Perry County Under Tornado Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings March 16

Perry County, including Tell City and Cannelton, was placed under severe thunderstorm warnings and a tornado watch on the evening of March 16, with local weather services citing potential damaging winds and atmospheric rotation through late night. No major damage had been reported as of that evening.

The alerts arrived one day after a Wind Advisory affecting the area ran from 4:59 p.m. March 15 through 8:00 a.m. March 16. A National Weather Service alert-tracking snapshot taken at 5:10 p.m. on March 16 showed no active warnings for Perry County at that moment, though alert status for the county changed as the evening progressed. The NWS issues severe thunderstorm warnings when dangerous conditions are occurring or imminent and pose danger to life or property; a tornado watch, by contrast, signals that conditions are favorable for tornado development, requiring residents to monitor forecasts and be prepared to act.

Flooding conditions were developing across southern Indiana more broadly on the same day. The East Fork White River near Rivervale reached 21.9 feet at 10:30 a.m. Monday, with the prior 24-hour peak hitting 22.5 feet; flood statements there were expected to remain in effect until early Wednesday afternoon. At 22.0 feet, Buddha Road south of the gauge and Lawrenceport Road become impassable, and all local roads crossing the East Fork White River in Lawrence County were threatened by high water.

The White River at Petersburg, measuring 22.7 feet at 10:45 a.m. Monday, was flooding agricultural and rural residential areas in Knox County, with Bottoms Road, Brothers Road, and E. Governor Road among the flooded routes. Some residents in the area locally known as Dodge City were expected to evacuate, and river cabin residents were isolated by high water. That flood statement extended through Monday, March 23.

Near Bedford, the East Fork White River sat at 19.5 feet at 8:00 a.m. Monday and was forecast to crest at 20.2 feet that afternoon, just above the 20.0-foot flood stage, before falling back below flood stage by evening. At flood stage, water covers most local roads in the flood plain and spreads across Bedford Boat Club grounds; the club called for power to be shut off, and access to higher campground spots was blocked.

River gauges across the region were expected to fall over the following seven days, with forecasters noting only a minor bump from Sunday evening's rainfall.