NEWS

Paul Poteet: Forecasters warn of thunderstorms

Paul Poteet
Temps

1:49 PM UPDATE: The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northeastern Morgan county and southwestern Marion County and southeastern Hendricks County. The warning expires at 2:15 p.m.

The storm is expected to pack hail and 60-mph winds.

EARLIER A cold front moves very slowly into central Indiana today and tonight. It should reach Lafayette around noon and get into the Indianapolis metro area about 3 p.m. The best chances of showers and storms will be northwest of Indianapolis in the morning and across the state this afternoon. The front's progress will also affect high temperatures today. It will only make it to the low 70s in Lafayette and Terre Haute, but the mid 70s are expected down the center of the state. The upper 70s to around 80 are still possible today in Muncie and Richmond, where the rain will take longest to get going.

It will be muggy one more time today, but that will be swept away tonight with the passage of the cold front. That front also stops the above-average streak at eight consecutive days, the longest stretch of the year so far.

Seven-day forecast

Showers should fade by late tonight, and then return in the midday and afternoon Wednesday, with the arrival of low pressure from the south that will ride north along that cold front to our east. The best chance of the biggest rain is Wednesday evening. Shower chances linger into Thursday and Friday. Total rainfall through this period should average around an inch and a half. No severe weather is expected through the period.

Parts of northern Indiana will drop to the upper 30s by early Friday and Saturday. The weather improves this weekend, but it still won't be close to normal again until next Monday. All signs point to a steady warming trend next week. It won't be long until we start speculating about Race Day.