INDIANAPOLIS — Check in with 13News for continuing updates as the remnants of Helene move into the Ohio River Valley, bringing powerful wind and rain to central Indiana. 13News will be tracking power outages, closures and cancellations caused by the storm all weekend long.
Saturday
1:30 p.m.
As of 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Duke Energy reported 5,854 customers without power, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 34,241 customers without power.
12:28 p.m.
Duke Energy sent 13News a statement saying the storm’s sustained high winds and heavy rain brought down power lines and damaged infrastructure in multiple regions of the company’s Indiana service area, stretching from north central to the southeast part of the state.
More than 25 of the company’s Indiana operation centers were affected.
Crews have been making repairs while assessment is still underway to determine the full scope of damage. Duke Energy said it will provide power restoration time estimates once there is more information from damage assessment.
“We made strong progress last evening and overnight, repairing broken poles and down power lines,” said Duke Energy Indiana President Stan Pinegar. “Our priority is always to restore service as quickly and safely as possible, and we appreciate our customers’ patience while we complete restoration.”
12:00 p.m.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, Duke Energy reported 6,314 customers without power, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 38,233 customers without power.
11 a.m.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, Duke Energy reported 7,817 customers without power, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 39,195 customers without power.
10:58 a.m.
Driven2SaveLives BC39 has been postponed until mid-afternoon Sunday, Sept. 29 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Event officials said rain from Hurricane Helene continues to "impact track preparations."
“We are still committed to delivering this major event,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Right now, the track surface is sealed over. If we open the track up to begin to prepare it, and the rain that is forecasted today happens to fall during that process, water will get deep in the track and cause a significant challenge to get it prepped in the near future. Postponing to Sunday gives us the best chance for a successful event.”
10 a.m.
Duke Energy reported 9,186 customers without power at 10:00 a.m. Just over 5,000 of those customers were located in central Indiana, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 39,845 customers without power.
9:36 a.m.
AES Indiana sent 13News an update saying that Friday night's weather system from Hurricane Helene brought wind gusts of up to 55 mph and caused significant damage across AES Indiana’s service area.
This impacted 97,000 customers.
"More than half of customers have been restored; however, crews continue to work to get the remaining 43,000 customers restored as quickly and safely as possible," said Claire Rice, senior director of external affairs for AES.
Rice said restoration effects will occur throughout the day, given the extensive damage to poles and infrastructure from downed trees.
AES officials urge everyone to stay away from downed power lines or poles and report them immediately to 317-261-8111.
9:00 a.m.
Duke Energy reported 10,999 customers without power at 9:00 a.m. Just over 6,000 of those customers were located in central Indiana, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 42,367 customers without power.
8:30 a.m.
Beasley's Orchard will have a delayed opening today. Attractions will open at 10 a.m., and the market will open at 9 a.m.
The orchard had "extensive damage" to its fall festival and attraction setup from the storm and winds.
8:00 a.m.
Duke Energy reported 10,217 customers without power at 8:00 a.m. Just over 6,000 of those customers were located in central Indiana, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 44,402 customers without power.
7:00 a.m.
Duke Energy reported 10,157 customers without power at 7:00 a.m. Just over 6,000 of those customers were located in central Indiana, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 43,380 customers without power.
6:30 a.m.
Meteorologist Sean Ash says the rain will expand north of I-74. He also says there will be additional rotating showers and storms possible across central Indiana Sunday from Helene's circulation.
6:04 a.m.
Rain is moving back into the area Saturday morning. NWS says showers are expected to continue on and off throughout the weekend.
5:15 a.m.
Duke Energy reported 10,048 customers without power at 5:15 a.m. Saturday morning. Just over 6,000 of those customers were located in central Indiana, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported 44,633 customers without power.
Friday
11:44 p.m.
Duke Energy reported 19,068 customers without power shortly before midnight Friday. More than 10,000 of those customers were located in central Indiana, according to the utility's outage map.
In the metro area, AES Indiana reported a little more than 60,000 customers without power heading into the overnight hours.
11:00 p.m.
Powerful wind and rain brought down a tree on the east side Friday, extensively damaging a home. 13News reporter Logan Gay spoke with the family.
10:30 p.m.
A fallen tree in the area of 79th Street and College Ave.
9:45 p.m.
Meteorologist Sean Ash says the worst of the wind is over. Here's a recap of some of the highest reported gusts Friday.
9:15 p.m.
