We’re off to a mild start Thursday morning but also a noisy start for some. Showers and storms have been moving through the area. Those in cities near Lafayette, Tipton to Muncie may have woken up to drenching downpours, frequent lightning and potential hail prior to 5 AM. That round of rain left Lafayette with nearly 1″ of rain, so far, for the day. Additional showers during the morning has now taken that total above 1″.
Temperatures have been climbing into the 60s during the morning hours, but that is about to come to an end. A slow moving cold front is sliding through the state this Thursday morning. Behind the front, temperatures will be dropping and we turn much cooler by Friday morning. Rain and storms continue through the morning. As these move through the state, there will be the potential for an isolated strong to severe storm. Hail is the primary threat for any storms that do intensify.
The front will stall near the Ohio river today and lead to very heavy rainfall to be pulled across the state Friday and Saturday. The southern half of the state is under a Flood Watch that begins at 8 PM Friday and lasts until 8 AM Saturday. Flooding of rivers, creeks and other flood prone areas will be possible during this time frame. 2″ to 4″ inches of rainfall looks favorable across the southern third of the state with some locations that may see higher amounts. Flash flooding will also be possible, so be sure to use a lot of extra caution when traveling Friday and early Saturday.
This heavy rain will come in two waves. Expect activity to pickup again late tonight on through Friday morning. After a lull during the afternoon on Friday, another wave will develop during the evening and produce areas heavy rainfall as the front is pulled back north into Saturday morning.
Sunday will be the better day of the weekend for any outdoor plans. High pressure will be in control across the region and allow us some time to dry out and even bring back some sunshine.
