Weather Impact Alert: High wind warning Friday

Buckle up, Indiana — we have several days of impactful weather ahead.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is heading into a stretch of active and impactful weather, beginning Friday and continuing through the weekend and into early next week. From damaging wind potential to severe storms and even snow, Hoosiers will want to stay weather aware over the next several days.

A Weather Impact Alert is in effect for Friday as powerful winds sweep across Indiana from sunrise through sunset.

Peak wind gusts: 45–60+ mph
High wind warning: roughly half of the state
Wind advisory: much of the remaining counties

These winds will be strong enough to cause sporadic power outages and pockets of wind damage, especially where gusts exceed 60 mph.

Drivers should take extra precautions:

High-profile vehicles, such as semis, vans and box trucks, can be especially vulnerable to strong crosswinds.
In some setups like this, semi-trailers can be blown over, depending on the wind direction relative to the roadway.

If you’re heading into downtown Indianapolis for the Indianapolis St. Patrick’s Day Parade, plan for wind gusts well over 40 mph during the event.

A quick morning shower may pass through early Friday before skies turn partly sunny during the afternoon. Even with some sunshine, the wind will remain the big story.

Chilly start to the weekend — with some snow showers

The weekend begins on a colder note.

Early Saturday, a brief period of snow showers or flurries may move through parts of the state. Accumulation looks minimal, but it will reinforce the colder air settling in behind Friday’s system.

Sunday: Severe storms then a dramatic temperature crash

The bigger weather story arrives Sunday.

Temperatures will surge into the 70s, helping fuel a line of strong to severe storms later in the day. Current signals suggest the line could produce:

The exact timing and severity will become clearer over the next few days, but this is a setup Hoosiers should monitor closely.

Behind the storms, a powerful storm system will trigger a dramatic temperature plunge:

Sunday afternoon: 70s
Monday morning: 20s

As colder air crashes in, wind-whipped snow may develop overnight Sunday into Monday. While blizzard conditions are expected northwest of Indiana, the system’s track suggests some accumulating snow locally.

That snow could be enough to:

Forecast details on snow totals and timing will be refined as the storm approaches.

Bitter cold St. Patrick’s Day

After the storm system passes, winter makes a quick comeback.

That means a much colder feel for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations compared to the warmth just 48 hours earlier.

Friday: Damaging wind potential (Weather Impact Alert)
Saturday: Cold with a chance of early snow showers
Sunday: Warm and windy with possible severe storms (Sunday afternoon-late evening)
Sunday Night–Monday: Rapid freeze, potential accumulating snow, high wind gusts again
Tuesday: Bitter cold returns

Stay tuned for updates as we continue to fine-tune the timing and impacts of each round of weather. Be sure to check back often — we’ll keep you prepared every step of the way.