High Winds from Ike Remnants (2008)

Ike Remnants Produce Strong Winds on September 14, 2008

The remnants of Hurricane Ike tracked quickly across Indiana the afternoon of Sunday September 14. Winds rapidly increased to sustained values of 25 to 40 mph, with gusts into the 50-70 MPH range for several hours Sunday afternoon. Numerous reports of downed tree limbs, branches, and power lines have been received. Thousands of people across central and southern Indiana were without power due wind-related damage and outages. The storm raced quickly to the northeast and by Sunday evening the storm had moved nearly into Canada.

The following is an image of wind speeds at 3:27PM EDT from the Indianapolis National Weather Service radar. Green colors indicate wind blowing toward the radar while red indicates wind blowing away from the radar. Winds of 69 mph (60 kt) were indicated at about 2000 ft above the surface. Some of the strong winds worked down to the surface, such as the 63 mph wind gust measured at the Indianapolis International Airport not long after this radar image.

Ike Velocity Image

Below is a visible satellite image taken at about 1:00 PM EDT. The sea-level pressure plot is overlayed on the image. Click the image to view a larger version.

The following is a collection of observed wind gusts across Central Indiana on the afternoon of Sunday, September 14 in association with the remnants of Ike. We thank all the media, spotters, emergency managment and public safety officials for their very timely and accurate reports. A list of storm damage reports follows the wind speed lists.

Official Observations

Indianapolis Int’l Airport – 63 MPH

Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airpark – 59 MPH

Muncie – 56 MPH

Bloomington – 54 MPH

Shelbyville – 49 MPH

Terre Haute – 48 MPH

Lafayette – 43 MPH

From Un-Official Observations

Seymour – 67 MPH

Bedford – 59 MPH

Brownsburg – 59 MPH

Shoals – 59 MPH

Anderson – 58 MPH

Columbus – 52 MPH

Roachdale – 51 MPH

Mooresville – 51 MPH

Nineveh – 51 MPH

New Palestine – 50 MPH

Pendleton – 49 MPH

Winchester – 47 MPH

Carthage – 42 MPH

Bloomfield – 42 MPH
Franklin – 41 MPH

Preliminary Storm Reports:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1057 AM EDT MON SEP 15 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1201 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST SHOALS                  38.67N 86.79W
09/14/2008  M58.00 MPH       MARTIN             IN   MESONET

            AWS STATION AT SHOALS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

1219 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 W VINCENNES           38.68N 87.59W
09/14/2008  M59.00 MPH       LAWRENCE           IL   ASOS

1231 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG BEDFORD                 38.86N 86.49W
09/14/2008                   LAWRENCE           IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREES AND LIMBS DOWN. UTILITY LINES DOWN IN SOME AREAS OF
            THE COUNTY.

1240 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG DUGGER                  39.07N 87.26W
09/14/2008                   SULLIVAN           IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS TOWN AND
            COUNTY FROM GRADIENT WINDS CAUSED BY REMNANTS OF IKE.

1250 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 W WASHINGTON          38.66N 87.21W
09/14/2008                   DAVIESS            IN   CO-OP OBSERVER

            FOUR INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMB DOWN ON US HIGHWAY 50

1251 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG BLOOMFIELD              39.03N 86.94W
09/14/2008                   GREENE             IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS TOWN AND
            COUNTY FROM GRADIENT WINDS FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0100 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG BRAZIL                  39.52N 87.12W
09/14/2008                   CLAY               IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS COUNTY BY
            GRADIENT WINDS FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0100 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG GREENCASTLE             39.64N 86.84W
09/14/2008                   PUTNAM             IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS COUNTY FROM
            GRADIENT WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH REMNANTS OF IKE.

0100 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SPENCER                 39.29N 86.77W
09/14/2008                   OWEN               IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS COUNTY BY
            GRADIENT WINDS FROM THE REMNANTS OF IKE.

0100 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG BLOOMINGTON             39.17N 86.52W
09/14/2008                   MONROE             IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS CITY AND
            COUNTY BY GRADIENT WINDS FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0100 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG NASHVILLE               39.20N 86.24W
09/14/2008                   BROWN              IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREE AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WINDS FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0101 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SE ODON               38.82N 86.96W
09/14/2008  M56.00 MPH       DAVIESS            IN   BROADCAST MEDIA

            RECORDED ON DAVIS INSTRUMENTS EQUIPMENT. SHORT TREE LIMBS
            DOWN.

