Traffic rolls through slush on the mostly clear Smith Valley Road near Craig Park as snow falls on Jan. 25, 2023, in Greenwood.
Daily Journal File Photo
A winter storm system is expected to bring rain, snow and extremely cold temperatures to Johnson County over the next few days.
Early forecasts had initially shown greater chances for heavy snowfall this weekend. But as the system gets closer, updated forecasts have reduced the chances for heavy snow.
“It doesn’t look like we’re gonna have heavy snow like we’re expecting,” said Greg Melo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. “The past few days the trend has become a little bit warmer.”
There will be mainly rain on Friday with light snow mixing in Friday night into Saturday morning, Melo said. However, the biggest concern now is high winds, he said.
A High Wind Watch has been issued for the area from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon. Southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected, with gusts up to 60 mph possible.
Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines, and power outages are possible. Travel could also be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.
Once the system leaves, arctic air will move in. It’ll bring extremely cold temperatures starting Sunday.
The forecast
As rain transitions to snow Friday night, temperatures will drop to around 22. The chance of precipitation is 80%, with precipitation expected to become all snow after 10 p.m. Patchy blowing snow is possible between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. A west-southwest wind of 33 to 38 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph, is expected, according to the weather service.
Both Saturday and Saturday night have a 20% chance of snow and will be mostly cloudy. A high near 27 is expected during the day, with a west-southwest wind of 24 to 30 mph and gusts as high as 44 mph.
The biggest effect of the system for Central Indiana will be extremely cold temperatures starting that come in late Saturday into Sunday morning as arctic air moves in. The coldest temperatures are expected around Monday and Tuesday, with widespread single-digits expected, Melo said.
Wind chills are a concern for meteorologists, but exact numbers are not known right now as it is dependent on how cold it gets and how strong the winds are. There is a good chance wind chills will be between 10 to 20 degrees below zero in Central Indiana, he said.
“It’s a bit uncertain on that,” Melo said.
The low Saturday night will be around 8 degrees in Franklin, with a west wind of 18 to 22 mph and gusts as high as 31 mph, the weather service says.
Sunday’s high is expected to be 17, with a west wind of 15 to 18 mph and gusts as high as 28 mph. There is also a 20% chance of snow.
By Sunday night, temperatures are expected to drop to near 3, with a west wind of 10 to 13 mph and gusts as high as 20 mph. Snow chances stand at 30%.
Monday will be partly sunny but remains cold with a high temperature near 13. A northwest wind of around 10 mph is expected.
The low temperature will again drop to 3 degrees Monday night, which will be mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of snow. A northwest wind of around 10 mph is currently expected.
Snow chances and cold temperatures continue on Tuesday. It will be partly sunny during the day with a 20% chance of snow and a high near 12.
Tuesday night is expected to be partly cloudy with a low of around 6 degrees.
Safety tips
Although the county will not see as much snow, residents will still be dealing with extremely cold temperatures. This could cause problems, said Mike Pruitt, deputy chief of the Bargersville Community Fire Department.
“When everything gets cold, it stops working, and that goes for cars, fire trucks, people. Bad things can happen,” Pruitt said.
People should not be going out into the extreme cold if they don’t need to do so. If they do, they should dress appropriately in layers and with loose-fitting clothing that can easily be taken off. Gloves should be worn and heads should be covered, he said.
If you have to work outside, there’s a decent chance you may be working in muddy conditions. People should make sure to wear proper footwear and keep both their shoes and clothes dry, Pruitt said.
At home, people should make sure should make sure their heating system is operating safely and efficiently.
If the furnace isn’t keeping up, people may turn to alternative heating sources like a fireplace or space heaters to stay warm. Some people may even try to use an oven to heat a home, which is something they should absolutely not do, Pruitt said.
Those using space heaters should make sure to keep them three feet away from anything combustible and shut them down when they go to bed or leave the home, Pruitt said.
Water pipes may also freeze inside homes, so people should open their cabinet doors to let heat in. But people should not try to use heat lamps or space heaters to thaw pipes out, as it can lead to a fire, he said.
Too many space heaters could even overwhelm a home’s electrical system, Pruitt said.
Because the weather system is expected to bring high winds, there is a risk of power outages as well. People should be prepared for this, and get supplies like food, flashlights, lanterns and batteries ahead of time, he said.
“I grew up at a time where everybody lit candles every time the power went out,” Pruitt said. “That’s not a great thing to do … because we all know that when people use candles, that misuse can lead to fires.”
Cars should be fueled up and serviced because they act differently in cold weather. In case of a mechanical failure or if you get stuck, an emergency kit should be in your car that includes a charge, snacks, water, blankets, extra clothes and footwear, he said.
People should also make sure to check on their neighbors and family members, especially those who are elderly, to make sure they have everything they need. Every year, Pruitt hears stories of the elderly calling for help, saying they need things but didn’t want to bother anyone, he said.
“Call and check on them, make sure they’re OK, and see what they need,” Pruitt said.
The National Weather Service also has a winter weather preparedness checklist, which can be found at weather.gov/media/arx/winter/WinterPrepare.pdf.
