Almost full month's worth of rain hit area in one day

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

In only a few hours Tuesday afternoon, west-central Indiana experienced about a month's worth of rainfall.

In fact, it was literally the proverbial 100-year storm and a record-breaking day for rain in Indianapolis as a total 4.43 inches fell, eclipsing a 100-year-old mark.

The average monthly rainfall in central Indiana for July is 4.55 inches.

Rainfall totals were generally in the range of 3-5 inches across central Indiana with flash flooding was the result.

The National Weather Service says nearly five inches of rain fell near Plainfield as highway workers reported never having seen water on U.S. 40 as bad as it was about 4 p.m. Tuesday. From Stilesville east to Belleville, the water was reported as a foot deep on the roadway at times.

As dispatchers forwarded trouble spots to the highway workers, including one a mile north of U.S. 40 that had "water gushing across the roadway," it was apparent the issue was area wide.

"Yes, ma'am, " one highway worker could be heard responding, "I'm aware of that. We've got it everywhere right now."

In fact, sections of U.S. 40 and State Road 75 had to be shut down for 30 minutes about 4:20 p.m.

At Brick Chapel, meanwhile, the weather produced a different kind of obstacle as a tree fell, blocking U.S. 231 about 4:35 p.m.

For July to date, central Indiana has logged (or is it waterlogged?) 4.5 inches of rain.

On the heels of the seventh-wettest June in history -- with 8.36 inches of rain falling in west-central Indiana during June -- the area total since June 1 is 12.86 inches (normally that total would be 5.34 inches).

The central Indiana area has experienced 25.99 inches of rainfall since Jan. 1. Normally that figure would be 22.74 inches of rain at this time. Last year, 24.63 inches of rain had fallen through July 7

Specifically, July 7, 2015 will go down as the seventh wettest day in Indianapolis weather history.

The all-time wettest day in Indianapolis history came on Labor Day 2003 when Indy endured 7.20 inches of rain.

The top seven rainfall totals in Indianapolis history are now:

1. 7.20 inches -- 2003

2. 6.80 inches -- 1895

3. 5.09 inches -- 1987

4. 4.70 inches -- 1904

5. 4.50 inches -- 1938

6. 4.46 inches -- 1976

7. 4.43 inches -- July 7, 2015.

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