicago into the Indianapolis airport due to the weather.
Airport officials recommend that people keep an eye on changing weather conditions or potential flooding if they have a flight scheduled later this evening.
Airport officials are monitoring weather conditions like high winds and lightning, which could impact future flights.
NWS: Thunderstorms expected to hit western Indiana after 6 p.m.
At 5:09 p.m., the National Weather Service of Indianapolis posted on social media that a line of intense thunderstorms is expected to hit western Indiana after 6 p.m.
People should expect tornadoes, widespread damaging winds up to 70 to 80 mph, large hail and flash flooding, according to NWS Indianapolis.
NWS ends translation services night before storm is set to hit the Midwest
The night before a significant storm is expected to hit most of the Midwest, the US National Weather Service allowed a contract with an AI firm that offered foreign-language translation services to expire, according to reporting from Bloomberg.
IndyStar reached out to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to determine if this information was accurate, but has not heard back at the time of publication.
This tool, which offered translation services in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Samoan, was used by 30 branches across the country and notable in the Midwest by Kentucky, Indiana, Minnesota and Tennessee.
At 8:01 p.m. Wednesday, the NWS Indianapolis branch began posting public forecast updates, advisories, watches and warnings on its social media pages, as an intense storm rolled through Indiana.
Tornado watch issued for central Indiana
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch from 4:15 p.m. until 11 p.m. for 28 Indiana counties, including Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson and Boone.
A tornado watch means that the conditions are ideal for a tornado to form.
A tornado warning, on the other hand, indicates that a tornado has been spotted in the immediate area. Shelter should be sought immediately.
Indianapolis and Chicago airport delays and cancellations
About 100 flights scheduled to take off from Indianapolis have been canceled or delayed on Wednesday as of about 4 p.m.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows six cancelled departures and seven cancelled arrivals, with 91 delayed departures and 31 delayed arrivals. The average delay time was around 15 minutes.
At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, 533 outbound flights had been delayed and 113 canceled as of 4 p.m. The average delay time was just over two hours.
Indianapolis Indians game postponed
Just a day after the first home game of the season, the Indianapolis Indians have postponed Wednesday night's game. It's been rescheduled for Thursday at 12:35 p.m.
NWS issues river flood warning for northern Marion County
At 3:02 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a river flood warning for portions of Marion County. Rivers in the area are rising and are expected to overflow.
Risk level of severe storms increased
As of 2 p.m., on Wednesday, NWS Indianapolis announced the risk level for tornadoes, and hail increased from this morning. The enhanced risk for Central Indiana has now moved to a moderate risk.
What areas are most likely to be impacted by storms?
The National Weather Service is predicting storms are possible along a line from Texas up into Michigan overnight. Kentucky declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm.
"Really the entire state is set to be impacted with the two-thirds of the south, including the Indy metro area, being at a greater risk," NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Mike Ryan said.
Tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall causing flash flooding, are all possible as waves of storms move across the area overnight. The threat of flooding could continue well into the weekend.
Wind advisory issued until 1 a.m. across Indiana
Frequent gusts to 40 mph, isolated gusts up to 60 mph, and occasional gusts 40-50 mph are considered hazardous, according to NWS Indianapolis.
Crawfordsville, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Lafayette, Muncie, Seymour, Shelbyville, Terre Haute, and Vincennes all have wind gusts above 40 for Wednesday afternoon with Vincennes predicted to get the highest gusts at 47 mph around 2 p.m.
IPS halts after school activities because of storm
Indianapolis Public Schools announced Wednesday afternoon that due to the projected inclement weather, all of the days school activities are canceled, including athletics.
Indiana Power Outage Map
What time will the storm hit?
The primary threat of the storm starts at 6 p.m. with a threat of hail going until midnight. There's a moderate risk of flooding, an enhanced risk of wind and possible tornadoes, and a slight risk of hail.
Is Indiana under a tornado watch?
Not as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
But NWS Indianapolis said tornadoes are likely a high risk in areas in and around Indianapolis, Jasper, Vincennes, Bloomington, Seymour, Greenburg, Muncie, Lafayette, Terre Haute and south of Kokomo. The primary threat will be happening between 5 p.m. Wednesday and 1 a.m. Thursday.
Severe wind outlook for Wednesday
Damaging wind gusts of 70 to 80 mph are possible with some storms. The primary threat will be happening between 5 p.m. Wednesday and 1 a.m. Thursday.
Severe hail outlook for Wednesday
Large hail of around 1-2 inches in diameter is possible with some storms. There is a 30-40% probability of severe hail in central and southern Indiana in areas near Lafayette, Kokomo, Indianapolis, Muncie, Crawfordsville, Terre Haute, Greensburg, Bloomington, Seymour, Vincennes and Jasper.
Where is flash flooding possible?
Areas south of Bloomington have a moderate risk of experiencing flash flooding with a 40% chance of occurrence. Everywhere else in the state except a small portion of the northwest is at a slight sick of flash flooding with a 15% occurrence. There's a moderate risk for flooding across southern and central Indiana south of Kokomo.
How much rain will Indianapolis get?
Rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches with locally higher amounts are expected.
Is my neighborhood at risk of flooding? Here's how to check
The City of Indianapolis has this floodplains map, launched in 2015, that is consistently updated to show waterways online at data.indy.gov.
FEMA also has a map where you can see if your area is prone to flooding online at fema.gov/flood-maps. Add your address, click to pinpoint the map and follow the instructions on their map to get a detailed report on your area.
Indianapolis flood gauge
Turn around, don't drown
Flooding is the main cause of deaths during thunderstorms, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than half of all drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous floods. NWS advisers commuters to never drive around barriers blocking flooded areas. Roads may have collapsed underwater and the holes would remain unseen to drivers.
Even just 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars and 2 feet can carry SUVs and trucks.
It's never safe to drive or walk into flood waters.
Indianapolis and Indiana road conditions
Check road conditions, including road closures, crashes and live webcams using Indiana's online Trafficwise map at 511in.org, or visit our gridlock guide page for live traffic cams and more.
INDOT's CARS Program provides information about road conditions, closures and width and weight restrictions. The website has a color-coded map of Indiana's highways and highlights hazardous road conditions and travel delays.
The interactive map also shows road work warnings, closures, roadway restrictions and other information helpful to drivers
Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.