Storm drops daily record 2.52 inches in Putnam County

Thursday, April 18, 2013

If it seemed like the rain was never going to stop Tuesday, it probably wouldn't surprise you to know that rain fell in record amounts across Central Indiana.

Putnam County recorded a total of 2.52 inches from the overall storm at the reporting hour of 7a.m. Wednesday.

"Not all of that came from what fell during daylight hours," local weather observer Diana Foust told the Banner Graphic. "My 'guesstimate' is a little over an inch after the afternoon storm Tuesday."

Meanwhile, Indianapolis set a record daily rainfall amount for April 16 with 2.08 inches falling on Tuesday. The National Weather Service said that broke the previous record of 1.53 inches for the date set in 1930.

Severe thunderstorms that dumped heavy rains and large hail on parts of Indiana also produced lightning blamed for house fires and damage to a plane at the Indianapolis airport.

The Weather Service also logged widespread reports of large hail, including some of the one-inch diameter hail that pummeled southern Indiana's Gibson County.

More severe weather is expected to develop Thursday night across Central Indiana as a strong storm system and cooler air mass punches its way through the state.

River flood warnings remain in effect until the end of this week for all larger rivers in Central Indiana, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Tucek in Indianapolis.

Affected waterways include the White, Wabash, Driftwood, Big Blue, Driftwood and Tippecanoe rivers.

The warnings stem from higher-than-normal rain levels this month. Normally Central Indiana receives about four inches of rain each month in the spring (with an annual April average of 3.81 inches). This month, however, parts of the area have already seen up to four inches, most of that in the last two days.

And even more rain is expected over the rest of the week with an additional 1-3 inches possibly falling by Friday.

"It's not normal during springtime," Tucek said "but it's also not unprecedented. We do go through wet periods with more rain than normal."

Forecasters are calling for heavy rainfall Thursday, followed by possible flash floods during the evening.

"Heavy rain could result in a very rapid rise in small streams that could outflow their banks and go across roadways and create a real hazard," Tucek noted. "It's possible tomorrow evening and very well may run through the rest of the night."

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