Frost Hits Central Indiana, More Cold Weather on the Way
INDIANAPOLIS — Central Indiana woke up to its coldest morning of the season Thursday, but forecasters say the chill is just beginning.
Cody Moore, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, said temperatures dipped to 35 degrees at the office early Thursday, with Lafayette falling to 33 and Crawfordsville to 32. Suburban Indianapolis saw readings in the mid-30s.
“This was our coldest morning so far,” Moore said. “Some areas north of Indianapolis have already been in the 30s this month, but this morning was the first widespread frost for many locations that haven’t been this cold in months.”
Moore said patchy frost developed across much of central Indiana, with more widespread frost in rural areas. Frost advisories are typically issued in the spring and fall, he said, to alert farmers and gardeners to conditions that could damage sensitive vegetation.
Even colder air is on the way. A freeze warning will go into effect Friday morning for a large portion of northern and central Indiana, extending south toward the Ohio River.
“Temperatures are expected to fall to or below 32 degrees,” Moore said. “Some of the colder valleys could even dip into the upper 20s.”
The freeze warning marks the end of the growing season for much of the state.
After the frigid start, Saturday will bring some relief with mostly sunny skies and highs in the lower 60s. Clouds will increase Sunday as rain chances return from the south.
“Sunday evening looks like our best chance of rain, and then we’ll have additional chances through much of next week,” Moore said. “After a couple of dry months, it looks like we’re heading into a more active pattern.”
