Ice Storm — Brown, Indiana

2011-02-01 to 2011-02-02 · Brown, Indiana

Event narrative

Approximately one quarter inch of ice accumulation from freezing rain was received. Scattered power outages were also noted.

Brown County Chief Deputy Coroner Earl Piper says 93-year-old Thomas Pat McGuire died of hypothermia on Tuesday night outside his rural Morgantown home about 15 miles northeast of Bloomington as freezing rain and strong winds swept the area. He says McGuire broke a window in his front door after locking himself outside of his northern Brown County home, but apparently couldn't reach the lock. Piper says McGuire was not wearing a coat. He says McGuire was apparently walking toward his daughter's nearby home when he succumbed to the cold. McGuire's daughter found his body Wednesday morning. This was reported by WISH TV, Channel 8 in Indianapolis.

Wider weather episode

A powerful winter storm moved across the United States, bringing severe winter weather to central Indiana from January 31 through February 2. Freezing rain, sleet, snow, strong winds, and arctic air impacted the state. Indianapolis received 0.6 inches of ice and 1.0 inch of sleet from the storm. The first wave of precipitation fell during the evening of January 31, and this precipitation was mainly freezing rain and sleet, with a little snow across the northern parts of central Indiana. The second wave of precipitation began in earnest during the afternoon of February 1 and continued into the overnight hours. Far northern sections of central Indiana saw snow, with a sleet/freezing rain mix across much of the central part of the area. Across the south, mainly freezing rain was noted. After the strong area of low pressure passed over the area, winds increased with gusts over 50 mph reported. This wind created blowing and drifting snow across the north, and caused trees and power lines to come down across areas that saw freezing rain. Travel became near impossible at many locations, with several counties across central Indiana restricting travel. As the storm moved across the state, warm air briefly moved into central Indiana warming temperatures to above freezing across parts of the area. The warmth was brief though, as Arctic air flowed into the area after the storm passed. Temperatures dropped to near zero in some locations by the morning of February 3.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 287265. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.