Indiana Remains Cold as Temperatures Slowly Rise
INDIANAPOLIS — Central Indiana remains in a prolonged stretch of cold weather, though temperatures are expected to slowly moderate heading into the weekend and early next week, according to the National Weather Service.
Alexander McGinnis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, said the region often sees clearer skies during periods of intense cold, which can shape how people experience the weather.
“When we get super cold here in Indianapolis, we often have clear or mostly sunny skies with few clouds,” McGinnis said. “That’s part of how people experience it. At least there’s some sun.”
High temperatures across the Indianapolis area are expected to climb into the low to mid 20s this weekend, with highs nearing 30 degrees by Monday. Forecasts call for upper 20s Monday, with temperatures possibly reaching the freezing mark Tuesday, especially on the south side of the city. Most of the metro area is expected to stay just below freezing.
Beyond Tuesday, temperatures may again struggle to reach 32 degrees as additional weather systems move through the region. McGinnis said there is potential for precipitation or winter weather later in the week.
One system expected to move across the Midwest around Tuesday or Tuesday night could bring light to moderate snowfall to the Indianapolis area. McGinnis emphasized that no significant snowfall is expected.
“This is not a 10 to 12 inch snow event,” he said. “But we could see light to moderate snow, and it’s something we’ll continue to monitor as we get closer.”
While the cold has not reached historically extreme levels, Indianapolis has previously seen temperatures below minus 10 degrees and even into the minus 20s, the length of the cold stretch may stand out.
McGinnis said the city could be approaching a record for the longest stretch with high temperatures at or below 20 degrees. The current record is 307 consecutive hours, or nearly 12 days, set during the final six days of 2017 and the first six days of 2018.
Temperatures during the current stretch have stayed below that threshold for several days, though forecasters expect highs to rise above 20 degrees before reaching record territory.
Indiana Remains Cold as Temperatures Slowly Rise was originally published on wibc.com
