INDIANA, USA — Rain is likely for western and southern Indiana Friday and Saturday as the remnants of Hurricane Francine move north.
We were saved once before from drought this summer with rainfall by a tropical system in June with Beryl (1-5 inches of rain across Indiana). We won't be "saved" from drought with Francine, but we could pick up some beneficial rainfall, especially south and west of Indianapolis.
Areas north and east will have more spotty rain with some folks staying completely dry.
Tap HERE to track the rain from Hurricane Francine with our interactive radar.
Much of the state could use 1-3 inches of rain. The best chance to get an inch or more will be in southwestern Indiana.
Expect the wind to pick up, too. It could get a little breezy Friday and Saturday with winds near 20 mph (gusts near 25 mph).
Rain coverage zones
Before we get to our rainfall forecast, let's cover the coverage of the rain, or how many rain opportunities a location will have.
- Spotty: Few isolated showers here and there, but many folks may stay dry
- Scattered: On-and-off rain showers possible, but with lots of breaks (a few folks may stay mostly dry)
- Widespread: Most folks will get some rain, with a few breaks, too
- Soaking: Expect a good dose of rain, sometimes it will be light but other times expect downpours
The farther south and west you go across the state, the higher your rain chance will be. This will likely not be drought-busting, but some nice rains are possible near Vincennes and Evansville.
(Note: These rain zones may shift a bit over time. In fact, we may have to increase parts of western Indiana, creating more of a "slant" in rain zones from NW to SE.)
How much rain to expect
Where the more consistent rain chances are, so will the highest rainfall totals likely be.
Generally most of central Indiana could up to a half inch – maybe a little more in some spots. However, the farther north and east you go, the lower the rainfall potential. In fact, many may not get any rain at all.
A good soaking will be possible from Bloomington and Columbus, to areas south and west. In fact, some folks may get an inch of rainfall Friday and Saturday. A few places closer to the Ohio River could even get up to 2 inches. If you get 2 inches, it will help improve drought conditions. Anything less, do not expect any improvement.
Weather setup
The low pressure for Francine will be to the south. However, some of the outer bands may still drop some rain across parts of Indiana.
The axis with the heaviest, most consistent rain will adjust from north to south over time, but mainly stay in a zone from Indianapolis to Evansville.
Winds from the southeast to the northwest will keep the water streaming northwestward from Kentucky into Indiana and then into Illinois.
It could get pretty breezy at times, too. Wind gusts will range from 15 to 25 mph. A few leaves will get knocked off the trees, especially the ones that have already started to change color or have dried up.
When to expect the rain
Showers will start moving in late Thursday. Then expect on-and-off rain chances Friday. The rain will likely become more sparse and lighter on Saturday as Francine falls apart, running into higher pressure across the Great Lakes.
How badly do we need the rain?
Things are getting pretty dry across Indiana. All the crops are naturally turning brown as they dry out this time of year, but we are noticing:
- Low creek and pond levels
- More algae blooms
- More dormant lawns
- Wildlife pushing into urban areas for water
Burn bans have been activated until further notice for some counties (in red) in southern Indiana. If these counties get some good rainfall from Francine, some of these could be deactivated. If not, expect more counties to activate burn bans over the next couple of week.
After Francine, rainfall chances remain low for a while.
