Tornado Warnings Force Teams Preparing for Nationals to Take Shelter in Indianapolis

It has been a week of bad weather across the United States, and now severe weather in the state of Indiana is impacting teams making final preparations for this week’s US National Championships meet that begins Tuesday at the IU Natatorium.

At 4:33PM local time, a tornado warning was in effect for Marion County, where Indianapolis is located, until 5:00 PM. Several structures were damaged and some people in the area lost power. Swimmers who were taking on final preparations for the meet at the IU Natatorium, many of whom just arrived in Indianapolis, were instructed to exit the pool and take shelter.

There was a confirmed tornado from the storm near New Whiteland, less than 20 miles south of the city center. In Bloomington, where Indiana University is, the storm produced golf ball sized hail.

Fortunately, the weather in the Indianapolis area should moderate the rest of the week. According to The Weather Channel, forecasts call for no more rain until Saturday, with cooler temperatures on Monday and Tuesday (highs of 81) before heating up again later in the week (highs of 91 on Friday).

There is a possibility of more rain next weekend, though, with scattered thunderstorms in the forecast on Saturday giving way to some early showers on Sunday. That rain is not expected to be as sever as the system in the area this weekend.

While the tornado warning has passed, a tornado watch remains in effect for much of Central Indiana until 8PM Sunday.