Today's second consecutive day in the lower 80s at Greater Lafayette makes the first time since 2012 that we have had two consecutive days above 80 so early in the season.
Official record highs for West Lafayette (1879-present from Purdue & Purdue Ag Farm) are:
April 7: 83 - 2010
April 8: 83 - 2001
Normal date of first occurrence of 80:
The the warmth, we have seen an explosion of green with the trees. Note the olive green hue looking southwest from downtown Lafayette as the high-based storms approached this evening.
It has been a big severe outbreak this evening from Iowa & Illinois to Kentucky, southwestward to (& it continues).
Tornado risk will increase with time over northeastern Arkansas, northern Mississippi, western Tennesseee for an isolated strong tornado or two possible.
Indiana has been hit hard this evening with winds measured up to near 80 mph with three reports of tornadoes with some large hail.
Our severe weather threat is over here, however.
We will pay for our warmth.
Tomorrow will feature sunny skies early the early part of the day, then skies should cloud over with a few isolated to spotty light rain to rain/snow showers in the p.m. to early tomorrow night.
After highs of 45-52 (after morning lows at 36-42), we should fall to 40-46 by late afternoon.
Northwest winds sustained at 20-30 mph with periodic gusts of 40-50 mph will make it feel colder. An isolated +50 mph gust or two is possible.
Friday looks partly cloudy (mostly cloudy to cloudy northeast) & windy with gusts up to 35 mph from the northwest. highs of 44-51 are likely.
Clouds will increase Saturday. It looks breezy from the south-southwest to 25 mph with 52-59 after 28-32 in the morning.
Periods of rain are likely Sunday (highs 55-60). This system may bring quite a severe weather outbreak to the southern U.S. to as far north as the very lower Ohio Valley. Widespread MODERATE RISK parameters show up in the South with tornado outbreak possible.
Snowstorm is possible from Colorado to Minnesota & Wisconsin.
Winds up to 50 mph from the northwest are possible Monday with 42-47 & a few rain to rain/snow showers. Temperatures may drop some in the afternoon.
A few rain/snow showers with west-northwest winds to 30 mph are possible Tuesday with only 37-43 for highs with some scattered rain/snow showers.
A few snow showers are possible Wednesday morning, followed by partly cloudy skies west-northwest winds to 25 mph (highs 42-46).
A wave of very minor accumulating snowfall is possible early Thursday morning (temperatures 30-32), followed by partly cloudy skies & highs of 42-46.
A big snowstorm or blizzard will occur in the Rockies to High Plains after this after the mid-point of April!
It is that storm that may bring our first bout of severe weather risk after the severe weather tonight.
Overall colder than normal pattern with bit below normal precipitation will dominate April 9-17.
Next round of any severe weather risk here does not look to arrive until around April 19. Severe risk also shows up around April 23 & around April 25 as pattern turn, warm, wet & stormy.