Subzero Nights Ahead as Arctic Air Grips Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Bitter cold has settled in across central Indiana, and forecasters say it is likely to stick around for the foreseeable future.
Kacie Fucson with the National Weather Service said a persistent surge of Arctic air has locked into the region, keeping temperatures well below normal.
“We’ve just got a surge of Arctic air that is kind of stuck over our region for temperatures,” Fucson said.
Highs in Indianapolis are expected to reach only the upper teens today and Friday. Through the rest of the weekend and into next week, temperatures are forecast to remain in the low to mid-teens. Overnight lows will be even colder.
“Overnight, we’re just expecting pretty much below zero for the next several nights,” Fucson said. “Ten to 20 below is pretty much what we’re going to see most nights.”
Wind will make conditions feel even more dangerous. Fucson said increasing winds early next week will drive wind chills down to around minus 20 degrees.
“What’s really happening is the wind is taking away any body heat around you,” she said. “Usually your body heat just kind of sits around you, but as soon as wind enters the equation, that immediately goes away.”
The extreme cold poses a serious risk to anyone spending time outdoors. According to the National Weather Service, frostbite can begin in as little as 30 minutes under these conditions.
“Limit your time outside as much as you can, and definitely wear layers if you have to be out there,” Fucson said.
Despite the cold, significant snowfall is not expected.
“I don’t really expect that much more snow through the week,” she said. “We might see a few bouts of flurries or light snow, but nothing that’s going to really accumulate too much.”
Existing snow cover will gradually diminish but is not going away anytime soon.
“It might slowly evaporate or continue to compact, so those snow depths are going to lower with time,” Fucson said. “But we have enough snow that it’s going to be still on the ground for weeks, probably.”
