INDIANA — The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has placed much of Indiana under a Slight Risk (Level 2 of 5)for severe thunderstorms Thursday afternoon into early evening.
Forecasters say severe storms are expected to develop across portions of the middle Mississippi Valley and lower Ohio Valley, including parts of Indiana, as a strong weather system moves from the Plains into the Midwest.
According to the outlook, thunderstorms that form Thursday could produce damaging wind gusts, large hail and a few tornadoes.
What’s Driving the Threat
Meteorologists say a strong upper-level disturbance and a rapidly strengthening surface low-pressure system will move toward the Great Lakes by early Friday. As the system approaches, moisture will increase across Indiana and surrounding states.
Although moisture levels are not unusually high for this time of year, forecasters expect enough daytime heating and atmospheric instability to allow storms to intensify. Wind speeds higher in the atmosphere are forecast to exceed 100 mph, creating strong wind shear — a key ingredient for rotating storms…