Paul Poteet: Breezy with showers expected today
Not as cold today, but the temperature increase comes with a precipitation price. There will be periods of showers today, and the wind gets gusty again. Afternoon breezes could hit 40 mph. We don't expect severe weather, but there is a chance of thunder through the later afternoon and evening. Today's' highs will range from the low 50s along and north of Interstate 70, to the mid 50s south of the famous dividing line.
Shower chances should be gone by Friday morning drive-time, but the wind will linger Friday, gusting to 30 mph. Most of the day will be dry, but another area of low pressure noses in from the southwest by late evening. It could start raining again just before midnight around Indianapolis southward, and a little after midnight to the north. Enough cold air will be around to mix the rain with snow flakes in places like Muncie and Richmond. No accumulation is expected as surface temperatures stay a little above freezing.
By the time the second wave of water exits Saturday afternoon, we could end up with around a ½-inch of precipitation. From Richmond back to Columbus and Bloomington, an inch is possible. That's helpful, because - believe it or not - Indy is behind on year-to-date precipitation, to the tune of about an 1 ½ inches. It's roughly the same story in Lafayette. The deficit is almost 3 inches in Muncie and more than that in Bloomington.
Another interesting stat is the low temperature of 15 in Indy on Wednesday. That was cold, but not as cold as the record of 8 degrees from 1955. That record is significant because it's the last day with a single digit record low until Nov. 17. We'll take any sign of spring we can get this year. I found myself actually enjoying the smell of mulch while running Wednesday!
It will feel more like spring on Sunday, with warmer highs in the mid to upper 50s and some sunshine. We'll finish this March Madness with shower chances and 60s on Monday.
Paul Poteet has reported weather in Central Indiana since the 1980s. Follow him on Twitter@PaulPoteet