Overview
Unseasonably high amounts of moisture flowed into central Indiana during the latter part of February.This resulted in many areas seeing 3-6 inches of rain during a week, bringing flooding to the area.Flooding
The heavy rains of the period of February 19-24 brought flooding to most areas rivers, creeks, and streams. Major flooding was observed along the Tippecanoe River near Oakdale Dam. Near major flooding was observed along portions of the Wabash River in west central Indiana, where flooding was the highest for some areas since 2013.
Plot of Forecast Flood Levels for late February:
Hydrographs
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Oakdale Dam | Wabash River at Lafayette | Wabash River at Riverton | Wabash River at Terre Haute |
Radar/Photos
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Feb.24 Evening Radar Loop |
Rain Reports
Heavy rainfall fell early in the week (Feb 19/20) across northern sections of central Indiana. The second round of heavy rain on the 24th fell across southern sections of the area. In all, 7 day totals ending the morning of February 25 were from 3 to 6 inches across much of central Indiana. The 1.70" of rain that fell on February 24 at Indianapolis tied the record rainfall amount for the day,
Environment
Moisture flowed into central Indiana from the southwest and south. At times during the period of February 19-24, the precipitable water values (a measure of moisture in the atmosphere) reached record levels for February.
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Figure 1: Precipitable Water at 1 AM Feb 20 | Figure 2: 850mb Moisture Transport 1 AM Feb 20 |
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Figure 3:Water Vapor Satellite Image from Feb 22 showing a continued flow of moisture into the area. | Figure 4: Precipitable Water at 9PM Feb 24 | Figure 5: 850mb Moisture Transport at 9PM Feb 24 |
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