Thunder and freezing rain possible for Indianapolis as ice storm targets Midwest, Northeast
Rain is next on our weather radar for Indianapolis starting Wednesday morning with possible thunderstorms and freezing rain happening tonight.
While some Hoosiers are preparing for an ice storm set to hit the Midwest and Northeast from Iowa to Delaware, the National Weather Service (NSW) for Indianapolis said they're not expecting much from the storm this week in central Indiana.
"We are expecting some rain showers that could be mixed with some light freezing rain," NSW Indianapolis meteorologist Alexander McGinnis told IndyStar. "There could be some rolls of thunder but we're not expecting any big storms."
The storm comes after a whiplash early winter, starting the year with a storm that dropped more than 15 inches of snow on some parts of the state, wind chills dropping below 0 and then rebounding to an unseasonably warm start to February. On Feb. 3, the Indianapolis International Airport officially broke the record high for the date at 68 degrees.
Going into the weekend Indianapolis can expect to need an umbrella.
"We'll have a mainly rain event all day Saturday that could start as light mixed participation Saturday," McGinnis said. So be sure to grab your umbrella and rain boots if you plan on being outside this weekend.
This week, though, temperatures are set to be above normal overall. Here's what you can expect through the rest of this week:
Ice storm takes aim at Midewest: What Hoosiers can expect after warm start to the week
⛈️ Wednesday - The high will be 36 degrees with cloudy skies. There will be a few showers in the afternoon with areas of freezing rain possible. The chance of rain 40%. Expect to see more showers and thunderstorms by night with a low of 32 degrees.
⛅ Thursday - The high will be 45 degrees with cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Expect partly cloudy going into the night with the low being 27 degrees.
⛅ Friday - The high will be 38 degrees with a mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. Expect it to be cloudy by night with some mixed winter precipitation possible in the late hours. The low will be 31 degrees.
🌧️ Saturday - The high will be 47 degrees, but showers will be here early and become steady rain later in the day. The chance of rain 80%. Expect those showers to continue into the evening and skies becoming cloudy overnight. The chance for rain in later hours is 50%. The low will be 28 degrees.
⛅ Sunday - The high will be 36 degrees with mainly cloudy skies. Expect an overcast by night with light winds and the low being 24 degrees.
Sleet advisory: If a region is expected to have up to 2 inches of sleet on the road.
Sleet warning: If a region is expected to have more than 2 inches or more of sleet.
Freezing rain advisory: If a region will receive less than one-quarter of an inch of ice.
Freezing rain warning: if a region will receive a quarter of an inch or more of ice.
NWS will place a winter weather advisory when the weather is wintry but does not showcase any other severe weather elements. For example, if the NWS expects light amounts of precipitation or snow that could cause slick driving conditions.
A winter weather watch will be alert if the NWS determines that conditions could indicate a winter storm is expected to hit a region. Severe weather conditions that meteorologists might highlight are heavy snow, sleet or freezing rain, which could cause significant impacts to travel.
The NWS will alert a winter storm warning if meteorologists believe weather conditions will be significantly severe and expect hazardous conditions to hit an area.
In the case of ice storms, the NWS will alert an ice storm warning if meteorologists expect ice accumulation of 1/4 inch or more on all surfaces.
The NWS notes that these criteria are just one component when determining if a regional NWS station should issue watches, warnings and advisories. The NWS also looks at the timing, impacts and duration of an event in addition to criteria for making its decision.
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, formally Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Ice storm heads for Midwest: freezing rain possible in Indianapolis
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