Indiana

Climate change is here. This is how it is affecting Indiana and what’s to come

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2024

Climate change is here. This is how it is affecting Indiana and what’s to come

Indiana may seem isolated from the effects of a changing climate, but increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation are already affecting Hoosiers.

The impact as greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the planet will touch everything from native wildlife and plant hardiness zones to poison ivy and potholes.

Researchers have been studying the effects of human-caused climate change, and while many reports point to dire consequences, many groups are working toward solutions to help avoid the worst scenarios.

Here’s what Indiana is facing under climate change:

Increasing temperatures

The Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment, put together at Purdue University, says the statewide annual average temperature has been increasing since 1895 and will see “significantly more warming by century’s end.”

Much of that increase, according to Purdue, has occurred since the 1960s, leading to spring arriving much earlier than a century ago. This warming trend has sped up in recent decades, and even small changes lead to serious local impacts.

The warming will increase the number of extreme heat stress days, putting Hoosier health at risk. IU’s ERI projects southern Indiana will face 38-51 days at or exceeding 95 degrees each year by 2050. This is an increase from the seven days of extreme temperatures the region historically experienced.

This warming trend also contributes to the phenomenon Gabe Filippelli, executive director of IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute, called Loss of Winter.

“A lot of our natural ecosystems are designed to have a nice hard winter,” Filippelli said. “A nice hard winter kills back insects. A nice hard winter sets certain fish species up for success. And a nice hard winter also ensures that some of our flowering and seeding plants emerge at the time that they’ve always have. So, we’re losing that.”

The changes in temperature and precipitation can also add to stress on Indiana’s key agricultural products like corn, soybeans and wheat, leading to a reduction in crop yields.

Recently: Indiana State University professor and colleagues say climate warming faster than expected

Changing precipitation patterns

As temperatures rise, rainfall increases throughout the state. Purdue’s study says Indiana has seen a 15% annual increase in precipitation since 1895, which is about an extra 5.6 inches each year.

While the rainfall accumulation will not fall evenly across the state, it’s expected to increase the risk of flooding. This flooding could be exacerbated by the state’s historic loss of wetlands, which have recently lost even more protections after Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Alan Morrison’s (R-Terre Haute) HB1383 into law.

“Rainfall is not coming at the same time, it’s coming as big flooding events more often than not,” Filippelli said. “So that’s causing real challenges in communities as they’re getting flooded more and more frequently.”

Those floods not only affect roadways and basements. Filippelli said in a lot of communities heavy rains push a lot of raw sewage into local waterways, which has its own impacts.

Threats to water quality

Indiana was listed as the state with the dirtiest waterways in a 2022 report, and climate change could add more stress on the vital resource.

Fallow farmland in the winter will experience increased rainfall, potential washing fertilizer and sediment off fields and degrade waters downstream, Purdue’s study says. As temperatures rise, Indiana’s waters will also warm. This warmer water will allow more harmful bacteria to grow enhancing health threats.

There is hope: Hoosiers working toward solutions

As consequences of climate change to Indiana’s environment, human health and the economy stack up, Filippelli said it would have been great to act 40 or even 20 years ago, but “the next best time to act is now.”

“One positive aspect of the science that has come out is that we know that once we achieve net-zero (meaning we are not producing more carbon dioxide than is being removed), that our temperature stabilizes immediately,” Filippelli said.

While the problem is global, there are things we can do locally.

There are tree planting programs with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and other organizations that help make communities more resilient, large-scale painting of industrial roofs to white, and providing better education.

“There’s a lot that people can do to help us be more resilient, but a lot of it has to come from their voice,” Filippelli said. “They need to be aware there’s concern and they need to be hopeful: ‘Hey, it’s a concern, but it’s not an impossible daunting challenge. I can make local changes to make up my local environment better.’”

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

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Indiana

Cignetti Mum on Indiana Football’s Replacements for Injured Starter Stephen Daley

Published

3 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Press Room

Cignetti Mum on Indiana Football’s Replacements for Injured Starter Stephen Daley

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football’s biggest question likely won’t get an answer until the No. 1 Hoosiers (13-0) kick off at 4 p.m. ET Jan. 1 against Alabama (10-3) in the Rose Bowl.

After losing All-Big Ten honorable mention defensive end Stephen Daley, who led the conference and tied for the Division I lead with 19 tackles for loss, to a knee injury suffered while celebrating the Hoosiers’ Big Ten championship game victory over Ohio State on Dec. 6, Indiana must pivot to replace his production.

But Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who met with reporters Monday on Zoom, didn’t pull back the curtain covering the Hoosiers’ plan to fill Daley’s void.

“Yeah, well, Bryant Haines does a great job coordinating our defense,” Cignetti said. “We have a lot of confidence in our players, and we’ll find the best solution that gives us the best chance to be successful.”

Indiana has plenty of possible solutions.

Potential replacements for Stephen Daley

The first centers around the “next man up” approach, a role Daley thrived in after Indiana lost starting edge defender Kellan Wyatt to a season-ending knee injury in a 38-13 win over Michigan State on Oct. 18.

Daniel Ndukwe, a 6-foot-3, 244-pound sophomore from Lithonia, Ga., saw snaps against Wisconsin and Ohio State in relief of starting edge defender Mikail Kamara, who battled lower-body ailments.

Ndukwe has played 104 snaps on defense — 47 in run defense, 32 in pass rush and 25 in coverage — while registering five total pressures, including four quarterback hurries and one hit, according toPro Football Focus. He’s steadily risen up the depth chart this fall, taking over as the No. 3 edge rusher after Wyatt’s injury and the No. 2 when Kamara missed time.

The Hoosiers have other options to consider beyond merely replacing Daley with Ndukwe.

Indiana moved defensive lineman Mario Landino from field defensive end, where he spent his freshman season, to defensive tackle over the offseason. The 6-foot-4, 284-pound sophomore has flourished on the interior, collecting five sacks and six tackles for loss this fall.

Landino has played sparingly on the outside this season, as he’s played either left or right defensive end on 76 of his 423 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. But he’s a viable candidate to see more snaps on the end of the line of scrimmage.

Be it promoting Ndukwe to a larger role, kicking Landino outside or reshuffling additional pieces, Indiana’s coaching staff has lots to ponder — and Cignetti gave no indication of which avenue the Hoosiers plan to take.

“It’s a little bit of all,” Cignetti said. “And I guess we’ll see when we play the game what we decide to do, right?”

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Indiana

Indiana tourism surges past pre-pandemic levels in 2024

Published

15 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Indiana tourism surges past pre-pandemic levels in 2024

INDIANAPOLIS (WNDU) – Indiana tourism surged past pre-pandemic levels in 2024, according to a new report released by Gov. Mike Braun.

The report shows 83 million visitors traveled to Indiana in 2024, a 1.9% increase from 2023. Visitor spending increased 4.7% from the previous year, totaling $16.9 billion and fully recovering to pre-pandemic levels.

Visitors spent an average of $203 each during their stays. For every dollar spent by visitors, 65 cents stayed in Indiana, according to the report.

“Our state’s record tourism year is great news for Hoosiers and proof of just how much there is to love about visiting Indiana,” Braun said. “Tourism means jobs, stronger Main Streets, and economic growth. These results show that our investments are yielding returns for our economy and showing what makes Indiana a great place to live, work, play and stay.”

To view the full Rockport Analytics report, click here.

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Indiana faces Milwaukee, aims to halt 5-game skid

Published

1 day ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Indiana faces Milwaukee, aims to halt 5-game skid

Milwaukee Bucks (11-18, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (6-23, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bucks -1; over/under is 220.5

BOTTOM LINE: Indiana will try to stop its five-game slide when the Pacers take on Milwaukee.

The Pacers are 2-5 against opponents in the Central Division. Indiana has a 3-14 record in games decided by 10 or more points.

The Bucks are 3-4 against Central Division opponents. Milwaukee ranks fifth in the NBA averaging 15.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 39.9% from downtown. AJ Green leads the team averaging 3.1 makes while shooting 46.8% from 3-point range.

The Pacers average 109.7 points per game, 7.2 fewer points than the 116.9 the Bucks allow. The Bucks average 15.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.4 more made shots on average than the 11.6 per game the Pacers give up.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Bucks won the last matchup 117-115 on Nov. 4, with Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring 33 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 23.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and four assists for the Pacers. Ethan Thompson is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Ryan Rollins is averaging 17 points, 5.9 assists and 1.6 steals for the Bucks. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 3-7, averaging 108.9 points, 41.1 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 7.3 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points per game.

Bucks: 3-7, averaging 108.0 points, 39.2 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Obi Toppin: out (foot), Ben Sheppard: day to day (calf), Isaiah Jackson: day to day (head), Aaron Nesmith: out (knee), T.J. McConnell: day to day (knee), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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