2014-15 Indiana Winter/Spring Stats

[Chicago WX]

That 81-82 flip was impressive.  Things basically went nuts after mid-December.

 

Yep, 15.6" of snow the rest of that December after the 15th.

[Chicago WX]

December 1-10 mean average temperatures/departures. Next 5-10 days, at least, will be putting up a run of daily + departures. Should be solidly positive across the board by the next update on 12/20.

 

Bloomington (BMG): 35.4˚ +0.4˚

Evansville (EVV): 40.9˚ +2.7˚

Fort Wayne (FWA): 31.5˚ -0.8˚

Goshen (GSH): 30.6˚ -0.6˚

Indianapolis (IND): 33.8˚ -0.8˚

Indianapolis Eagle Creek (EYE): 33.9˚ -1.1˚

Lafayette (LAF): 31.8˚ -1.9˚

Muncie (MIE): 33.8˚ 0.0˚

North Webster (IWX): 30.0˚ -2.0˚

Shelbyville (GEZ): 35.9˚ +1.1˚

South Bend (SBN): 31.5˚ -0.4˚

Terre Haute (HUF): 34.2˚ -0.2˚

 

December total snowfall/departures through the 10th:

Evansville: 0.0" -0.6"

Fort Wayne (FWA): 0.1" -2.0"

Indianapolis (IND): T -1.5"

South Bend (SBN): T -4.4"

 

No additional snowfall expected for the next 10 days or so. Thus, we start looking at December futility records. Top 20 least snowiest Decembers for FWA, IND, and SBN below.

 

[Chicago WX]

With the next four days pushing close to 50˚ at IND, we look back at the winters that had the most and least number of days with a 40˚+ and 50˚+ temperature.

 

1871-2014 average total number of DJF 40˚+ days: 40

1871-1942 average total number of DJF 40˚+ days: 40

1943-2014 average total number of DJF 40˚+ days: 39

 

 

1871-2014 average total number of DJF 50˚+ days: 17

1871-1942 average total number of DJF 50˚+ days: 17

1943-2014 average total number of DJF 50˚+ days: 16

 

 

 

[Chicago WX]

Good chance IND fails to hit 5" for the season by the end of this month. If so, it would be the 54th time since 1884-85 that has happened. 2014-15 season total to date is 2.8".

 

Below are all of the seasons that had less than 5" at the end of December...and what happened the rest of those winters.

 

 

• 15 seasons (28% of them) ended up above average.

 

• 21 Januaries (40%) were above average

• 17 Februaries (32%) were above average

• 15 Marches (28%) were above average

 

So moral of the story, odds are not in favor a recovery sort of speak...but it's not totally hopeless.

[Chicago WX]

South Bend is going to have their least snowiest December on record...and it'll be the only December that didn't have measurable snowfall (only a T recorded in 2014). Fort Wayne will tie for 2nd least snowiest December and Indianapolis tied for the 4th least snowiest. Brutal month, glad it's almost over.

 

In the next thrilling post in this thread, whenever that'll be, we'll look at the January snowfall futility records. 

[Chicago WX]

December 2014 statistics

 

Evansville (EVV)

Average temperature: 39.5˚ +3.9˚

Total precipitation: 3.43" -0.33"

Total snowfall: T -3.2"

 

Fort Wayne (FWA)

Average temperature: 32.6˚ +3.5˚

Total precipitation: 1.72" -1.05"

Total snowfall: 0.6" -7.9"

 

Indianapolis (IND)

Average temperature: 33.3˚ +1.7˚

Total precipitation: 2.55" -0.62"

Total snowfall: 0.1" -6.8"

 

South Bend (SBN)

Average temperature: 33.2˚ +4.4˚

Total precipitation: 1.47" -1.14"

Total snowfall: 0.2" -17.1"

 

 

Bloomington (BMG)

Average temperature: 35.0˚ +2.8˚

Total precipitation: 3.87" +0.33"

 

Goshen (GSH)

Average temperature: 32.6˚ +4.6˚

Total precipitation: 1.37" -0.84"

 

Indianapolis Eagle Creek (EYE)

Average temperature: 33.6˚ +1.9˚

Total precipitation: 2.48" -0.60"

