Rush County residents assess damage after tornado touches down near Arlington Wednesday

Rush County residents are assessing damage from a storm system that brought tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail across Central Indiana Wednesday afternoon and evening. 

No injuries or deaths were reported from either of the tornadoes, which touched down in Rush and Madison Counties, according to the National Weather Services’ Indianapolis office.  

The tornado in Rush County appeared near Arlington for 20 minutes beginning at 4:08 p.m. The tornado’s winds peaked at about 100 mph, and it traveled nearly 10 miles, according to NWS.  

It damaged the Posey Township Volunteer Fire Department's roof. Charles Smith, a volunteer firefighter and president of the Rush County Council, said repairs to the department's roof will cost thousands of dollars. 

The tornado also caused structural damage to about five homes and minor damage to a local elementary school, said Chuck Kemker, director of Rush County Emergency Management.  

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The fire department's roof will likely cost around $15,000 to replace as its 3-foot overhang was torn off, along with half of the shingles, Smith said. 

The fire department, made up of preachers, welders, farmers and more, will continue to operate despite its roof damage. No trucks were damaged in the storm, Smith said.  

The tornado in Rush County was rated one out of five on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which uses estimated wind speeds and damage to assign a severity rating.  

A second tornado touched down in Madison County on Wednesday for one minute at 6:13 p.m., according to NWS. The tornado had peak wind speeds of about 85 mph and was rated a zero on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. 

The tornado skipped on and off the ground and partially lifted a poorly secured roof at a wastewater treatment plant in Summitville. The tornado caused additional tree and roof damage, with the most significant damage on Mill Street, according to NWS.  

Several large tree limbs damaged a car and a home and small amounts of mud were left splattered throughout the town because of the tornado.  

Wednesday's tornado watch spanned Central Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio from late afternoon into the night.  

"For tornado watches, this is pretty standard in size," Sam Lashley, a meteorologist with NWS in Indianapolis said Wednesday. "Watches tend to cover large areas because tornadoes can occur anywhere in there. Tornado warnings are issued for a much smaller area." 

Despite a tornado warning, Delaware County was not damaged by the storms, said Emergency Management Agency Director John Coutinho.  

Tornadoes are expected in Central Indiana in late spring, said Jason Puma, a meteorologist with NWS Indianapolis.   

"We're right in the peak season for tornadic activity in Central Indiana," Puma said. 

Hoosiers are most likely to experience a tornado between April and June, but tornadoes are possible year-round, he said.  

"That's why we always have to be on our guard," Puma said. "We always have to pay a little attention to the weather, so we know when there's storms coming." 

Contact Hannah Brock at hannah.brock@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter @hannah_m_brock.