Severe Weather Chances Growing for Late Sunday

The main threat of Sunday's severe weather system is damaging winds that might reach 60 miles per hour.

STATEWIDE — The chances of severe weather hitting Indiana late Sunday are growing.

Meteorologist Matt Eckhoff from the National Weather Service said damaging winds remain the main threat with the line of storms heading to the state.

“With the strength of this system, that southernly wind will be gusty at times and we could have wind gusts up to 40 and 50 miles per hour,” said Eckhoff. “The environment is going to be windy as it is, so it wouldn’t take much to push those winds an extra 20 miles per hour.”

Sunday’s system could arrive as early as 8 p.m. on Sunday and take up some early morning hours on Monday.

“As it develops, it’ll pull in a lot of warm air from the south with some moist air as well,” Eckhoff said.

Eckhoff is anticipating a fast-paced weather event on Sunday night with the threat of tornadoes from wind shear. It won’t be as serious as the severe weather that hit northwestern Indiana about a week ago, but regardless, Eckhoff suggests that Hoosiers be prepared.

“Since this event will be at night, a lot of people will be going to sleep as it gets in, so have your phone, radio, or television near where you’re sleeping so if something goes off, it’ll wake you up and you’ll be aware of any possible tornado coming your way.”

Eckhoff said this system will have squall lines or broken lines, which tend to produce weaker tornadoes than long-lived supercells. Sunday’s squall line is expected to cover the entire state of Indiana, all the way from Lake Michigan down to Kentucky.