Editing Blackford County, Indiana (section)

==Climate and weather==
{{climate chart
|[[Hartford City, Indiana]]
|18|33|1.96
|22|38|1.94
|31|49|2.79
|41|62|3.37
|50|72|3.81
|60|81|4.33
|63|84|4.28
|62|82|4.05
|54|76|2.88
|43|65|2.48
|34|50|3.37
|23|38|2.70
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=The Weather Channel<ref name="weather">{{Cite web |title=Monthly Averages for Hartford City, Indiana |url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0275 |access-date=January 27, 2011 |publisher=The Weather Channel}}</ref>}}
Blackford County has a typical [[Midwestern United States|Midwestern]] [[Humid continental climate|humid continental]] seasonal climate, and its [[Köppen climate classification]] is Dfa.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Köppen Climate Classification for the Conterminous United States |url=http://snow.cals.uidaho.edu/clim_map/koppen_usa_map.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930221052/http://snow.cals.uidaho.edu/Clim_Map/koppen_usa_map.htm |archive-date=September 30, 2009 |access-date=July 15, 2011 |publisher=Idaho State Climate Services}}</ref> There are four distinct seasons, with winters being cold with moderate [[snow]]fall, while summers can be warm and humid.<ref name="IClimate">{{Cite web |title=Climate fact sheet |url=http://climate.agry.purdue.edu/climate/facts.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813174141/http://climate.agry.purdue.edu/climate/facts.asp |archive-date=August 13, 2011 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |publisher=Indiana State Climate Office}}</ref> In recent years, average temperatures in county seat Hartford City have ranged from a low of {{convert|18|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|84|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-26|°F}} was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of {{convert|103|°F}} was recorded in June 1988.  Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.94|in}} in February to {{convert|4.33|in}} in June.<ref name="weather" />

March and April are considered tornado season in Indiana.<ref name="IClimate" /> Blackford County endured an F4 storm on Palm Sunday (April 11) in 1965. This storm was one of [[1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak|many tornadoes]] that occurred in the [[Midwest]] on that day. F4 tornadoes have maximum speeds of {{convert|207|to|260|mph|km/h}}, and this one crossed Blackford County farmland east of Roll. Although there were no fatalities in Blackford County from this tornado, two people were killed in neighboring Wells County.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Palm Sunday Story 11 April 1965 — Indiana and Michigan |url=http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/program_areas/events/historical/palmsunday1965/index.php#Indiana%20and%20Michigan |access-date=July 1, 2011 |publisher=National Weather Service – Northern Indiana |quote=The tornado steamed across farmland near Roll, and then struck Keystone with F4 strength, killing two people. It continued to the northeast and hit Linn Grove, causing two more fatalities.}}</ref> The county has recorded at least five other tornadoes. The most recent tornadoes occurred in Hartford City in 2002. However, those Hartford City tornadoes were rated F1 on the [[Fujita scale]]—much less dangerous than an F4 tornado.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Map of tornadoes in Blackford County |url=http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/iwx/IWX_Tors/countymaps/Blackford.pdf |access-date=July 1, 2011 |publisher=National Weather Service}}</ref>

Blackford County has a record for [[hail]]. Hailstones {{convert|4.5|in}} in diameter fell in Hartford City on April 9, 2001. In a tie with the city of Cayuga, those hailstones are the largest ever recorded in the state of Indiana.<ref name="IClimate" />

The biggest recorded snowstorm was the [[Great Blizzard of 1978]], which occurred on January 26–27, 1978. A federal state of emergency was declared for Indiana at that time.<ref name="IClimate" /> Indiana governor [[Otis R. Bowen]] authorized the use of [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]] equipment, facilities, and personnel throughout the state.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 26, 1978 |title=Indiana virtually paralyzed |work=Hartford City News-Times |page=1 |quote=Downtown Hartford City looked like a virtual Ghost Town as blizzard conditions made it almost impossible for vehicles other than snow–mobiles to travel the highways.}}</ref> Low temperatures, high winds, and deep snow caused Hartford City to appear vacant, as schools and businesses closed. Wind gusts to {{convert|45|mph}} caused [[snowdrift]]s {{convert|5|ft}} high, making travel almost impossible. Snowmobiles were the only viable means of transportation, and volunteers from Hartford City's Snowmobile Club provided emergency assistance.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 27, 1978 |title=Death, power shortages, inconvenience hamper County |work=Hartford City News-Times |page=1 |quote=Last night even four–wheel–drive vehicles found the going rough as intense winds, sometimes gusting up to 45 mph, caused drifting snow to block highways and impede travel.}}</ref>