0118 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST COLUMBUS                39.21N 85.91W
09/14/2008  M58.00 MPH       BARTHOLOMEW        IN   AWOS

0121 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG COLUMBUS                39.21N 85.91W
09/14/2008                   BARTHOLOMEW        IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ALL OVER COLUMBUS FROM
            GRADIENT WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF IKE.

0200 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 SE BROWNSBURG         39.82N 86.37W
09/14/2008                   HENDRICKS          IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREES AND LIMBS DOWN. ESTIMATED WIND SPEED OF 50 MPH.

0200 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG FRANKLIN                39.49N 86.06W
09/14/2008                   JOHNSON            IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0230 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST GREENSBURG              39.34N 85.48W
09/14/2008  M68.00 MPH       DECATUR            IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0300 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST SEYMOUR                 38.96N 85.89W
09/14/2008  M67.00 MPH       JACKSON            IN   MESONET

            WEATHERBUG SCHOOL SITE AT SEYMOUR-JACKSON ELEMENTARY
            SCHOOL MEASURED 67 MPH WIND. TIME ESTIMATED.

0300 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SEYMOUR                 38.96N 85.89W
09/14/2008                   JACKSON            IN   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0315 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SEYMOUR                 38.96N 85.89W
09/14/2008                   JACKSON            IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STRONG WINDS HAVE FELLED TREES UP TO A FOOT IN DIAMETER
            AND BROUGHT DOWN SOME PHONE AND POWER LINES IN SEYMOUR

0330 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 SW INDIANAPOLIS       39.70N 86.24W
09/14/2008  M59.00 MPH       MARION             IN   ASOS

            MEASURED 59 MPH WIND GUST AT INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL
            AIRPORT

0330 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SOUTHPORT               39.66N 86.12W
09/14/2008                   MARION             IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ALUMINUM PORCH ROOF LIFTED OFF. NUMEROUS SMALL TREE
            BRANCHES, BOTH ALIVE AND DEAD DOWN. WINDS ESTIMATED TO
            NEAR 65 MPH.

0330 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG NEW CASTLE              39.92N 85.36W
09/14/2008                   HENRY              IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM RMENANTS OF IKE.

0332 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 SE BROWNSBURG         39.82N 86.37W
09/14/2008                   HENDRICKS          IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MEASURED 55 MPH GUST WITH TREE LIMBS DOWN

0337 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SE BROWNSBURG         39.82N 86.37W
09/14/2008  M59.00 MPH       HENDRICKS          IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0342 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 SW INDIANAPOLIS       39.70N 86.24W
09/14/2008  M63.00 MPH       MARION             IN   ASOS

            63 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED AT INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL
            AIRPORT

0347 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SPEEDWAY                39.79N 86.25W
09/14/2008                   MARION             IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            *** 2 INJ *** PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF LARGE TENT AT
            INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. 2 INJURIES REPORTED.

0352 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MARTINSVILLE            39.42N 86.42W
09/14/2008                   MORGAN             IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED ACROSS CITY AND
            COUNTY CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0353 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG SHELBYVILLE             39.52N 85.78W
09/14/2008                   SHELBY             IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0355 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG INDIANAPOLIS            39.78N 86.15W
09/14/2008                   MARION             IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            19 REPORTS OF DOWNED POWER LINES ACROSS THE CITY OF
            INDIANAPOLIS

0400 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST FISHERS                 39.95N 86.02W
09/14/2008  E60.00 MPH       HAMILTON           IN   NWS EMPLOYEE

0400 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG CARMEL                  39.97N 86.11W
09/14/2008                   HAMILTON           IN   NWS EMPLOYEE

            SMALL LIMBS DOWN...WINDS ESTIMATED 55 MPH

0428 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 N ANDERSON            40.15N 85.69W
09/14/2008  M58.00 MPH       MADISON            IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            58 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED AT MADISON COUNTY EOC IN
            LINWOOD

0430 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG RUSHVILLE               39.61N 85.45W
09/14/2008                   RUSH               IN   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CUASED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0453 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG WINCHESTER              40.17N 84.98W
09/14/2008                   RANDOLPH           IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.

0500 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG GREENFIELD              39.79N 85.77W
09/14/2008                   HANCOCK            IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED IN CITY AND COUNTY
            CAUSED BY GRADIENT WIND FROM REMNANTS OF IKE.