March was an amazing 18.2 degrees above normal – temperature-wise & drier-than-normal (-1.44″ compared to normal).  It was the warmest March on record at West Lafayette, in the viewing area & state-wide.

April was warmer-than-normal with temperatures nearly 4 degrees above normal.  Despite some welcome rain at the end of April, total April rainfall ended up -1.46″ from normal.

Freeze damage occurred on 2-3 nights, but overall temperatures between normal & above normal further forced vegetation forward.  The blossoming of the black locusts & tuliptrees were a month ahead of schedule.  By month’s end, nearly all trees were in full leaf like latter May & the black locust’s blossoms were fading away, while tuliptree petals began to fall.  Even the shedding of the Silver & Red maple seeds were extra early.  Heavily freeze-damaged sycamore & catalpa foliage was making a come-back at the end of the month.  Small vestiges of catalpa spared had flower buds emerged by April 30 with a likely month-early blossom.  However, the freeze will prevent the spectacular catalpa blossom explosions usually seen.

Bird species such as purple martin & barn swallow arrived mid to late month & chimney swifts were first seen on April 29.  The first Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers & Indigo Buntings were heard on April 29.  The first House Wrens were heard on April 15.

Highs today ranged from 65 along the warm front in the clouds to 81 south of the warm front in more sun.  The highest dew points of the season occurred in our southern counties today, reaching as high as 65.

Tonight, frontal boundary as slipped southward a bit & cooler air is filtering in on north to northwest breezes arriving.  Skies may tend to clear with areas of fog developing as temperatures cool to the dew point over damp ground with decreasing wind.

Already, however, the boundary is lifting back northeast & at the junction of the warm front & dryline in Oklahoma, numerous supercells t’storms have exploded with very large hail & tornadoes.

The severe threat will basically move almost due northward to slightly northeastward tonight & through tomorrow.  Right now, it appears we may get a few storms to pop with the passage of the warm front, but the main severe threat will lay to our west tomorrow.  We will be on the southeast end of stronger jet winds, so we need to make sure none of the storms begin to organize, though.

As this front shifts northward, the heat wave will expand & encompass our area mid to late week, accompanied by muggy air.  Record-breaking high temperatures are likely here with clusters of severe storms to our west & northwest on the boundary between July & March weather (wet snow in the Rockies!) where a strong 130 mph upper jet will reside.

Strong jet winds & cold surface cold front will approach.  A couple of t’storms are possible Friday, but it appears a line of strong to severe storms may occur in our area Saturday in the afternoon & evening.  We will watch this potential & make any needed changes to this forecast in terms of timing over the next few days.

Two day of seasonable temperatures at 67-74 are likely Sunday & Monday before the heat builds back in & we see 85-90 again next week!

Total 4-day rainfall is over 1″ in some locations.  This, combined with the upcoming heat & very warm nights will make corn & soybean crop emergence & growth SKYROCKET!

I am going to plant tomatoes & peppers, as well as sweet basil & stevia Thursday, as the soils really dry well to work!

Any severe threat is over & any lingering showers will end over the next 1-1.5 hours in the viewing area.

Count on cooling temperatures into the 40s & 50s with areas of fog developing overnight as skies clear & winds calm with southward push of front.  It will move back north tomorrow & bath us in brisk south winds & 70s & 80s, though.

I have received reports of pea-sized hail near Stockwell & Fickle, as well as Thorntown.

Measured gusts to 53 mph have been recorded.

There is a bowing segment that is blasting through Frankfort.  A personal weather station near Michigantown measured a gust to 47.2 mph with sustained winds at 22 mph.  Our Frankfort station measured a gust to 53 mph at 4:19 p.m. with a sustained wind at 26 mph.  Burlington sensor measured 42 mph gust.

Sporadic 60 mph wind gust threat in any bowing segments is over in all of Fountain & Tippecanoe counties & most of Carroll & Montgomery.

There are two semi-organized line segments to watch.  One is in eastern Montgomery County, the other is in northeast Parke County.

I continue to watch line segments & bowing structures within the segments developing.  As these storm move into an area with temperatures in the 80s & dew points well into the 60s in Clinton, Howard, Montgomery, Boone & Tipton counties, the potential of getting a bowing segment with a gust to 60 mph will increase.

Again, watch is out until 10 p.m., but this threat will be over by 6 p.m.