A downed tree blocks a street in a neighborhood near East 57th Street & Rosslyn Avenue.
8:30 p.m.
AES Indiana is working to restore power to more than 50,000 customers.
8:20 p.m.
A Carmel viewer's home surveillance camera captured the moment strong winds toppled part of a large tree in their backyard. It's a scene repeated across the state Friday as remnants of Hurricane Helene brought rain and wind to a large part of Indiana.
8:06 p.m.
Sean Ash says gusty winds are starting to ease in central Indiana.
8:00 p.m.
The Yacht Rock Revue concert scheduled for Friday night at Everwise Amphitheater has been postponed until Aug. 16, 2025 due to weather. The venue had initially delayed opening the concert until 8 p.m., but announced the postponement minutes before gates opened.
7:55 p.m.
A wind gust of 68 mph was just recorded at Indianapolis International Airport.
7:50 p.m.
AES Indiana is reporting about 41,167 customers without power. Duke Energy is reporting about 23,285.
6 p.m.
At least 40 people have died because of Helene so far. No deaths have been reported in Indiana.
AES Indiana is reporting about 5,200 customers without power. Duke Energy is reporting about 10,500. The statewide total is about 26,500.
5:30 p.m.
One of the largest Duke Energy outages is centered just east of Cumberland on the western edge of Hancock County. Duke's has about 11,200 customers without power now. AES Indiana is reporting 5,100 customers without power, with the northeastern part of Marion County the hardest hit. About 29,200 people statewide are without power.
Eastbound lanes of US-36 are closed at County Road 900 East in Hendricks county because part of a traffic signal is hanging down and may fall off.
5:20 p.m.
AES Indiana is now reporting more than 7,100 customers without power. Duke Energy is reporting more than 10,000 customers without power. The statewide total has climbed over 27,000 people without power.
5 p.m.
AES Indiana is reporting about 3,400 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 7,000. The statewide total is now almost 17,000.
The Garfield Park Art + Music Festival, originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed to Oct. 19 due to rain and high winds.
4:45 p.m.
We are seeing an increase in power outages the state. More than 10% of customers are without power in Owen and Decatur Counties. The statewide total is now over 15,000. AES Indiana is reporting just over 2,000 customers without power in Marion County. Duke Energy is reporting about 6,500.
4:15 p.m.
We are entering what we expect to be the worst period of wind and rain from Helene. Peak gusts of 40-60 mph occur between now and 8 p.m. From east to west. Please use caution if traveling, have electronics charged, and flashlights with numerous power outages expected to increase the next four hours. Read more in the latest Live Doppler 13 weather blog.
AES Indiana has about 1,700 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 6,200 customers without power.
3:25 p.m.
Helene has weakened to a Tropical Depression. That does not change the forecast which calls for continuing wind and potentially destructive wind in the coming hours.
In Tennessee a dam has experienced a "catastrophic failure" forcing urgent, down-river evacuations.
3:15 p.m.
The death toll from Helene has now climbed to 30 nationwide. Helene has dropped some truly incredible rain totals on its way north, with some places getting about 15 inches of rain since the storm made landfall last night.
So far Indianapolis has received between 0.25 and 0.5 inches of rain, though some areas may have seen more. Totals could reach upwards of 2 inches in places.
AES Indiana currently has about 1,300 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 4,700 customers without power.
2:45 p.m.
Power outages continue to be the biggest concern from Helene in Indiana right now. Statewide there are an estimated 11,000 people without power. Right now, AES Indiana reports about 1,000 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 4,000.
2:15 p.m.
Severe weather often attracts scammers. If you have damage from Helene, our Verify Team has hints to avoid criminals trying to take advantage of tragedy.
A band of stronger winds has entered the state near Louisville. It will reach the southern edge of the viewing area around 3 p.m. and will hit Indianapolis around 4 p.m. It has already left more than 90,000 people without power in Kentucky.
Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park is still planning to move forward with tonight's Yacht Rock Revue.
2 p.m.
IPS has announced it is canceling all after-school events and games tonight due to Helene. In a statement a district representative says:
"All IPS after-school events and sports practices and competitions have been canceled today, which includes the 8th grade band field trip and extracurricular late buses.
Please Note: After-care services will still take place as scheduled today.
IPS families should expect bus delays due to the weather, which may also cause poor Wi-Fi and app signals from buses."
