Overview
An upper level low brought a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain to central Indiana the evening of November 14 into the early morning hours of November 15. The wintry mix created hazardous travel conditions, caused power outages affecting over 60,000 people (according to Indiana Department of Energy), and caused damage to trees.
Information on notable central Indiana ice storms can be found here. |
![]() Ice accumulation on a tree (NWS Photo) |
Ice
Most of the ice fell across the eastern two thirds of central Indiana, with light snow across the western third. Ice amounts generally ranged from a tenth of an inch to three-tenths of an inch. Below is a list of reported amounts, separated by counties. After that is a list of amounts and other reports received.
...FREEZING RAIN REPORTS... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Indiana... ...Bartholomew County... 4 ENE Columbus 0.25 in 1043 AM 11/15 39.23N/85.85W 1 SSW Taylorsville 0.25 in 0430 AM 11/15 39.29N/85.95W ...Daviess County... 3 SE Odon 0.25 in 1010 AM 11/15 38.81N/86.95W ...Delaware County... 2 E Oakville 0.30 in 0700 AM 11/15 40.08N/85.34W Selma 0.25 in 0815 AM 11/15 40.19N/85.27W ...Hamilton County... 1 NW Carmel 0.30 in 0836 AM 11/15 39.98N/86.13W 3 ENE Noblesville 0.30 in 0803 AM 11/15 40.07N/85.98W ...Hendricks County... 2 ESE Clayton 0.30 in 0811 AM 11/15 39.68N/86.49W ...Henry County... 3 SW New Castle 0.25 in 0700 AM 11/15 39.89N/85.40W ...Johnson County... 1 SSW Greenwood 0.26 in 0904 AM 11/15 39.60N/86.12W ...Knox County... 4 E Vincennes 0.20 in 0700 AM 11/15 38.68N/87.44W ...Lawrence County... 4 E Silverville 0.25 in 0955 AM 11/15 38.86N/86.59W ...Madison County... 1 SSE Edgewood 0.25 in 1157 AM 11/15 40.09N/85.73W ...Marion County... 1 NW Camby 0.30 in 0600 AM 11/15 39.65N/86.32W ...Monroe County... 2 SE Bloomington 0.25 in 0759 AM 11/15 39.15N/86.50W ...Morgan County... Brooklyn 0.30 in 0854 AM 11/15 39.54N/86.36W ...Vermillion County... 1 SW Gessie 0.20 in 0700 AM 11/15 40.08N/87.51W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 1252 PM EST THU NOV 15 2018 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0236 AM ICE STORM COLUMBUS 39.21N 85.91W 11/15/2018 BARTHOLOMEW IN PUBLIC POWER OUT IN COLUMBUS. 0.30 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION. REPORT VIA TWITTER. 0355 AM ICE STORM 1 E GREENWOOD 39.62N 86.09W 11/15/2018 JOHNSON IN PUBLIC 0.30 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION. REPORTED FROM BAM WX RECEIVED VIA TWITTER. 0415 AM ICE STORM 3 SSW CUMBERLAND 39.75N 85.97W 11/15/2018 MARION IN PUBLIC POWER OUTAGE: OVER 900 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER. VIA INDIANAPOLIS POWER AND LIGHT WEBPAGE. 0430 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 SSW TAYLORSVILLE 39.29N 85.95W 11/15/2018 E0.25 INCH BARTHOLOMEW IN COCORAHS 0524 AM ICE STORM GREENSBURG 39.35N 85.49W 11/15/2018 DECATUR IN EMERGENCY MNGR TREES DOWN, POWER OUTAGES, SLIDE-OFFS, GREENSBURG SCHOOLS CLOSED TODAY. 0600 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 NW CAMBY 39.65N 86.32W 11/15/2018 M0.30 INCH MARION IN COCORAHS 0636 AM ICE STORM 2 NW INDIANAPOLIS 39.79N 86.17W 11/15/2018 MARION IN BROADCAST MEDIA DUKE ENERGY AND INDIANAPOLIS POWER AND LIGHT COMBINED REPORT OVER 50000 CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. 0645 AM ICE STORM WESTFIELD 40.05N 86.13W 11/15/2018 HAMILTON IN PUBLIC REPORTS OF JUST OVER 1/4 OF AN INCH REPORTED IN WESTFIELD. 0656 AM ICE STORM RUSHVILLE 39.61N 85.45W 11/15/2018 RUSH IN PUBLIC 0.25 INCHES OF ICE MEASURED. REPORT VIA TWITTER. 