By Kaylin Kieft

On Saturday, October 19, 2024, the Indiana Chapter of the American Meteorology Society (AMS) will host the Central Indiana Severe Weather Symposium from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Pruis Hall on Ball State’s campus. For the first time ever on a college campus, Ball State students of any major are welcome to join over 300 other attendees including weather professionals, first responders, emergency management personnel, weather spotters and chasers, and community weather enthusiasts to learn more about severe weather. 

The event will consist of six weather-focused sessions concentrating on the past, present, and future of weather forecasting. The sessions will include two local case studies, a student poster session, a look at the 1974 Super Outbreak, learning about the future of weather forecasting, and a panel discussion. Ball State students can register for this event free of cost until October 18 on the Central Indiana Severe Weather Symposiums website. All attendees can access the free parking at the New York and McKinley parking garages. 

Ball State students will be able to network, work at the conference, present their research at a poster session, and attend the sessions. The Department of Geography and Meteorology and the College of Sciences and Humanities will help the Indiana Chapter of the American Meteorology Society host this event and profits will support the Ball State AMS Chapter. 

Sessions 

Session 1: The 50th Anniversary of the Super Outbreak

“The 50th Anniversary of the Super Outbreak” is scheduled for session 1 with Sam Lashley, who is a Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NWS Indianapolis. The 1974 Super Outbreak occurred April 3-4 and is the second-largest tornado outbreak on record in a single 24-hour period. This affected 13 U.S. states including Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and New York. There were a total of 148 confirmed tornadoes and at one point, as many as 15 separate tornadoes were occurring simultaneously. The disaster resulted in 335 lost lives and $600 million in damages, which equates to just over $3.7 billion today. 

Session 2: Local Case Studies Part 1: March 31, 2023 and March 14, 2024

“Local Case Studies Part 1: March 31, 2023 and March 14, 2024” with Meteorologist Joe Nield. March 31, 2023 is in reference to a historic tornado outbreak that hit the Southern, Eastern, and Midwestern United States that lasted until April 1, 2023. It was the result of an extratropical cyclone that caused blizzard-like conditions in the Upper Midwest. Between the two days, winds got up to 170 mph, 26 people lost their lives and 146 total tornadoes touched down, 115 of those being on March 31. At certain points of the outbreak, there were more than 20 active tornado warnings going simultaneously. There were 175 warnings issued on March 31 and 51 on April 1, 2023. March 14, 2024 is in reference to the Winchester, Indiana and Selma, Indiana tornadoes. According to the National Weather Service, “Two rounds of thunderstorms brought widespread severe weather to central Indiana. During the late morning to early afternoon hours, a decaying line of storms brought prolific small hail and isolated thunderstorm wind damage to much of the state. Later into the evening hours, severe weather returned with large hail across north central Indiana during the early evening which then gradually spread to the southeast with additional large hail, damaging winds, and two tornadoes with one being an EF-2 in Selma and the other (Winchester) was a long track EF-3 tornado that extended into Ohio.” 

Session 3 : Student Research and Poster Session

The Student Research and Poster Session moderated by Meteorologist Aaron Updike. Students from the Department of Geography and Meteorology in the College of Sciences and Humanities will be able to volunteer and work at the conference and share their personal research at this event. In preparation, they work alongside Dr. Petra Zimmermann, Department Chair of Geography and Meteorology. Students have gotten to work on some of the marketing materials leading up to the event as well.

Session 4: Local Case Studies Part 2: June 29, 2023

“Local Case Studies Part 2: June 29, 2023” with Meteorologist Matt Eckhoff. According to the NWS, “A line of thunderstorms developed across Iowa and then turned into a derecho that moved through central Indiana during the afternoon of June 29. Widespread wind damage occurred, with reports of wind gusts over 70 mph. Numerous power outages occurred, with some areas remaining without power for several days.” A derecho is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms known as bow echoes, squall lines or quasi-linear convective systems. If wind damage swatch extends more than 400 miles in length, 60 miles in width, has gusts of wind at 58 mph or faster, and has multiple gusts of wind at 75 mph or more, then it is classified as a derecho.

Session 5: Storm Surveys with a Panel Discussion

“Storm Surveys with a Panel Discussion” featuring Warning Coordination Meteorologist Sam Lashley, Meteorologist Aaron Updike and Senior Meteorologist Mike Ryan is scheduled for session 5. These three NWS Indianapolis weather professionals intend to utilize this event to educate other weather spotters and chasers, as well as the general public about severe weather. Lastly, Senior Meteorologist Randy Bowers will lead the sixth session, “The Future of Weather Forecasting,” where we will look at the past, present and future of severe weather forecasting and he will discuss the future of the National Weather Service. 

All Severe Weather Enthusiasts Welcome

Students, faculty, weather professionals, weather enthusiasts, and the general public are all welcome to come learn about severe weather, local weather disasters through the years and to find out what the future of the National Weather Service looks like. Students have the opportunity to make connections, volunteer, share their findings and/or learn about other students’ research and learn more about the fascinating behavior of weather. T-shirts are also available to purchase in person and during online registration. Profits support the Ball States AMS chapter. Online registration to attend the event must be submitted by October 18, 2024. Ball State students can register and attend the event free of charge. All attendees can access free parking at the New York and McKinley parking garages. 

Event Address: Pruis Hall- 1000 N McKinley Ave, Muncie, IN 47306
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/cisws2024/ 
Registration: Google Forms 
Severe Weather website: https://www.weather.gov/ind/localsevereweathertabs 
Email: indianachapterams@gmail.com