Tuesday, July 22, 2008

More Fair Week Thunderstorms Rattle the Area


Pat Jarboe sent in this picture of the goat show. It is the one week out of the year when your meteorologist can go from hero to goat in less than 5 minutes. Although the good news is the worst of the weather did miss us and hold off until after folks had already left the fairgrounds for the night. Mark Kirby, our Tippecanoe Emergency Management Agency director did a good job of making sure to send those storm spotters out just in case the storms came a little earlier. We kept in touch throughout the evening and the timing worked out perfectly for everybody involved. We were both relieved that those 60 mph wind gusts missed the Tippecanoe Fair grounds by a good 40 miles to the south.



1:18 a.m. Time to get some rest as all of our severe thunderstorm watches in our viewing area will be canceled!

Alright, I just confirmed this with the National Weather Service at Indianapolis. The worst is over and no severe weather is expected. Our best chance of severe weather was with that cell that just missed Montgomery County. It will be a long night down in Indianapolis, but here in Lafayette we should be able to salvage a little bit of shut eye! There are a few isolated storms up near Chicago and more popping out in Iowa but the atmosphere has stabilized and I do not expect any more weather watches. We could see one more round of showers on Tuesday about midday, but we should dry out for the evening and we have one of our nicest fair weather forecasts on record coming your way! Make sure to watch Kelly this morning for the latest and I will check back with you later this evening. Thanks for blogging. You all are just GREAT! Have a good night.

1:05 a.m. The worst is over as warning just misses Montgomery County

It was a close call but that one dangerous cell has moved just south of Montgomery County and a severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Putnam County. I am still concerned about some localized rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches before the rain tapers off around 3 a.m. Please be careful out there if you are driving. It is tough to see flooded out roadways.

12:51 a.m. Lightning is finally showing signs of letting up for most of us! One more strong thunderstorm cell is moving toward southern Montgomery County.

We have one more vivid lightning producing cell than may nip extreme southern Montgomery County. This storm could still put out a brief warning for damaging isolated wind gusts of 60 mph and large hail. So right now if you are south of Crawfordsville in Montgomery County batten down the hatches. The worst part of that cell will be just south of you, but better safe than sorry. We are not out of the woods yet. I will check back!


12:20 a.m. Update: Lightning Strikes Telephone Pole on North Side of Frankfort (Power Outages)

We may not have any warnings but we still have some vicious lightning and I just got a call from Chris in Frankfort and he has confirmed some small pea size hail. More importantly he told me of an incredible lightning strike with a huge blue flash as it hit a telephone pole. Some folks apparently were out on their porches when this happened. Thank goodness they are all now inside and safe. I am glad lightning did not strike anybody. Small pea size hail was also reported. This activity will be exiting Clinton County by 1 a.m. Another target area of concern is Montgomery County between now and 1 a.m. for vivid lightning, small hail, and wind gusts of 45 mph.

I just called home and the dog and my wife are wide awake with the loud crashes of thunder around the area. It is a good thing my kids are sleeping soundly in Wisconsin at Grandma's and Aunt Shelli's house. My daughter Abbey would certainly be awake and on my case! Our bed would certainly be full of kids and our dog! I think the worst of these thunderstorm's bite will be between now and 1 a.m. Then the worst should be over. I will be here at work until I can give the all clear. So for now the big thing I want to pass along is that I think we will be okay tonight as long as you do not go out on your porch. Also remember if you have to be traveling or driving around the area over the next couple of hours a quick one to two inches of rain has fallen in spots with another inch of rain possible. Be careful of lowland flooding and ponding of water on the roadways.


12:14 a.m. Update:

THUNDERSTORMS WITH WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE IN SOUTHERN CLINTON COUNTY. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM CELL IS NEAR VEEDERSBURG AND WILL BE NEAR CRAWFORDSVILLE BY 12:45 A.M. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE VIVID LIGHTNING, SMALL HAIL, AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH.


12:00 A.M.
A WEATHER TEAM 18 ALERT: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 A.M. FOR BENTON, WARREN, FOUNTAIN, TIPPECANOE, MONTGOMERY, CARROLL, CLINTON, AND HOWARD COUNTIES. THUNDERSTORMS WITH WIND GUSTS OF 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE IN SOUTHERN TIPPECANOE COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TOWARD FRANKFORT. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM CELL IS EXPECTED IN FOUNTAIN AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks mike.

Montgomery, fountain, vermillion, and parke, counties be ready for severe thunderstorms. Clouds are around 500FT with hail so stay safe even us here in tipp clouds are at 500FT with hail so be safe here to.

