Discover the Worst Ice Storm That Shut Down Indiana

Most of Indiana, which sits in the midwestern part of the United States, experiences powerful winter weather thanks to its northerly position in the hemisphere. Hoosiers know what they must do to prepare for various weather conditions, including slippery, icy roads and walkways. However, ice storms can be debilitating even when expected. Discover the worst ice storm to hit Indiana, which shut down several cities, roads, and more.

Ice Storms Vs. Snow Storms

Thanks to the state’s position, Indiana often experiences a mixture of snow and ice storms. The far northern parts of Indiana will see large snowfalls, while central and southern Indiana areas will have freezing rain. Freezing rain is a weather phenomenon that occurs when raindrops supercool and form ice upon contact with freezing ground or objects. Because the raindrops are still liquid, they easily glaze anything they come into contact with a thin layer of ice.

Even a little bit of ice coverage can disrupt travel and communications in urban and rural areas. Coatings of as little as half an inch add unnecessary weight and strain on power lines and tree branches. Large accumulations of ice can lead to heavy and costly damage. There was costly damage and major disruptions when an ice storm hit a large portion of Indiana in 1991.

The Worst Ice Storm in Indiana History

In Indiana, many residents remember the ice storm that hit the state in late winter of 1991. On March 12th and 13th, 1991, the northern part of the state got hit with a major ice storm. The impact of this ice storm reverberated down as far as Anderson, about 34 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Cities like Anderson, Lafayette, Frankfurt, and Kokomo halted work, school, and travel thanks to the one to three inches of ice covering roads, power lines, trees, and homes. Travel became incredibly dangerous. For example, the major Interstate 65 (running north to south towards the Gulf of Mexico) came to a complete standstill. Cities and counties closed other smaller roads until crews could clear downed power lines and trees away.

People lost power across the affected area, with as many as 209,000 homes and 500,000 people without power. According to the National Weather Service, the storm completely destroyed over 100 steel power line towers due to heavy ice accumulation. Terrible winds from the east exacerbated power loss. Gusts of as high as 40mph made the cold and ice even worse, making it impossible to recover power for days in many areas.

Damages from the Worst Ice Storm in Indiana

Downed power lines, towers, and tree limbs require a lengthy clean-up. Plus, this destruction costs lots of money to repair, replace, and return to normal. An estimated $80 to $100 million in damages was the result of the worst ice storm in Indiana history.

At the time of the ice storm, the then-governor of Indiana, Evan Bayh, declared a state disaster emergency for 18 counties, including Tippecanoe, Benton, Howard, and Delaware. Along with property damage and power outages, the storm resulted in at least 43 injuries and six deaths. The governor also requested federal aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on March 21, 1991. In his letter, he noted the extensive damages and the burden the cost would place on Hoosiers.

After the storm passed through, a PSI (the energy provider for most of Indiana, including central Indiana) executive declared it the worst storm with some of the worst damage in the last 25 years.

After Effects of the Worst Ice Storm in Indiana

The late appearance of this ice storm, in the middle of March, opened the state of Indiana up to another emergency immediately following the ice storm. Warming temperatures in the weeks following the ice storm led to a rapid melting of snow and ice on the ground. Flooding conditions throughout the state made clean-up and repair tasks more difficult.

Other Notable Icy Weather Events Impacting Hoosiers

• February 1976: From late February 4th, 1976, to the evening of February 5th, 1976, a 50-mile-wide ice storm dropped one to two inches across central Indiana. Trees, power lines, and more were damaged, and the ice did not fully melt until February 9.
• March 1988: This ice storm also hit central Indiana and impacted people from Owen County to Wayne County. Even the city of Indianapolis was not spared. This 50-mile-wide storm dropped freezing rain for around 24 hours from March 3 to March 4. 
• January 2005: On January 5th and 6th, 2005, freezing rain accumulated up to half an inch of ice in northern parts of central Indiana. As many as 150,000 homes lost power, and many Hoosiers had to seek shelter at emergency centers. 
• January/February 2011: Central Indiana again saw up to an inch of ice after a storm hit from January 31st, 2011, into early February 2nd, 2011. The ice was paired with wind gusts over 50 mph, which left trees down, power outages, and terrible travel delays.