 

Lafayette (LAF)

Average temperature: 32.2˚ +1.8˚

Total precipitation: 1.79" -0.72"

 

Muncie (MIE)

Average temperature: 33.9˚ +3.2˚

Total precipitation: 1.83" -1.05"

 

North Webster (IWX)

Average temperature: 31.8˚ +3.3˚

Total precipitation: 1.19" -1.61"

Total snowfall: 0.5"

 

Shelbyville (GEZ)

Average temperature: 35.8˚ +4.0˚

Total precipitation: 2.98" -0.29"

 

Terre Haute (HUF)

Average temperature: 34.7˚ +3.1˚

Total precipitation: 2.78" -0.27"

 

[Hoosier]

Odds are LAF hits -10 tonight.  There have been 18 occurrences of min temps of -10 or lower in the past 20 years (1995-2014), with 7 of them occurring last year. 

 

 

1/5/1999:  -20

1/16/2009:  -19

2/11/2014:  -17

2/3/1996:  -14

2/4/1996:  -14

1/7/2014:  -14

1/27/2003:  -13

1/6/2014:  -13***

1/28/2014:  -13

12/25/2000:  -12

1/15/2009:  -12

1/10/1999:  -11

2/7/2014:  -11

1/9/1999:  -10

1/31/2004:  -10

2/10/2011:  -10

2/10/2014:  -10

2/12/2014:  -10

 

 

***approximate due to incomplete data...actual may have been slightly colder

[Chicago WX]

More proof that last winter rocked. Nice stats.

[Chicago WX]

January 2015 total snowfall/departures through the 10th.

 

Evansville (EVV): 0.1" -1.0"

Fort Wayne (FWA): 6.2" +3.0"

Indianapolis (IND): 2.3" -0.4"

North Webster (IWX): 7.2" NA

South Bend (SBN): 18.6" +12.3"

 

January 2015 average temperatures/departures through the 10th.

 

Evansville (EVV): 27.6˚ -4.8˚

Fort Wayne (FWA): 15.8˚ -9.5˚

Indianapolis (IND): 18.2˚ -9.8˚

North Webster (IWX): 14.2˚ -9.8˚

South Bend (SBN): 15.5˚ -9.3˚

 

Bloomington (BMG): 21.7˚ -7.3˚

Goshen (GSH): 15.1˚ -8.9˚

Indianapolis Eagle Creek (EYE): 18.9˚ -9.1˚

Lafayette (LAF): 15.1˚ -11.3˚

Muncie (MIE): 18.4˚ -8.4˚

Shelbyville (GEZ): 21.5˚ -7.4˚

Terre Haute (HUF): 20.4˚ -7.6˚

[Chicago WX]

So far, this January is almost 4˚ colder at IND than last January. If it were just as snowy, but can't win them all.

 

Jan 2014 thru the 14th: 22.5˚

Jan 2015 thru the 14th: 18.8˚

 

Coldest starts to January (thru 1/14) for Indy since 1950:

1) 10.9˚ in 1970

2) 12.8˚ in 1977

3) 12.9˚ in 1979

4) 15.2˚ in 1969

5) 16.0˚ in 1999

5) 16.0˚ in 1981

7) 16.4˚ in 1988

7) 16.4˚ in 1968

9) 17.9˚ in 2010

10) 18.4˚ in 1974

11) 18.8˚ in 2015

[Chicago WX]

January 2015 statistics

 

Evansville (EVV)

Average temperature: 33.1˚ +0.6˚

Total precipitation: 2.97" -0.13"

Total snowfall: 0.2" -3.2"

 

Fort Wayne (FWA)

Average temperature: 21.6˚ -3.3˚

Total precipitation: 2.23" -0.03"

Total snowfall: 12.7" +2.6"

 

Indianapolis (IND)

Average temperature: 25.3˚ -2.8˚

Total precipitation: 1.81" -0.85"

Total snowfall: 3.1" -5.5"

 

South Bend (SBN)

Average temperature: 22.5˚ -1.9˚

Total precipitation: 1.92" -0.37"

Total snowfall: 22.1" +1.5"

 

 

Bloomington (BMG)

