Late Thursday night a severe thunderstorm warning covering parts of Delaware County was stretched later into the evening, with responders in Gaston reporting the alert had been extended to 11:15 p.m. Residents in the county’s northwestern, mostly rural pockets were urged to stay weather aware as a line of storms pushed east across central Indiana, bringing strong winds and frequent lightning.
Local update from Gaston responders
The Gaston Volunteer Fire/EMS Department jumped on Facebook to let residents know the severe thunderstorm warning, originally expected to expire around 10:45 p.m., had been bumped to 11:15 p.m., and they attached an image of the National Weather Service advisory. According to the Gaston Volunteer Fire/EMS Department, crews reminded neighbors to head indoors and secure loose outdoor objects before the worst of the line arrived.
What the National Weather Service reported
The National Weather Service in Indianapolis listed Delaware County among the locations under radar-indicated severe storms Thursday night and warned of potentially damaging wind gusts up to about 60 mph. In its late-night product, NWS forecasters noted storms were moving east at roughly 50 mph and advised people to shelter in interior rooms until the threat had passed, according to NWS Indianapolis.
Watches, timing and expected impacts
The Storm Prediction Center and local forecasters kept a Severe Thunderstorm Watch in place for much of central Indiana into the overnight hours, and weather aggregators logged multiple warning segments with 11:15 p.m. expirations as individual cells tracked through the region. Those services listed damaging wind and isolated hail as the main concerns for the evening, with a live alert feed available via WeatherBug.
How to stay safe and where to get updates
Delaware County emergency officials recommend moving to an interior room on the lowest floor, staying away from windows, and relying on NOAA Weather Radio or county alert systems for real-time updates. The county’s EMA also urges residents to sign up for DelcoAlerts and to follow local fire and EMS pages for the latest conditions, per Delaware County Emergency Management.
