This morning will start murky in Indianapolis, with low clouds, patchy fog and temperatures parked in the mid-40s. Visibility is poor in low-lying neighborhoods and across parts of the metro, and scattered showers are expected through midmorning. A better shot at scattered thunderstorms arrives from the early to late afternoon, with highs topping out near 57°F.
Flood Watch Through Wednesday Morning
The National Weather Service has an areal Flood Watch in effect until 10:00 a.m. EST Wednesday, March 4, for central and southern Indiana. Forecasters say rainfall through Wednesday morning is expected to total roughly 2 to 4 inches, with locally higher amounts, leaving ground saturated and primed for trouble. That raises the risk of stream, creek and urban flooding, and the forecast discussion notes another 1–3 inches could fall through Saturday, which is enough to produce widespread minor to moderate river flooding in spots, according to NWS Indianapolis. Residents in low-lying neighborhoods and motorists should be alert to water rising faster than expected.
Fog, Showers And Thunderstorms Today
Patchy fog is likely to hang around through the early morning before gradually giving way to scattered showers between midmorning and early afternoon. The best chance for thunderstorms runs from about 1 p.m. into the late afternoon, with brief heavy downpours that can quickly cut visibility and trigger localized street flooding. East winds will stay on the light side, so slick pavement and low visibility remain the main travel hazards today.
Late Week Warmth And More Rain
The unsettled pattern sticks around into late week. Highs climb into the 60s on Thursday and could reach the mid-70s by Friday, flirting with near-record warmth for early March. Additional rounds of showers and storms are likely from Thursday into the weekend, and models indicate another 1–3 inches of rain is possible through Saturday that could push some rivers into minor to moderate flood stage. If you have outdoor plans later in the week, you will want to keep an eye on updates.
Commute And Safety Tips
Give yourself extra travel time, use low beams in fog and ease off the gas when roads are wet. Skip any shortcuts that involve driving through standing water. If you live in a flood-prone spot, move valuables off ground floors, and follow road closures when they go up. The old saying applies whenever water covers a roadway: "Turn Around, Don't Drown." Check local alerts and forecasts before you head out.
We broke down the soup-thick conditions and the first soaking in our story yesterday; see our look at the soup-thick fog for neighborhood-level impacts and more commute tips. This page will be updated if watches or warnings change.
