Finally!  A break from the heat!

Highs today will reach the mid to upper 70s with sunshine taking over for the afternoon.  A cool North breeze will pump drier air into Central Indiana, so we’ll get a break from the humidity too.

Overnight, your air conditioning can get a break!  Lows drop to the mid to upper 50s with partly cloudy skies.

Monday, temps warm up a bit to the upper 70s, but with high pressure still in control, we look to remain dry with partly cloudy skies.

Starting Tuesday, scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible, and by Wednesday we return to the 80s!

How will you enjoy the break from the heat and humidity?  Enjoy this while it lasts!

Check out this Bank Thermometer Reporting 100 Degrees! Thanks to Tina Roe of Ladoga for the Photo

What a day on Saturday!  The blazing hot sun sent temperatures soaring to record levels for June 4th!  In Indianapolis, the official high temp was 95.  That set a new record, surpassing the old record of 94 set in 1925 and 1911.  But some areas got even hotter!  Now I know bank thermometers are notorious for reading “too warm”…but you’ve gotta appreciate when triple digits make the marquis!  100-degrees at the Hoosier Heartland State Bank in Ladoga, Indiana in Montgomery County.  So just how hot can it get in June?  The record for Indy is 102 set on June 25th, 1988.  In case you’re wondering, it does NOT look like a record high repeat for Sunday.  Our high should be cooler (88) and the record is actually higher (98) set in 1925.

But what could make a cameo is more severe weather.  The storms that rolled from the Northern third of the state through Central Indiana packed quite a punch on Saturday!  Lots of trees were reported downed, and at one point Duke Energy was reporting 20 thousand people without power on the North Side.  Unfortunately, the storms were also the cause of one fatality – someone inside a car at Mounds State Park in Anderson – when a tree fell.  Here are some of the severe weather reports from Saturday:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/110604_rpts.html

Look for more strong to severe storms possible late Sunday – especially from Indy point south and west.

Take Care!
-Meteorologist Chikage Windler

P.S. If you want breaking weather info anytime I’m on duty…follow me on twitter.  That’s where I update most frequently, especially during severe. https://twitter.com/#!/ChikageWindler

Central Indiana is within the "Above Average" area for temperatures this month, per the Climate Prediction Center

Is it hot enough for you yet?

I know a lot of people love summer heat and humidity, but not everyone.  As I write this on a warm Friday evening, I can’t help but wonder if our early surge of warmth will stick around.  We’ve already hit 90 twice this year, on May 30th and 31st.  And I’m forecasting 90 again tomorrow, then3 more times next Tuesday through Thursday!  Our annual average in Indianapolis is 17.5, so we’ll be off to a quick start!

Here’s the breakdown by month, according to the National Weather Service for average number of days at 90 or hotter in Indy:

May: 0.4
June: 3.3
July: 7.3
August: 4.7
September: 1.8

Now that you know the averages, you should take a look at the map from the Climate Prediction Center highlighting above average temperatures possible this month!  

So will the heat build or ease as we make it through the summer months?  Time will tell, but the Climate Prediction Center suggests a decent chance of BELOW average temperatures for the period June through August (see the second map). 

Indianapolis could end up "Below Average" for the summer, according to the Climate Prediction Center

If that’s the case after a very warm June…you’ve gotta wonder if a very cool July and August are heading our way.  As a broadcast meteorologist, I don’t dabble in long-range forecasting, but I do like checking the Climate Prediction Center’s maps frequently.  You might find them of interest as well – not only for temperature trends, but also for precipitation.  At last check, along with above normal temps this month, Indy’s outlooked for above normal rain too!  The next map update will be the third week of June…I’ll probably post an update then so you can track any changes.

Just a little food for thought as you’re settling into the hot, steamy (and possibly stormy) weekend ahead.

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!
-Meteorologist Chikage Windler

For more: Climate Prediction Center http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

Here are the tornado tracks through Indiana from the June 2, 1990 Outbreak. Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the deadly tornado outbreak that hit Indiana on June 2, 1990.  The National Weather Service confirmed 37 tornadoes that day, a record for Indiana, with a total of 65 tornadoes through parts of the Midwest and Ohio Valley.  7 of the tornadoes were rated “F4″ with winds estimated at greater than 207 mph. 

Check out this video from YouTube of the Petersburg, Indiana Tornado on YouTube that killed 7 in Petersburg.

May 30th was the anniversary of the 2nd largest tornado outbreak in the Hoosier state.  23 tornadoes were reported in that storm system.  The third largest outbreak for the state was the “Super Outbreak” of April 3-4, 1974 with 21 tornadoes in Indiana.  The “Super Outbreak,” however, is the largest nationwide outbreak, with a total of 147 tornadoes reported in 13 states.

This year, we’ve already had 24 tornadoes in Indiana, which not only puts us above the year-t0-date average of 9 tornadoes, it also beats the annual average (1950-2010) of 23.5.  And nationwide preliminary statistics from the Storm Prediction Center show 1425 tornado reports year-to-date.  That’s well above the annual average, but since those numbers are preliminary, it’s too soon to say if 2011 will go down as a record tornado season.  It sure has been an incredible season for large, deadly tornadoes.  Tuscaloosa,Minneapolis, Joplin, Oklahoma City, and Springfield, MA are just some of the hard-hit areas in this season that shows no signs of quieting down.

Here in Central Indiana, our next chance of severe storms comes Saturday.  The Storm Prediction Center has placed us in a “slight risk” for severe storms.  I think the chances are 30% or less of storms, but if you have plans late Saturday afternoon/evening keep in mind the chance of a few storms.

Before then, you’ll also be greeted by the return of heat and humidity!  After a cooler/drier/less humid Thursday, we’ll head back into the 80s tomorrow and 90s on Saturday!

Thanks for reading,
-Meteorologist Chikage Windler

For more:
June 2, 1990 Tornado Outbreak (NWS) http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ind/?n=june2_1990tor
May 30, 2004 Tornado Outbreak (NWS) http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ind/?n=2004tor_tracks
Storm Prediction Center Monthly Tornado Statistics http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/newm.html

Highs today will reach the low 80s with partly cloudy skies.  Late this afternoon and tonight there’s a 10% chance of an isolated shower or storm.  Most spots look to remain absolutely dry.

If you like to give you A/C a break, lows tonight will drop to the low 60s.  Keep in mind that pollen levels are still at a medium/high level, so if you suffer from allergies, opening the windows may not be the best option for you.

Friday, we turn up the heat and humidity.  Highs will hit the upper 80s with a 10% chance of a shower or thunderstorm.

Saturday won’t be a washout, but the is a 30% chance for pop up thunderstorms.  Some storms may be strong to severe across all of Central Indiana with strong winds and large hail the biggest threats right now.  The heat and humidity will feel uncomfortable.  We’re looking to hit 90 or warmer for the third time this year on Saturday.  We’ll continue to keep you updated as we get closer to the weekend!

Sunday, another shot of pop up thunderstorms as highs hit the mid to upper 80s.

The average temp this time of year is in the upper 70s, and it’s warmer than that each day of the 7 day forecast.