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Here in Frankfort there is alot of lighting. It's not raining to hard and very little wind. But the power has been blinking on and off.
Stay safe everyone !!

Anonymous said...

Remember that lightning can strike from 5-10 miles away, dont forget what happened to TV 18 not long ago!

Teri

Anonymous said...

Look's like the worst is getting and or is going through fountain, south tipp, vermillion,counties it soon will be going through montgomery, and parke, countie.

Still clouds are sround 500FT to 550FT so hang in there.

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Also the there will be some strong storms hitting lebanon by around 12:45am.

Justin.

Anonymous said...

WOW Mike glad everyone is ok!!!
We are all up with you!!!

Justin.

Anonymous said...

So thats what that big boom was,I seen that the lighting hit something. Ty Mike for all the help and info tonight..also a big ty to Justin as well.

Anonymous said...

Hey your welcome just glad to help.

Look's like the storms should be moveing out of fountain, and vermillion, counties as well as the worst look's to be out of tipp countie we could still see a few rumbles and a little rain but otherwise we are looking good.

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Well I said I was going to sleep, but just cant with this light show and thunder! A couple of times the lightning was so bright a sensor light in the alley went off.

Up for a while I guess! Are you still up Justin?

Teri

Anonymous said...

Yep Im not going anywere been up since 5:00am this morning LOL...

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Oh no, more storms in MO and Iowa! On the same track!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

What a nice cool down, pouring out and very windy, would love to sleep with the windows open but raining in from all directions

Night all,

Anonymous said...

Thanks mike I was just coming on here to say that things are starting to clear out here in Lafayette thank goodness. Ya I was watching indy and man o man they do! have a night on there hands!!!.
So everyone try to get a good nights rest as well as Im going to do I am sooooo tired this has been a long day but fun in a way :)

Hope all is safe and sound sleep well and I'll see you all here in the morning Im going to try to get some rest. And a BIG thanks to mike and his weather team!!!

Justin.

Anonymous said...

That was a funny comment about your children Mike! Too bad your wife could not just have a nice quiet night without the storms. I spent 2 hours with mine last night (from 11:30-1:30) so I could not type anything in, I just checked the maps fast before shutting the computer down taking care of them. Hope we all sleep better tonight.

ML

Anonymous said...

Morning bloggers :) sleep ok ?

I checked out how much rain I got here 0.51" At least the grass got some much needed rain!!! Any of you going out to the fair?

I hope everyone is safe from the storms last night some of us lucked out again!!! and thats great just hope all the people in the south counties are ok.

Mary anne did you get anything at all? From what I seen last night it looked like all you got was rain and maybe a little thunder.
Really we only got some good old thunderstorms it was not to bad here well were I am. However are dog's got a little scard.

Hope you all have a great day and have fun!

Justin in Laf.

Anonymous said...

Hi Justin, what time did you give in and get some shut eye? I didnt get much sleep due to the light show. The wind picked up around 1:30 and really cooled down!

What a light show it was! That was one colorful radar!

I had some worried dogs as well.

It is a great day to go the fair, We will wait till this evening to go. Are you heading over?

Teri in Laf.

Anonymous said...

One more thing we only have a 30% chance of rain later this afternoon or evening so as of now I would not cancel anything yet. Temps for today around 78 to 80* still going to be HUM with your REL HUM around 65% to 70% as well as dew point being around 65*. Otherwise tomorrow look's good as well as thursday with sunny skies and highs around 82*. As of now are next chance of rain look's to be on Friday with right now only a 30% chance so we just have to waite and see.

Justin in LAF.

Anonymous said...

I got to bed at 2:00am I think I sleeped till 10:30 this morning I was soo tired. But I am good to go now.
As for the fair I don't know we might.

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Ya will head over.

It would be cool to meet a fellow blogger!!! Were should we meet you?

Justin in Laf.

Anonymous said...

The fair will be a busy place tonight for its family night! Glad to hear nice wx on the way, and as you said today is still on the humid side, but it's summer! I dont wish for cold wx with the price of heating, the gas bills are going to be huge!

Teri

Anonymous said...

Oh ya.
Hey have you heard from Mary anne on how things were uo by her last night.

Justin.

Anonymous said...

I havent heard from Mary Anne since last night , I am sure she is fine.

I would bet she is getting some R&R from the computer, for they have had bad wx 3 days in a row!

Did you check out the web site she posted? really cool!

Teri

Anonymous said...

Yesterday I could not get it to load I want to check it out do you have the link?

Justin.

Anonymous said...

Hey Mary anne or teri I got that site but it say's the only way to get the premium weather you have to sign up for the 14 day free tril so is that what you had to do?
I just would like to know before I do so thanks!

Justin.