NWS: Winter Storm This Weekend
INDIANAPOLIS — A winter storm is expected to move across Indiana this weekend, bringing a wide range of snowfall amounts and the chance for slick travel, according to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.
“We’re going to have a moderate — potentially significant — winter storm tracking across the Plains and into the Midwest early in the weekend,” said Alex McGinnis, a forecaster with the Indianapolis office.
Snow is expected to move into western Indiana early Saturday and spread east through the morning. McGinnis says the heaviest snow will likely hit Saturday afternoon, and conditions could go downhill fast, especially northwest of Indy.
“Covington, Lafayette, and Kokomo are looking at moderate accumulations,” McGinnis said. “Along the I-70 corridor and into the southern counties, totals will be lighter by early evening.”
McGinnis says one big question is when a warm layer of air will move north as the storm heads toward Chicago. That warm push could turn the snow into a mix or even rain in parts of central Indiana Saturday evening.
“We’re not totally sure when that changeover happens or how much snow falls before it does,” he said. “Areas like Lafayette and Kokomo may stay all snow as the colder air hangs on.”
Behind the storm, a strong cold front sweeps through Sunday, sending temperatures plunging into the 20s with blustery winds and low wind chills.
“Anything that doesn’t get shoveled or treated is going to freeze solid Sunday,” McGinnis said. “Then we’re looking at several days well below freezing going into next week.”
McGinnis said the early arrival of this cold weather, coming before December, may surprise many residents. Highs may briefly reach the low 30s early next week, but overnight lows will likely fall into the teens, with northern counties seeing wind chills in the single digits.
In Indianapolis, snowfall totals could vary widely across the metro area.
“We’re probably on the cusp between lighter totals to the south and moderate totals to the north,” McGinnis said. “We’re certainly expecting at least a couple of inches in the city. Areas of Hamilton County could see 3 to 6 inches, while Johnson County might end up closer to an inch.”
Travel conditions are expected to be worse Saturday afternoon into the evening due to reduced visibility and snow accumulating on increasingly icy roads, he said
