NWS: Brief Warm-Up Wednesday, Then Temps Decrease
STATEWIDE — Indiana is bracing for a wild swing in weather later this week, moving from a brief midweek thaw into a dangerously cold weekend.
Greg Melo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, says that while Wednesday will offer a reprieve with highs near 40 degrees, an arctic air mass is waiting.
“Thursday night, we’re likely going to have lows in the single digits,” Melo noted, adding that by Friday and Saturday, many parts of the state will struggle to even break out of the teens.
The timing is particularly critical for Hoosier fans heading to Bloomington this Saturday to celebrate IU Football’s historic 16-0 national championship. While a winter storm is brewing for the weekend, Melo says there is still plenty of “model uncertainty.”
“At this time, looking at long range guidance, it looks like the heaviest snow would mostly stay to our south, but we are expecting at least some light snow,” Melo said.
Even if the heaviest accumulation may miss Bloomington, the cold won’t. Melo warned that wind chills could drop into the negative teens. If you’re going to Indiana University on Saturday for the celebration of the football Hoosiers winning the National Championship, Melo urges you to “wear a coat and a lot of clothing just to make sure that you’re warm.”
For those traveling, Wednesday will be the windiest day with gusts up to 35 mph before the temperatures crater. Melo recommends keeping a winter emergency kit in your car, including blankets, food, and water, just in case that southern storm tracks further north than expected. For now, enjoy Tuesday’s sunshine and Wednesday’s brief warmth before the deep freeze returns.
