Three Tornadoes Hit Five Indiana Counties

The two EF-1 tornadoes had peak winds of 110 mph and traveled about 6 to 6.5 miles.

A weather radar map showing storm activity and estimated time of arrival (ETA) for various locations, including Paragon, Painted Hills, and Cordy Sweetwater Lakes. — Source: NWS / National Weather Service

INDIANAPOLIS –Three tornadoes touched down across central Indiana during severe storms Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

National Weather Service forecaster Chad Swain said the tornadoes included two EF-1 tornadoes and one EF-2 tornado.

“In central Indiana, we had three tornadoes that were rated as EF-1, and one was rated EF-2,” Swain said. “The two EF-1s were in Vigo and Clay counties and then also in Jackson County. The EF-2 tornado was the one that was mainly in Monroe County.”

The strongest tornado touched down in Owen County around 9:44 p.m. Wednesday and moved into Monroe County before ending around 10:07 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The tornado was rated EF-2 with peak winds of 130 mph.

Swain said the EF-2 tornado had a much longer path than the others.

“The Owen-Monroe County tornado had peak winds of 130 mph and it was as wide as 880 yards,” Swain said. “It had a much longer path length than the others of at least 15 miles.”

The two EF-1 tornadoes had peak winds of 110 mph and traveled about 6 to 6.5 miles. Both tornadoes were about 300 yards wide, according to Swain.

The National Weather Service said the Jackson County EF-1 tornado touched down at 12:03 a.m. Thursday.

Swain said the environment was favorable for tornado development as storms moved from Illinois into Indiana.

“The thunderstorms developed in an environment that was primed for tornadoes,” Swain said. “As forcing from the system moved from Illinois into Indiana, it created new thunderstorms, which produced tornadoes because they were still in that same favorable environment.”

Swain said the strongest tornado moved through mostly wooded areas, which limited damage.

“It is fortunate that much of the path of the strong tornado was in wooded areas because had it been in a more populated area, it could have caused a lot more damage and impacted more people,” Swain said.

Indiana has recorded more than 40 tornadoes so far this severe weather season. The state record is 72 tornadoes in a season, set in 2011.

Swain said the National Weather Service could continue investigating if new information becomes available.

“Not at this moment, but of course, if we receive any new information, we will investigate,” Swain said. “We may have to investigate the Monroe County tornado a little further than we currently have.”