Average temperature: 28.2˚ -1.2˚

Total precipitation: 2.21" -1.10"

 

Goshen (GSH)

Average temperature: 21.6˚ -2.2˚

Total precipitation: 1.14" -0.82"

 

Indianapolis Eagle Creek (EYE)

Average temperature: 25.9˚ -2.2˚

Total precipitation: 1.75" -0.46"

 

Lafayette (LAF)

Average temperature: 23.0˚ -3.5˚

Total precipitation: 1.30" -0.56"

 

Muncie (MIE)

Average temperature: 24.4˚ -2.1˚

Total precipitation: 1.93" -0.30"

 

North Webster (IWX)

Average temperature: 21.4˚ -2.3˚

Total precipitation: 1.62" -0.64"

Total snowfall: 21.3"

 

Shelbyville (GEZ)

Average temperature: 28.2˚ -0.5˚

Total precipitation: 1.92" -0.47"

 

Terre Haute (HUF)

Average temperature: 27.5˚ -0.7˚

Total precipitation: 1.73" -0.63"

 

 

 

[Chicago WX]

It's been a rather poor snowfall winter/season for Indianapolis...following on the heels of one of the best on record last season. Through today, IND has a season total of 8.5" which is 10.5" below the normal snowfall to date. For meteorological winter, since Dec 1, the total snowfall is 5.8"...12.1" below normal.

 

The current met winter total would rank as tied for the 10th least snowiest on record, if no more snowfall is recorded between now and Feb 28. To stay in the bottom 20, no more than 1.8" can fall the rest of the way. Despite all of that, it looks fairly likely that met winter will end up colder than normal at IND. A fairly rare occurrence with such little snowfall (bottom 10-20-30 least snowiest).

 

Here's the winter snowfall totals...ranked from least to most...and the DJF mean average temperatures/departures. Temp departures based off downtown (1884-1942) and airport (1943-2014) normals. 1884-2014 DJF mean snowfall is 17.8".

 

 

[Whitelakeroy]

It's been a rather poor snowfall winter/season for Indianapolis...following on the heels of one of the best on record last season. Through today, IND has a season total of 8.5" which is 10.5" below the normal snowfall to date. For meteorological winter, since Dec 1, the total snowfall is 5.8"...12.1" below normal.

 

The current met winter total would rank as tied for the 10th least snowiest on record, if no more snowfall is recorded between now and Feb 28. To stay in the bottom 20, no more than 1.8" can fall the rest of the way. Despite all of that, it looks fairly likely that met winter will end up colder than normal at IND. A fairly rare occurrence with such little snowfall (bottom 10-20-30 least snowiest).

 

Here's the winter snowfall totals...ranked from least to most...and the DJF mean average temperatures/departures. Temp departures based off downtown (1884-1942) and airport (1943-2014) normals. 1884-2014 DJF mean snowfall is 17.8".

 

Interesting looking at those charts.  Not that I live there but I have been alive for all top 10 of Indianapolis snowiest winters ...  not really sure how I feel about that other than

 

Oh and 3 of the top ten least snowiest.

[Chicago WX]

Interesting looking at those charts.  Not that I live there but I have been alive for all top 10 of Indianapolis snowiest winters ...  not really sure how I feel about that other than

 

Oh and 3 of the top ten least snowiest.

 

All but one for me. And I just missed 1973-74.

[Chicago WX]

A rather uneventful winter for Indianapolis thus far in 2014-15. Snowfall has of course been pretty much MIA. But, here's a few temperature statistics...

 

2014-15 meteorological winter mean average temperature to date for IND is 29.0˚ (through yesterday). That ranks as the 59th coolest since 1872-73. The rest of the month looks to average on the cold side overall, so this winter may move up the rankings when all is said and done. An overall cooler than normal winter looks likely.

 

Other thing of note with this winter is the lack of 50˚+ and 60˚+ temperatures at IND. 

 

The longterm average number of 50˚+ days in DJF for Indianapolis is 17. This winter has seen 7 such days...and for comparison sake, last winter despite being really cold had 10 days with temps of 50˚+. The record lowest number of DJF 50˚+ days is 3 in 1919-20 and the highest is 44 in 1879-80. 

