Indianapolis weather: Thunderstorms bring power outages, cooler temperatures

Thunderstorms rolling in Monday are expected to bring a little relief to Central Indiana's relentless warm temperatures.

But they're also bringing some power outages as well.

As of 8:56 p.m., Indianapolis Power and Light was reporting there are 8,922 customers without power. Duke energy was reporting just over 1,100 customers without power in the Indianapolis area. 

Earlier in the day at about 5 p.m., the utilities had reported more than 35,000 customers combined without power.

Cold front is coming

Meanwhile, a cold front will provide some slightly cooler temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday — a change from the hot, humid conditions Central Indiana has been experiencing, according to the National Weather Service.

"Today we’re up in the 90s with dew points in the 70s," said Jason Puma, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. "Tomorrow we’re expecting highs only in the 80s and dew points will be in the 60s, so slightly cooler, slightly less humid, but still very summer-like."

"Generally, all of Central Indiana could see a severe storm, there isn’t really one spot that’s more favorable than the others," Puma said.

Safety precautions

Although afternoon storms are common this time of year, there are still precautions you can take.

Thunderstorms can produce minor flooding and strong winds, so finding a safe location and avoiding flood waters is important, Puma said.

"We always say, 'When thunder roars, go indoors,' so if you’re doing an outdoor activity and you hear thunder, it’s time to end your activity and get inside," Puma said.

He also urged residents to listen for weather warnings from the National Weather Service if they're issued.

As for the rest of this week, the National Weather Service predicts the following temperatures for Indianapolis:

• Tuesday: High of 86 degrees, low of 66
• Wednesday: High of 87 degrees, low of 67
• Thursday: High of 82 degrees, low of 65
• Friday: High of 82 degrees, low of 63
• Saturday: High of 81 degrees, low of 64

Contact IndyStar Pulliam Fellow Madison O’Connor at mfoconnor@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @madisonoconn.