The list of canceled games continues to grow, as Warren Central and Pike postpone their game tonight, thanks to Helene. The Town of Speedway has canceled the Hometown Community Parade too. The Indianapolis Indians are postponing tonight's SWING event as well.
AES Indiana reports about 1,000 customers without power. Duke Energy has just under 5,000 customers without power.
1:30 p.m.
The official death toll from Helene has risen to 22 across Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.
Here in Indiana, the impact on the power grid is growing. AES Indiana has about 1,200 customers without power. Duke Energy has almost 5,000 customers without power right now.
We are also tracking changes to many Friday night high school football games, click here for all of the impacts.
1 p.m.
Lebanon High School has postponed its game versus Tri-West tonight due to the impact of Helene. Conner Prairie is closed. Lawrence County schools are closing an hour early for the same reason. The Indy Speedrome is postponing tonight's races until Oct. 6.
AES has 1,200 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 1,500.
If you're in Indianapolis and you encounter downed tree limbs or debris in the road, you're asked to call the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622.
12:40 p.m.
A tree is down on North Tacoma Avenue on the northeast side of Indianapolis, near the intersection of 30th Street and Keystone Avenue. DPW is aware of the downed tree. 13News reporter Anna Chalker is on the scene.
12:20 p.m.
The Purdue Student Union is canceling its homecoming parade tonight because of the wind and rain from Helene. In a statement, the Student Union says "this decision has been made in collaboration with Purdue emergency management partners, considering the anticipated severe weather conditions of rain throughout the day and the potential for winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph"
AES Indiana has about 1,200 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 1,000.
Noon
Noblesville Schools is canceling its homecoming parade due to high winds and rain this evening.
AES Indiana has about 1,200 customers without power. Duke Energy has about 1,300 Hoosier customers without power.
Live Doppler 13 meteorologist Sean Ash has our latest update on what to expect from Helene today.
Bargersville Fire Deputy Chief Mike Pruitt and Indiana State Police First Sergeant John Perrine have put out a video to help walk you through the safety precautions you should take while we're dealing with Helene.
Indiana Task Force 1 deployed to the Florida panhandle before Helene hit, to be in position to help. They have posted pictures showing they've been hard at work providing aid since early this morning.
11:15 a.m.
We are getting a better idea of when the worst of the wind will hit central Indiana. Live Doppler 13 meteorologist Sean Ash says the strongest gusts will hit between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27. But there will be a High Wind Warning for most of the day.
We are getting more closures:
- The Circle City Classic has cancelled the pep rally that was planned outside Lucas Oil today.
- Enlace Academy, a charter school in Indianapolis, is closing at 1:30 p.m.
- Jennings County Schools are on e-learning today.
Duke Energy is down to about 440 customers without power. AES says about 1,000 customers are without power.
10:45 a.m.
IU Police have closed 13th Street between N Woodlawn Avenue and N Walnut Grove Street in Bloomington due to a power line that is down. We are expecting the number of downed powerlines to increase throughout the day due to the wind from Helene's remnants. Here's what you need to remember with downed power lines:
- Never touch or go near a downed power line—stay at least 10 feet away.
- Always assume it is live and report it. In Indianapolis, you can report downed lines to AES by calling 317-261-8111.
- If there is a downed tree limb tangled in power lines do not try to remove it yourself. Wait until utility crews.
AES is reporting about 940 customers without power right now. Duke Energy's outage map shows 1,200 customers without power.
10:20 a.m.
Expected rain totals are rising, according to Live Doppler 13 meteorologist Matt Standridge. The heaviest bands of rain are expected to fall between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., which is also when we are expecting the strongest winds. Central Indiana is now expected to get between 1.5 and 4 inches. You can read more on the 13 Weather blog.
Sheridan Schools have canceled their homecoming parade due to the High Wind Warning. They will replace it with a pep session in the varsity gym.
10 a.m.
Across central Indiana, emergency management agencies are preparing for what Tropical Storm Helene might bring. With wind gusts between 50 and 60 miles an hour possible as far north as Muncie and Kokomo, the region is braced for power outages and damage that will increase throughout the daylight hours.
AES Indiana customers without power are down to around 500, while Duke Energy customers without power have climbed to 1,200, with most of the new outages around Bloomington.
9:30 a.m.
Helene has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but the outer bands are already slashing central Indiana with rain and rising wind. AES Indiana reports about 1,900 customers without power. Duke Energy reports just over 1,000 customers without power, with the largest outages around Richmond and Bloomington.