 

60˚+ days are more uncommon, but the longterm average is 4 days in DJF. This winter has had zero 60˚+ days...which if that holds would be only the 14th met winter to not have a single 60˚+ day. The others: 1878-79, 1880-81, 1885-86, 1904-05, 1919-20, 1925-26, 1968-69, 1977-78, 1981-82, 1986-87, 2002-03, and 2009-10. The record highest number of DJF 60˚+ days is 17 set in 1889-90.

[Chicago WX]

Getting late in the season...and so a top 20 season snowfall futility watch has been issued for Indianapolis.

 

1) 5.5" in 1918-19

2) 5.8" in 1949-50

3) 5.9" in 1931-32

4) 6.2" in 1934-35

5) 7.1" in 1982-83

6) 7.9" in 1972-73

7) 8.6" in 1927-28

8) 8.8" in 1941-42

9) 8.9" in 2014-15 thru 2/13

10) 9.3" in 1957-58

11) 9.7" in 1893-94

12) 9.8" in 2011-12

13) 10.1" in 1940-41

14) 10.4" in 1997-98

14) 10.4" in 1924-25

14) 10.4" in 1906-07

17) 10.8" in 1936-37

18) 10.9" in 2001-02

19) 11.0" in 1922-23

20) 11.3" in 1987-88

[Chicago WX]

Looks like it'll remain colder than normal through the end of this month...and so, FWA and SBN may both have a chance at cracking their top 10 coldest Februaries.

 

Fort Wayne • Feb 2015: 20.4˚ through 2/15

1) 11.8˚ in 1978

2) 14.8˚ in 1979

3) 16.1˚ in 2007

4) 16.6˚ in 1901

5) 17.2˚ in 1936

6) 17.6˚ in 2014

7) 18.1˚ in 1914

8) 18.5˚ in 1963

9) 18.7˚ in 1934

10) 18.8˚ in 1905

 

South Bend • Feb 2015: 20.1˚ through 2/15

1) 14.4˚ in 1904

2) 14.5˚ in 1905

3) 14.7˚ in 1978

4) 15.7˚ in 1936

5) 16.3˚ in 1901, 1979

6) 17.6˚ in 1914

7) 17.7˚ in 1912

8) 17.8˚ in 2007

9) 17.9˚ in 1963

10) 18.4˚ in 2014

 

Indianapolis a long shot to get into the top 10 (Feb 2015: 26.1˚ through 2/15), but here's their list.

1) 17.8˚ in 1978

2) 18.8˚ in 1979

3) 19.7˚ in 2007

4) 20.1˚ in 1905

5) 20.2˚ in 1885

6) 21.1˚ in 1875, 1963

7) 21.7˚ in 1895

8) 21.8˚ in 1963

9) 21.9˚ in 1914

10) 22.1˚ in 1899

[Chicago WX]

Current forecasted high temperature for IND tomorrow is 3˚. That would smoke the record for the date.

 

Top 5 February 19th lowest maximum temperatures:

12˚ in 1885

13˚ in 1936

14˚ in 1959

18˚ in 1903, 1929, 1941

19˚ in 1889, 1979

 

It would also be one of the latest occurrences of a sub-10˚ max temperature for Indianapolis.

 

All days after February 14th that did so:

8˚ on Feb 15, 1905

6˚ on Feb 17, 1903

3˚ on Feb 18, 1936

9˚ on Feb 20, 1885

6˚ on Feb 21, 1963

7˚ on Feb 23, 1873

 

As for low temps, current forecast for the next two days is -7˚ at IND for both.

 

Record lowest minimum temperatures for Indianapolis:

February 19th: -8˚ in 1979

February 20th: -8˚ in 1885

 

Period of record for Indianapolis: 1871 to present

[Chicago WX]

Fort Wayne (FWA) forecasted high temperature of 6˚ tomorrow would break the current record of 8˚ set in 1936.

 

Like Indy, this would be one of the latest sub-10˚ max temperatures in recorded history for Fort Wayne.