0659 AM ICE STORM 2 S WINCHESTER 40.14N 84.97W 11/15/2018 RANDOLPH IN PUBLIC POWER OUTAGES. REPORT VIA TWITTER. 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 SW GESSIE 40.08N 87.51W 11/15/2018 E0.20 INCH VERMILLION IN CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN 4 E VINCENNES 38.68N 87.44W 11/15/2018 E0.20 INCH KNOX IN CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM ICE STORM 3 W NEW CASTLE 39.92N 85.43W 11/15/2018 HENRY IN COCORAHS 0.15 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION. 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN 3 SW NEW CASTLE 39.89N 85.40W 11/15/2018 M0.25 INCH HENRY IN CO-OP OBSERVER 0700 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 E OAKVILLE 40.08N 85.34W 11/15/2018 E0.30 INCH DELAWARE IN COCORAHS 0705 AM ICE STORM 1 SE BLOOMINGTON 39.15N 86.51W 11/15/2018 MONROE IN PUBLIC SOME BRANCHES DOWN. 0.25 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION. 0720 AM ICE STORM 1 SSE INDIANAPOLIS INT` 39.71N 86.28W 11/15/2018 MARION IN NWS EMPLOYEE A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION AT THE NWS OFFICE IN INDY. 0730 AM ICE STORM ANDERSON 40.09N 85.69W 11/15/2018 MADISON IN EMERGENCY MNGR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE AND 5590 POWER OUTAGES AS OF 7:30 AM. 0759 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 SE BLOOMINGTON 39.15N 86.50W 11/15/2018 E0.25 INCH MONROE IN PUBLIC DRIVEWAY AND PATIO - ALL UNTREATED SURFACES ARE COATED IN ICE AND HAZARDOUS. 0801 AM ICE STORM 2 N NORA 39.95N 86.15W 11/15/2018 HAMILTON IN PUBLIC SMALL BRANCHES AND LIMBS DOWN, SIDE STREETS ICE COVERED BUT MAIN ROADS ARE MOSTLY JUST WET. 0803 AM FREEZING RAIN 3 E NOBLESVILLE 40.07N 85.98W 11/15/2018 M0.30 INCH HAMILTON IN PUBLIC 0811 AM FREEZING RAIN 2 ESE CLAYTON 39.68N 86.49W 11/15/2018 E0.30 INCH HENDRICKS IN PUBLIC RELAYED VIA TWITTER. 0815 AM FREEZING RAIN SELMA 40.19N 85.27W 11/15/2018 E0.25 INCH DELAWARE IN PUBLIC RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK. LOTS OF LIMBS ALSO REPORTED TO BE DOWNED BY ICE. 0829 AM ICE STORM RUSHVILLE 39.61N 85.45W 11/15/2018 RUSH IN EMERGENCY MNGR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS 0.25 INCHES OF ICE ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH AN ESTIMATED 50 PERCENT OF THE COUNTY WITHOUT POWER. 0831 AM ICE STORM NEW CASTLE 39.92N 85.36W 11/15/2018 HENRY IN PUBLIC LARGE TREE BRANCH DOWN IN NEW CASTLE DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATION. TWITTER REPORT. 0836 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 NW CARMEL 39.98N 86.13W 11/15/2018 M0.30 INCH HAMILTON IN PUBLIC ROADS ARE SLICK IN SPOTS. 0854 AM FREEZING RAIN BROOKLYN 39.54N 86.36W 11/15/2018 M0.30 INCH MORGAN IN NWS EMPLOYEE 0857 AM ICE STORM SEYMOUR 38.96N 85.89W 11/15/2018 JACKSON IN EMERGENCY MNGR EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS AT LEAST 1007 PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER AND SEVERAL STREETS CLOSED DUE TO DOWNED TREES. 0904 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 SW GREENWOOD 39.60N 86.12W 11/15/2018 M0.26 INCH JOHNSON IN PUBLIC 0915 AM ICE STORM VERNON 38.99N 85.61W 11/15/2018 JENNINGS IN EMERGENCY MNGR EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS ICE FROM RECENT STORM RESULTED IN APPROXIMATELY 2900 POWER OUTAGES. EMS REPORTED ONLY A FEW CRASHES WITH NO LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. 911 CENTER REPORTING MANY TRESS DOWN FROM WEIGHT OF ACCUMULATED ICE. 0935 AM ICE STORM SHELBYVILLE 39.52N 85.78W 11/15/2018 SHELBY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TREES REPORTED DOWN ALL OVER THE COUNTY DUE TO ICE. POWER WAS OUT IN SPOTS. LARGE TREE BRANCHES AND POWER LINES WERE REPORTED DOWN IN SHELBYVILLE AS WELL. 1000 AM ICE STORM 1 NNW CLOVERDALE 39.53N 86.80W 11/15/2018 PUTNAM IN NWS EMPLOYEE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN VISIBLE ALONG INTERSTATE 70 THROUGH PUTNAM COUNTY. 