The slow moving monster named “Isaac” could bring a general 4-7 inch rainfall to central Indiana over Labor Day Weekend.
The all-time rain record for Indianapolis was set on Labor Day weekend 9 years ago, when 7.20 inches fell on September 1, 2003. Those rains were triggered by an area of low pressure moving along a frontal boundary across central Indiana. It combined with plentiful moisture in part from the remnants of another tropical storm. The heavy rain fell on ground already saturated from recent rains.
The ground this time is not so saturated, and the amounts are expected to spread out over a couple of days, but flooding is still a possibility.
Issac will turn to the north-northwest of Louisiana by tomorrow night. The center of the remnants will enter Missouri early Saturday morning and move slowly toward central Indiana, not exiting the state until Labor Day.
The most likely time for rain here will be Saturday and Sunday. (Tracking and precipitation potential maps attached.)
Hurricane Issac’s biggest weapon is its slow speed. As much as 20 inches of rain could fall today and tomorrow over much of Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, and southwest Alabama as it lumbers along.
The storm made landfall again at 3:15am Indiana time a little t west of Port Fourchon, which is about 60 miles south/southwest of New Orleans. It’s moving northwest at only 8mph.
The Category 1 hurricane earlier Tuesday, first touched land in Plaquemines Parish (about 90 miles southeast of New Orleans) just before 7pm last night.
Going into Wednesday the Indianapolis rainfall deficit is 6.54 inches for the year. Things were much drier before this month. In fact, with the 1.42 inches of rain Monday… this is now the 8th wettest August of record in Indianapolis!
The Indy weather station has received almost as much rain in August as it did during the months of April+May+June+July combined. So far this month: 6.51 inches. We might come close to doubling that this weekend.
Until then: perfectly nice! Today will the same as yesterday, plus a degree or two.
INDY ALMANAC:
The average high today is 83 and the average low is 63. Records are 97 and 41. The sunrise time is 7:11 and the sunset comes at 8:20. We are now losing about 2-3 minutes of daylight every day.
PAUL’S PREVIOUS PREDICTION:
The actual high yesterday was 84. The forecast was 84.
UV INDEX:
7 (High.)
POLLEN COUNT:
“High” for the rest of the week. A rainy Saturday should help bring it down to “medium-high” then.
DETAILED INDIANAPOLIS FORECAST:
Today: Mostly sunny again. High 85.
Tonight: Clear. Low 60.
Thursday: Mostly sunny and hot. High 89.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear. Low 64.
Friday: Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers and storms later in the afternoon. High 89.
Friday Night: Shower and storm chances. Low 72.
Saturday: Showers and storms likely. High 80.
Saturday Night: More showers and storms. Low 70.
Sunday: Still a good chance of showers and storms. High 81.
Sunday Night: Chance of showers and storms. Low 69.
Labor Day Monday: Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers and storms. High 84.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Low 66.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. High 83.
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