Severe Storms, Tornado Threat in Indiana

STATEWIDE — Severe storms are expected to move across Indiana today, with strong wind posing the primary threat and the potential for a few tornadoes developing later in the day.

Andrew White, a forecaster with the National Weather Service Indianapolis, said the timing and movement of a warm front lifting north will play a critical role in how the storms evolve.

“The big thing is going to be the timing of the warm front as it moves north today,” White said. “That’s going to affect the surface winds, which then affects the tornado potential.”

If atmospheric conditions align, the tornado threat could increase, particularly south of Interstate 70 during the afternoon and evening hours.

“If you get the ingredients just right, the threat is up there today, mainly in the south of I-70 as we get towards the afternoon and evening hours,” White said. “Depending on how things develop, I could see the potential for a few tornadoes.”

White noted that unusually warm temperatures for late winter are contributing to the severe weather risk.

“Anytime we get these much warmer-than-normal temperatures in the late winter timeframe, that really increases the chance for severe weather,” he said. “A lot of the other things we look for, like wind shear, are typically a lot higher during the late winter timeframes.”

People are urged to monitor forecasts and keep a close eye on radar throughout the day.

“Today is definitely going to be one of those days to keep a close eye on the radar,” White said.

Strong wind gusts are expected to continue into Friday, with gusts potentially reaching 40 mph. Temperatures will cool slightly heading into the weekend, with highs in the mid-40s forecast for Friday and Saturday.

A shift in weather patterns could bring light snow to portions of northern Indiana on Sunday as temperatures fall back into the 20s early next week, White said.

While the cooldown is expected to be noticeable, forecasters do not anticipate extreme cold.

Severe Storms, Tornado Threat in Indiana was originally published on wibc.com