Damaging Winds Likely Wednesday

Very strong winds are expected to develop across the area Wednesday afternoon. Wind gusts may be strong enough to produce damage across the area. This will be the strongest wind storm to hit since the September 14, 2008 storm that cut power for three days. Hopefully, we won't lose power for any great length of time, but with the saturated ground from recent snow melt and predicted heavy rain the stage will be set.

From the NWS in Indianapolis...
...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 1 AM EST
THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INDIANAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A HIGH
WIND WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM WEDNESDAY TO 1 AM
EST THURSDAY.
A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS ILLINOIS AND
NORTHERN INDIANA TOMORROW FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH
THE AREA. THE INTENSE PRESSURE GRADIENT AHEAD OF THIS FRONT AND
THE STRONG PRESSURE RISES BEHIND THE FRONT WILL CAUSE VERY STRONG
WINDS TO BLOW ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA.

WIND OF THIS STRENGTH CAN CAUSE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. WITH A
SATURATED GROUND FROM RECENT SNOW MELT AND EXPECTED ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL TREES COULD EASILY BE TOPPLED IN THE STRONG WIND. IN
ADDITION TO TREE DAMAGE...POWER OUTAGES COULD ALSO OCCUR AS LOOSE
TREE BRANCHES AND TREES COULD FALL INTO POWER LINES.

ANYONE WITH OUTDOOR INTERESTS WILL BE AFFECTED BY HIGH WINDS.
TRAVELERS SHOULD REMAIN CAUTIOUS WHEN MAKING TRAVEL PLANS ON
WEDNESDAY. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES WILL FIND TRAVEL DIFFICULT.

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS
OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.