April showers bring May Flowers. Many of us were taught this little rhyme to describe the weather of Spring. April has arrived along with the beginning of the Spring storm season and damage to and from trees is a topic of concern on many minds. Depending on the intensity of the storms and the condition[Read More…]
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Indiana has already experienced several tornadoes this year with more certainly to come. Of course, this is not unusual since Indiana is often considered on the far northeastern edge of “Tornado Alley”. Tornadoes get their energy from the battle between the cooler, drier Canadian air moving southeastward and the warmer, more humid air coming north[Read More…]
Spring field operations have already begun across the state, including tillage, anhydrous ammonia applications, and even some planting. Temperatures look up from here, but we cannot rule out periods of cooler conditions between now and May that could impact crop emergence. As of March 18, 2025, the 7-day average 4-inch soil temperature at the Purdue[Read More…]
While our daytime highs across the state were in the upper 70s, our nighttime lows have been in the 30s (even into the upper 20s) in some places. This could get us thinking about the timing of the first frost and freeze events of the season, when the 7-day average 4-inch soil temperature falls before[Read More…]
While our entire state did not receive the amount of rain from the remnants of Hurricane Helene compared to other states, most of Indiana did receive at least an inch of precipitation over the past few weeks with some southern counties receiving over five inches (Figure 1). General impacts have been greener lawns (don’t put[Read More…]
As September begins, we officially welcome meteorological fall. While the autumnal equinox isn’t until September 22, the past few mornings have already brought a crisp, fall-like feel to the air. Around town, fall decorations are starting to appear, and a few maple trees are showing early hints of color. My wife, however, is eagerly waiting[Read More…]
Pattern changes, like the one we’ve experienced in the middle of the month, are quite typical for August. The humidity decreases a bit, the soils dry out, and sometimes, like we’ve recently experienced, the temperatures drop quite dramatically. It can be refreshing and exciting for Fall lovers to experience some crisp, cool air in mid-August.[Read More…]
After a period of hot and humid weather where heat indices reached triple digits in some locations, we welcome cooler than normal temperatures for the next several days. It is still summer, though, so sweaters, mittens, and scarves will not be necessary! There were a few temperature records broken over the August 5-6, 2024, period,[Read More…]
Several weeks ago, Indiana received enough rain to eliminate drought across the state, leaving behind just a few counties in Abnormally Dry (D0) status. Fortunately, this week has been relatively quiet, allowing many areas to alleviate flooding issues. The U.S. Drought Monitor kept those Abnormally Dry areas nearly the same this week (Figure 1), so[Read More…]
Bill Walton, the legendary basketball player, sports announcer and perhaps the most outspoken and famous Grateful Dead fan, passed away in May leaving behind enough quirky quotes and euphemisms to make Yogi Berra proud. In a now viral clip since his passing, Mr. Walton reflects on teachings from his legendary coach and former Purdue basketball[Read More…]
The remnants of Hurricane Beryl brought much-needed rain to the state, although some areas experienced excessive totals. In addition, sporadic power outages were reported as a result of wind gusts exceeding 30 mph. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) volunteer network once again proved essential, with observations ranging from just under 0.4 inches[Read More…]
With recent rain storms across the state, watering may not be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. But as we head deeper into summer it is food to remember most of Indiana is in a state of abnormal dryness to moderate drought, continuing similar conditions from previous years. With that in mind, we should be[Read More…]
As I write this article, in a cool, air-conditioned office, I hear others talking about how hot it is outside. I see weather app icons showing bold suns that stress how sunny and hot conditions are and will continue to be. I read Special Weather Statements, issued by the National Weather Service, about an extended[Read More…]
As of writing, it appears we’re heading into the start of meteorological summer (June 1) with a wet meteorological spring on the books. Meteorological spring will end with over 15 inches of rain from March 1 through the end of May, making it the 24th wettest Spring on record for Indianapolis. Keep in mind, records[Read More…]
Allergy season is in full swing. At least, it is for me. Runny nose, itchy eyes, and consistent drainage that I have to clear in the shower every morning. We love spring, right?? That’s enough complaining for now. Indiana’s April 2024 average temperature was 55.1°F (3°F above normal), which was good enough for 14th warmest[Read More…]
It’s gonna be… I mean… it’s already May! How can this be? Early spring flowers have already cycled through, I’m on record pace for mowing my yard, and field activity has been delayed due to a wet April. April began a bit cool with several mornings having frost advisories and freeze warnings, which was not[Read More…]
There was an interesting conversation among drought experts this week about how best to communicate drought, particularly when surface conditions appear so saturated. I thought of Indiana a lot during this discussion because with all the rain the state has received over the last several weeks (over twice the normal amount!), there is localized flooding,[Read More…]
An old saying predicts that March will go out “like a lamb”. Another saying predicts April’s wetness with “April showers bring May flowers”. A lot seems to have happened across Indiana since April began, but March finished the month with below-normal rainfall (except for the northern counties) and above-normal temperatures. Does this describe conditions that[Read More…]
The 2023-2024 meteorological winter (December, January, and February) has concluded, but it seems as if we only experienced a couple weeks of winter-like weather this season. Indiana’s average temperature was 35.8°F, which was 5.3°F above normal. This was good for Indiana’s second warmest winter since records began in 1895. The warmest winter on record was[Read More…]
Many areas around the Midwest continue to creep towards an increasing drought situation (Fig. 1). Currently almost 80% of the Midwest is listed as being abnormally dry to exceptional drought (Fig. 2). Current soil moisture data indicates that most of the Midwest is very dry (Fig. 3). Going into the fall it’s very important[Read More…]
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