 

All such occurrences after February 14:

5˚ on Feb 15, 1920

8˚ on Feb 16, 1904

6˚ on Feb 17, 1979

9˚ on Feb 17, 1903

-1˚ on Feb 18, 1936

8˚ on Feb 18, 1903

9˚ on Feb 18, 1993

8˚ on Feb 19, 1936

6˚ on Feb 21, 1963

8˚ on Feb 23, 1914

[Hoosier]

Serious cold for this time of winter.

[Chicago WX]

Serious cold for this time of winter.

 

Very impressive.

 

1˚ at LAF and KTIM at 10:00pm. Need to double up below zero mins please.

[Chicago WX]

Getting late in the season...and so a top 20 season snowfall futility watch has been issued for Indianapolis.

 

1) 5.5" in 1918-19

2) 5.8" in 1949-50

3) 5.9" in 1931-32

4) 6.2" in 1934-35

5) 7.1" in 1982-83

6) 7.9" in 1972-73

7) 8.6" in 1927-28

8) 8.8" in 1941-42

9) 8.9" in 2014-15 thru 2/13

10) 9.3" in 1957-58

11) 9.7" in 1893-94

12) 9.8" in 2011-12

13) 10.1" in 1940-41

14) 10.4" in 1997-98

14) 10.4" in 1924-25

14) 10.4" in 1906-07

17) 10.8" in 1936-37

18) 10.9" in 2001-02

19) 11.0" in 1922-23

20) 11.3" in 1987-88

 

Cancel all the BS. IND up to 11.7" now today.

[Chicago WX]

Yesterday (-31˚) was the 8th consecutive day with a -10˚ or greater daily departure at IND. Today will be the 9th. Last winter was and will be certainly colder, but it's greatest streak of -10˚ or greater daily departures was 7 days (Feb 6-12).

 

To date (thru 2/19), this February currently ranks as the 21st coldest with a mean avg temp of 22.4˚. A few other recent cold Februaries through the same date...Feb 2007: 13.8˚, Feb 2010: 23.8˚, and Feb 2014: 19.8˚.

 

If the month ended yesterday, the temp of 22.4˚ would be good for the 13th coldest February on record for Indy...0.1˚ behind last year's Feb (22.3˚). 

[Chicago WX]

Some morning low min temps across Indiana per the NWS 7:00am hourly report.

 

Bloomington -16˚

Valparaiso -14˚

Shelbyville -13˚

Crawfordsville -12˚

Goshen -12˚

South Bend -12˚

Huntingburg -11˚

Washington -11˚

La Porte -10˚

Terre Haute -10˚

 

There were colder temps at other sites, but no 6 hour min was available.

[Hoosier]

Some morning low min temps across Indiana per the NWS 7:00am hourly report.

 

Bloomington -16˚

Valparaiso -14˚

Shelbyville -13˚

Crawfordsville -12˚

Goshen -12˚

South Bend -12˚

Huntingburg -11˚

Washington -11˚

La Porte -10˚

Terre Haute -10˚

 

There were colder temps at other sites, but no 6 hour min was available.

 

 

Can really see the effect of snowcover with those areas south of us beating us handily, despite having similar sky conditions and wind overnight.

[Hoosier]

This would take some work but if we reach 6" with this storm, would be interesting to find out how many of our winters produced two 6" storms before reaching 30" on the season.

[Chicago WX]

This would take some work but if we reach 6" with this storm, would be interesting to find out how many of our winters produced two 6" storms before reaching 30" on the season.

 

Good question. 2006-07 was the last one that I can recall.

[Jackstraw]

Can really see the effect of snowcover with those areas south of us beating us handily, despite having similar sky conditions and wind overnight.

 

Yep bare ground here with a low of -6 this morning.  Got down to -15 in my old hometown down south of Gnaw Bone IN.  For once the name was fitting 

[Hoosier]

Good question. 2006-07 was the last one that I can recall.

 

 

I started checking previous winters and haven't found one example yet (using LAF, which has missing data issues as we know), but there's a lot to go.  At first I thought it happened in 1963-64, but a check of the weather maps reveals that the 2nd potential 6+ storm in March was actually 2 separate lesser storms that hit close together.

[Hoosier]

Good question. 2006-07 was the last one that I can recall.

 

 

Ok, it happened in 1964-65.  The two 6+ storms that winter were January 14-15 and February 24-25...our total was 23.1" after the February storm.