Bloomington Tornado: Damage at Monroe County Airport and Watch Extended Across Central Indiana
The Bloomington Tornado left damage in and around the city while a tornado watch for much of central Indiana was extended into the evening. The extension and multiple warnings reshaped preparedness efforts across a wide swath of counties.
Bloomington Tornado damage and local impacts
Tornado damage was reported in Bloomington, including at the Monroe County Airport and to some homes and businesses. Emergency management in Sullivan County also reported damage to homes and cars caused by fallen trees. Details about injuries or the full extent of property losses were not provided in the initial updates.
Tornado watch extended for central Indiana and warning activity
A tornado watch that had been expected to end at 9 p. m. ET was extended to 11 p. m. ET. The extended watch explicitly included Indianapolis and additional counties across central Indiana. An update later indicated the tornado watch has expired.
Officials issued at least a dozen tornado warnings in the state during the period of threat. Much of the southern half of Indiana, including Indianapolis, was under the earlier watch. The initial watch was issued shortly after noon ET; Indianapolis was among five counties added to the watch area about 6: 21 p. m. ET, and six other counties near Indianapolis were added shortly after 4: 20 p. m. ET.
Counties under the extended watch and initial watch areas
The extension covered these counties under the extended tornado watch: Bartholomew, Brown, Clay, Daviess, Decatur, Greene, Hancock, Hendricks, Henry, Jackson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Owen, Parke, Putnam, Rush, Shelby, Sullivan and Vigo.
The initial watch area also included a broader set of counties: Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Dubois, Floyd, Franklin, Gibson, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Ripley, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Sullivan, Switzerland, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Warrick and Washington. Parts of Kentucky and Illinois were also included in that initial watch area. By about 6: 21 p. m. ET, Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties along the Ohio River had been removed from the watch area.
What happened next and what to watch for
The sequence of expansions and removals in the watch area, combined with multiple tornado warnings, underscores how rapidly the threat evolved over the course of the afternoon and evening. The tornado damage reported in Bloomington and the tree-related impacts in Sullivan County are part of that developing picture. Because details are limited in the immediate updates, the situation may continue to change as assessments proceed.
For residents in affected counties, the extended watch and subsequent warnings were the primary cues to seek shelter and monitor local briefings. The expired watch indicates the formal watch period ended, but the earlier series of warnings and reported damage illustrate the local impacts that occurred while the watch was active.
Authorities and emergency management partners will likely continue damage assessments in the hours following the event. Recent updates indicated the watch has expired, and additional information about recovery and repairs may follow as assessments are completed.