1010 AM FREEZING RAIN 3 SE ODON 38.81N 86.95W 11/15/2018 E0.25 INCH DAVIESS IN BROADCAST MEDIA LIMBS REPORTED DOWN WITH 0.25 GLAZE OF ICE. RELAYED VIA BROADCAST MEDIA. 1032 AM ICE STORM ZIONSVILLE 39.95N 86.27W 11/15/2018 BOONE IN 911 CALL CENTER 911 CENTER REPORTS 5 ACCIDENTS RELATED TO ICE. NUMEROUS POWER LINES DOWN CAUSED BY ICE AND TREE DAMAGE REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY. 1036 AM ICE STORM GREENFIELD 39.79N 85.78W 11/15/2018 HANCOCK IN 911 CALL CENTER 911 CENTER REPORTS NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS DOWN ACROSS COUNTY WITH SEVERAL LARGE TREES DAMAGED NEAR GREENFIELD. POWER IS BEING RESTORED AT THIS TIME. 1040 AM ICE STORM SHOALS 38.67N 86.79W 11/15/2018 MARTIN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TREES WERE DOWNED IN SHOALS DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATIONS. POWER WENT OUT AT THE JAIL BRIEFLY. ALSO, A TREE WAS NOTED AS BEING DOWNED IN LOOGOOTEE AS WELL. 1040 AM ICE STORM BEDFORD 38.86N 86.49W 11/15/2018 LAWRENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH OF ICE WAS OBSERVED. MULTIPLE TREES WERE DOWN COUNTY-WIDE. SOME OF THEM ON POWER LINES. POWER WAS OUT SPORADICALLY THROUGH THE COUNTY. AT LEAST 3106 WITHOUT POWER AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT. TREES DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES WERE NOTED IN BEDFORD. 1041 AM ICE STORM SPENCER 39.29N 86.77W 11/15/2018 OWEN IN 911 CALL CENTER 911 CENTER REPORTS POWER WAS OUT ACROSS NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY THIS MORNING DUE TO POWER LINES SNAPPING FROM WEIGHT OF ICE. POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED TO MOST OF THE COUNTY AS OF 1030. 1043 AM FREEZING RAIN 4 E COLUMBUS 39.23N 85.85W 11/15/2018 E0.25 INCH BARTHOLOMEW IN PUBLIC TREES WITH LEAVES LEANING HEAVILY TO GROUND, A COUPLE TREES SPLIT IN NEIGHBORHOOD. 1045 AM ICE STORM NASHVILLE 39.20N 86.24W 11/15/2018 BROWN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ONE EIGHTH TO ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH OF ICE WAS OBSERVED. MULTIPLE TREES WERE DOWN COUNTY-WIDE, ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY 46. POWER OUTAGES WERE NOTED, PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. AT LEAST 686 WITHOUT POWER AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT. 1145 AM ICE STORM 3 NE OWENSBURG 38.96N 86.69W 11/15/2018 GREENE IN FIRE DEPT/RESCUE A COUPLE OF TREES WERE REPORTED DOWN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY ONE ON STATE ROAD 54. 1157 AM FREEZING RAIN 1 SE EDGEWOOD 40.09N 85.73W 11/15/2018 E0.25 INCH MADISON IN PUBLIC TREE LIMBS WERE DOWN AND THERE WERE SEVERAL POWER OUTAGES.
Photos:
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Ice Accumulation on a Bush (NWS Photo) |
Ice Accumulation on a Tree (NWS Photo) |
Tree Bent Down due to Ice (NWS Photo) |
Environment
An upper level low moved to the south of central Indiana. Ahead of the low, warm air flowed in a few thousand feet above ground ahead of the low. This allowed much of the precipitation to remain liquid. When the rain hit the cold ground and surface, it froze and allowed ice to accumulate.
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Figure 1: Surface Conditions at 3:00 AM EST | Figure 2: 850 mb Analysis at 3:00 AM EST | Figure 3: 500mb Analysis at 3:00 AM EDT |
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