A round of thunderstorms is expected going into the weekend. A look at the Easter forecast
The sun will be shining today with high temperatures behind cloudy skies, but by Friday evening, scattered thunderstorms are possible across the state, going into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Indianapolis.
The timeframe for the most severe storms will be from 1 to 9 a.m. Saturday morning, with a slight risk of damaging winds and large hail as the primary threat.
A cold front is moving into Indiana from the northwest. This will bring lots of thunderstorms across the state. In some spots, the rain might be heavy, which could cause quick flooding in low areas.
"The storms will hold off across Friday evening before coming in late Friday, which is early Saturday morning," said NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Aaron Updike. "We'll have another system for Saturday where there will be a slight break between Saturday morning and afternoon, but storms will be less severe."
Multiple rounds of rain will fall across central Indiana, according to NWS Indianapolis. Anywhere from 1-3 inches of rain is expected, with locally higher amounts possible.
Severe weather storms: Large hail, damaging winds possible as cold front moves across Indiana
Easter Sunday will be warm with a high of 75 degrees, but we'll see showers in the morning before it becomes cloudy in the afternoon. There's a 40% chance of rain with winds blowing 10-20 mph. By Sunday evening, it'll be cloudy with occasional showers late into the night. There will be a 70% chance of rain for Sunday night with a low of 63 degrees.
Generally, a flat area of land adjacent to a river or stream is more prone to flooding during periods of heavy rain. The primary rivers and streams in Indianapolis and the surrounding Marion County are the White River, Fall Creek, Eagle Creek, Pleasant Run, Little Eagle Creek, and Pogue's Run.
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.
🚨 Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories.
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 advises 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.
🚨 Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories.
⚡ Indiana power outage map: How to check your status.
💻 Internet outages: How to track them.
🚫 What you should and shouldn't do when the power is out.
🐶 Your neighbor left their pet outside. Who you should call.
AES Indiana customers: 317-261-8111
Duke Energy customers: 1-800-343-3525
If you encounter a downed traffic signal or a limb blocking a roadway, contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or online at RequestIndy.gov. When calling after hours, press "2" to be connected.
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.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Easter weekend forecast shows storms possible
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