High Wind in Scott, Indiana

A 58 MPH wind gust was measured at an INDOT site in Scottsburg.

A negatively-tilted mid-level trough moved across the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region during the day on February 27th, gradually lifting and broadening as it moved from west-southwest to east-northeast. At the surface, a deep surface low with minimum central pressure initially below 985 mb moved across the region in a similar fashion, with the low gradually weakening as it occluded. Nevertheless, the deep surface low and 50-60 kt winds in the 850-925 mb layer contributed to a high momentum setup across the middle Ohio Valley. While severe weather ultimately remained limited across southern Indiana and central Kentucky, low-topped thunderstorms developed during the late morning and early afternoon hours in the vicinity of a pre-frontal trough where there was a localized maximum of surface-based CAPE. Low-level destabilization from clearing skies, likely facilitated by a pronounced dry slot over western and central Kentucky and southern Indiana, also helped stronger winds aloft transfer down to the ground behind the pre-frontal trough. All of the aforementioned ingredients combined to produce widespread wind gusts of over 45 mph and scattered wind damage across southern Indiana during the afternoon hours on February 27th.