Jet winds are helping line segments to organize.  In fact, straight-line wind threat is increasing for Tippecanoe & Montgomery right now.

Warning may be issued…………60 mph gust looking possible soon, IF segment continues to organize.

SPC just put out Severe T’Storm Watch for area until 10 p.m., but threat will be over by 6 p.m.

Damaging wind threat will exist as line segments organize into squall line & move through southeastern half.  Small hail will be possible.

DONE WITH DAMAGING FROSTS & FREEZES………….

Looking far out, it appears we are finished with damaging frosts & freezes.  Temperatures at 90 will caused warm-season crop to skyrocket in growth this week, once you get them in the ground.

SHOWERS & T’STORMS IN THE VIEWING AREA WITH THE HIGHEST DEW POINTS OF THE YEAR, SO FAR…….SOME SEVERE STORMS SOUTHEAST COUNTIES…..

Showers & some t’storms will pass through this afternoon with the most humid air of the season so far (dew points 62-66).  Our high of 77.4 so far today is the warmest temperatures since April 19 with 78.3 degrees.

Juicy air with temperatures in the low 80s in our southeastern counties amidst an increasingly strong mid & upper jet will cause a few severe storms in our southeastern areas today.  Wind fields favor line segments with damaging straight-line wind threat, these storms will tend to congeal into a squall line with time as they move eastward.

BRIEF COOL SHOT WITH AREAS OF FOG TONIGHT, THEN BACK TO HEAT & HUMIDITY TOMORROW…….

It will will cool off tonight as front sinks southward some.  So, a damp chill with lows of 46-53 are likely with areas of fog as south winds turn north, then diminish.  It will shoot back up to 78-84 degrees tomorrow as front shoot back north again with strong south winds.

WELCOME RAINFALL TO REPLENISH SOILS BEFORE EARLIEST 90-DEGREE TEMPERATURE SINCE 1949…..

Additional welcome rainfall will occur today to replenish top & subsoils, especially as high evaporation occurs with the record heat mid to late week with strong winds & highs of around 90.  The earliest 90 on record occurred on April 11, 1930.  A 90-degree temperatures on Wednesday would be the earliest 90 since May 7, 1949 for West Lafayette.

I have to say I picked the first two rounds of the Indianapolis Colts’ draft exactly right! I was proud of that but from there I had no clue what they were going to do.

First off, Andrew Luck was the no brainer pick! I am so happy he is a Colt and I still believe he is going to have a solid season his rookie year.

I was ecstatic the Colts picked up Stanford tight end Coby Fleener. He was originally projected to go in the first round with the 26th pick to the Houston Texans. He dropped though and the Colts pounced on him. Fleener and Luck know each other well and it will help with their progression to the pro level.

I was surprised with the third round pick, Clemson’s tight end Dwayne Allen. I think it is a very solid pick for the team and Andrew Luck. He was used to throwing to tight ends at Stanford and now he has two good ones here with the Colts. That will once again help Luck and his transition to the pro level. I am guessing but I believe the Colts wanted to draft Vanderbilt’s DB, Casey Hayward with that pick. He went off the board two picks before the Colts were up on the board. That is a tough loss because the Colts just don’t have depth or much talent in the secondary. The defensive back position in this year’s draft just wasn’t very deep and it showed because the Colts didn’t pick one and they desperately needed one!

I was happy with them trading up and selecting Florida International’s WR, T.Y. Hilton in the 3rd round. He can run the slot and has a lot of speed. He is another good weapon for Luck.

The Colts are making the transition to the 3-4 defense and I knew at some point in the draft they had to get a defensive tackle. They did just that in round 5 when they selected Alabama’s DT, Josh Chapman. He is a big boy! They listed him at 6’1″ 316 pounds in the draft. I’m sure he is all of the 316 pounds. He played great at Alabama, even on one leg his final year. He is coming off the knee injury and will have to recover, but I believe he will and fill the void the Colts have as a starting nose tackle on their defensive line. Solid pick!

From there, the rest of the players will add depth and competition to their respective positions. I was happy to see the Colts add another running back in Vick Ballard. He is a big running back and can probably make a contribution on those 3rd down and short plays.

Overall, I give the Colts a B+. I hope they find a diamond in the rough at defensive back in an undrafted free agent. Bill Polian used to have an amazing gift at finding some of the best talent in undrafted free agents! I hope Ryan Grigson has some of that same talent.

Follow me on twitter: @sportsguycaleb

–Caleb