2014 Indianapolis EF-5

On April 12, 2014, a large and violent tornado struck the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The tornado touched downat 6:21 PM and tracked north before turning right and following roughly the same track as the 2012 Indianapolis EF-5. Multiple structures that were hit in 2012 were again hit in 2014. The tornado was assigned a final rating of EF-5, and is the only EF-5 to date that has been recorded in the NWS Indianapolis county warning area.

Meteorological Synopsis
The meteorological setup preceding the event took shape up to three days out. A potent surface low ejected out of the Rockies and moved east across the Midwest. On April 11, the Storm Prediction Center outlined the area with a moderate risk of severe weather, with an area from Fort Wayne to Vincennes marked with a 15% probability of severe weather. On April 12, the Storm Prediction Center outlined a high risk of severe weather for the area, with an increased tornado probability to 45% hatched across the tornado's path. The morning sounding from Springfield, Illinois showed an enhanced elevated mixed layer, but with a cold front approaching and providing incredible forcing for ascent, the deep EML would prove to be a non-issue. A low-level jet to 60 knots at 1,000 feet, CAPE values to 3,500 j/kg, and dewpoints to 75 degrees all entered the area, providing an atmosphere ripe for tornadoes.

The Storm Prediction Center noted the increased tornado potential and issued Tornado Watch 140 at 4:13 PM EDT. This watch included 95% probabilities for all hazards, and is one of only three watches in history to include such probabilities, with the other two occurring on April 27, 2011 and May 20, 2019. Not long after, a small cell developed over southern Central Indiana and quickly became severe before dropping the tornado. The first severe thunderstorm warning for the cell that would drop the tornado was issued at

Tornado
The tornado initially touched down in rural Decatur County, Indiana as an EF-1, causing minor damage to roofs and siding. The tornado rapidly strengthened, becoming a stovepipe tornado and moving northeast. The tornado destroyed multiple farmsteads at EF-3 intensity before moving northeast into Marion County, where the tornado reached its peak intensity.

The tornado moved into Indianapolis as an EF-3 and began destroying subdivisions. Before the tornado moved into Indianapolis, the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency for a large and violent tornado on the ground. The tornado, now a violent mile-wide wedge, tracked northeast around 25 mph, destroying an entire subdivisions before tracking over the Amtrak repair shops in Beech Grove. 37 locomotives and 55 passenger cars were destroyed, mangled beyond repair, and 71 workers were killed. The tornado turned north and then tracked through Lawrence, destroying Lawrence Central High School and Belzer Middle School at EF-5 intensity. School was not in session, but multiple after-school programs were ongoing at both schools. Multiple injuries were reported, but no fatalities occurred. Moving north, the tornado reached its peak intensity near Geist Reservoir, destroying multiple mansions and killing 83 at a party on the lake before turning northeast again. The tornado tracked out of Indianapolis and into Madison County, weakening to an EF-3.

The tornado struck the Nestle factory as an EF-3, destroying the roof and knocking down exterior walls before regaining EF-4 strength. The tornado struck a farmhouse, killing its occupants, before weakening to an EF-3 and moving into the city of Anderson. The tornado tore through the city, gradually weakening. Multiple homes were destroyed, with 28 killed either by shrapnel wounds or by blunt force trauma. The tornado exited the city and weakened to an EF-1 before roping out north of Anderson.

Aftermath
The tornado was on the ground for 58 miles and 2 hours and 20 minutes and killed 186, making it the deadliest tornado since the 2011 Joplin EF-5. The Federal Emergency Management Agency declared a state of emergency in central Indiana, paving the way for federal aid. President Barack Obama toured the devastation three days after the event, remarking that he hadn't seen devastation of the scale since the 2011 Tuscaloosa tornado.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis released a preliminary rating of EF-4 the next day after one of their meteorologists took pictures on their day off and sent them in. Following the damage survey, the tornado was upgraded to an EF-5 with peak winds of 225 miles per hour. Overall, the tornado cost $3.8 billion in damage, making it the deadliest tornado since March 18, 1925, and the costliest in US history.