Summer just had to throw us a going away party in the form of extreme heat! Temperatures soared into the 90s during the final week of August, with heat index values over 100°F for much of the state. Lafayette, South Bend, and Fort Wayne all set daily records on Tuesday, August 27th for maximum temperatures…Read more about A Major Cool-Down On The Way[Read More]
Climate and Weather
Since the start of July, most of Indiana has received at least 2 inches with up to 8 inches of precipitation (Figure 1). Except for southeastern and east-central Indiana, this precipitation has been well above normal (Figure 2). As a result, most locations have seen an improvement in the U.S. Drought Monitor (Figure 3). There…Read more about Recent rain improves drought across Indiana[Read More]
Happy Independence Day from the Indiana State Climate Office! Temperatures were much more pleasant over the past seven days (June 24-July 1) compared to the heat experienced in mid-late June. Across Indiana, temperatures varied from below to above normal from north to south (Figure 1). Southern Indiana had locations with temperatures up to 1°F above…Read more about Variable Temperatures, Sporadic Rainfall, and Growing Drought[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 about Hot and dry conditions ahead[Read More]
Happy meteorological summer, everyone! Whether you’re ready or not, summer is here…well, at least meteorologically. While the official start of summer according to the astronomical calendar is the summer solstice on Thursday, June 20, meteorological summer began on June 1. This distinction is important because meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles and divide…Read more about Welcome meteorological summer![Read More]
I have been seeing a lot of reports around the state about overly wet conditions with impacts such as running field tiles, high-leveled lakes and streams, field ponding, and difficulty getting into the fields for planting. It certainly feels likes it has been raining a lot around the West Lafayette area. Figure 1 shows how…Read more about How long with this wet period last?[Read More]
Abundant rainfall has eliminated any drought across the Hoosier State, and we have April showers to thank for that. Fort Wayne had its wettest April on record with a whopping 7.39 inches of precipitation, over 3 inches above the normal 3.74 inches for April. In Indianapolis, it was the 8th wettest April on record with…Read more about Indiana is Drought Free, but Long-Term Precipitation Deficits Remain[Read More]
There is some very exciting news this week for Indiana with respect to the U.S. Drought Monitor. For the first time since April 25, 2023, the entire state is void of any Abnormally Dry (D0) or Drought (D1-D4) conditions. I would include the map but … drumroll, please … there’s nothing to show! This is…Read more about Indiana is entirely free of drought (Climate & Weather)[Read More]
Something exciting happened this past Monday that many of you might be glad is over and no longer filling your news feed – the total solar eclipse. The Indiana State Climate Office, however, is now getting a chance to dig into the data collected from the Purdue Mesonet – a collection of 14 weather stations…Read more about Weather impacts from eclipse[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 about Climate & Weather[Read More]