If you woke up this morning in Indianapolis or Fort Wayne and went reaching for the snow shovel, you probably realized pretty quickly that you didn't need it. Honestly, looking at the Indiana snow totals today, the numbers are basically a whole lot of nothing across the bulk of the state. While we’ve had some flurries dancing around the northern counties and a dusting left over from the weekend, Monday, January 12, 2026, is turning out to be more about the "calm before" than the "storm."
Most of Central Indiana is sitting at a big fat zero for fresh accumulation today.
In fact, if you’re in Indy, you likely saw more sunshine than snowflakes. Temperatures actually climbed into the 40s. It felt almost like a fake spring, didn't it? But don't let that southwest breeze fool you. Meteorologists like Sean Ash over at WTHR are already waving the red flag. The warmth we’re feeling right now is just the fuel for a pretty massive pattern shift that’s going to make the second half of this week look a lot different than the first.
Where the Snow is Actually Hiding
You've gotta head way up north to find anything worth measuring today. Places like South Bend and the areas hugging the Michigan border saw some light activity early this morning, but even there, we’re talking about "trace" amounts—basically just enough to make the grass look fuzzy.
The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana (IWX) reported some lingering totals from the previous 24 hours, but for Monday specifically, the sky has been relatively stingy.
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- South Bend: Trace to 0.1 inches (lingering flurries).
- Fort Wayne: 0.0 inches (mainly sunny with high clouds).
- Indianapolis: 0.0 inches (dry and breezy).
- Evansville: 0.0 inches (actually quite pleasant).
It’s kind of wild how much the weather can vary across a few hundred miles of I-65. While people in the south were enjoying 50-degree peaks, the folks in Gary were starting to watch the clouds thicken. That’s because the lake-effect machine is currently in the "pre-heat" phase.
The Lake-Effect Threat: Wednesday and Thursday
If you’re looking for real Indiana snow totals today, you won’t find them on your driveway. You’ll find them in the forecast models for Wednesday night.
Jason Puma from the NWS Indianapolis office has been pointing out that the real trouble starts when a polar air mass dives down from Canada. When that cold air hits the relatively "warm" water of Lake Michigan, it creates those intense, narrow bands of snow that can dump three inches in one town and absolutely nothing in the next.
Current projections suggest Northwest Indiana—think Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties—could see 6 inches or more starting Wednesday night. For the rest of us, the "lake-effect survivors" (those bands that manage to make it down to Muncie or Kokomo) might drop 2 to 4 inches by Thursday morning.
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Why Today’s "Dry" Report is Misleading
It's easy to look at a 45-degree day and think winter is taking a break. It's not.
Actually, the moisture is already beginning to pool. We have a transition system moving through Tuesday into Wednesday. Initially, it’s going to be rain. You’ll see the puddles growing Tuesday night as temperatures stay just above freezing. But as that front passes, the "bottom drops out," as the old-timers say.
The rain will flip to snow almost instantly on Wednesday afternoon. That’s the dangerous part. When you have wet roads that suddenly meet 20-degree air and falling snow, you get "flash freeze" conditions. Your commute on Wednesday evening is probably going to be a lot more stressful than your drive to work this morning.
Breaking Down the Next 72 Hours
- Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. Highs near 47°F. Late rain showers (35% chance).
- Wednesday: The "Pivot Day." Rain turns to snow. Brisk winds at 20-30 mph.
- Thursday: Bitter cold. Highs in the 20s. Lake-effect snow continues in the north.
- Friday/Saturday: Another system arrives, potentially bringing more widespread "white gold" to the entire state.
Preparing for the Mid-Week Shift
Since the Indiana snow totals today are negligible, now is actually the best time to do the stuff you forgot to do in December.
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Check your tire pressure. Cold air makes the air inside your tires contract, and that "low pressure" light is definitely going to pop on by Thursday morning. Also, make sure your windshield washer fluid is the winter-grade stuff. There is nothing worse than having your sprayers freeze up when the salt truck in front of you is coating your glass in grey slush.
Honestly, we’ve been lucky so far this January. The "thaw" we’re experiencing today is a gift. Use it to clear your gutters or move the salt bag to the front of the garage. By the time Friday rolls around, we might be looking at the first "real" statewide snow event of 2026.
Keep an eye on the radar, especially if you live in that "C" shaped corridor from Logansport over to Muncie. You guys are often the targets for those sneaky lake-effect bands that the Indianapolis stations sometimes miss.
Actionable Steps for the Next 24 Hours:
- Fill up your gas tank today while it's still 40 degrees and you don't have to freeze your hands off.
- Check your local school district’s "e-learning" or delay protocols—Wednesday night into Thursday is looking like a prime candidate for the first major delays of the semester.
- If you’re traveling north on I-65 toward Chicago on Wednesday, expect whiteout conditions once you pass Rensselaer.
Winter in Indiana is never a straight line; it's a zig-zag. Today was a "zig" toward warmth, but the "zag" back into the freezer starts in less than 36 hours.