Geography & Climate
Industry
Snapshot | Economy/Cost of
Living
Education
| Recreation
& Entertainment | Transportation
History | Suggested
Reading List
Indiana is located in the upper Midwestern region of the United States. It contains 35,870 square
miles (92,903 square kilometers or 9,290,287 hectares) of land, and 550 square miles (1,424 square
kilometers or 142,449 hectares) covered by water. The state’s total area of 36,420 square miles
(94,327 square kilometers or 9,432,737 hectares) makes it the 38th largest among the United States.
Although it shares the least amount of Great Lakes shoreline of any state, Indiana still claims 235
square miles (609 square kilometers or 60,865 hectares) of Great Lakes. The state is bordered to the
north by Lake Michigan and Michigan, Kentucky to the south, Ohio to the east, and to the west by
Illinois.
Indiana is divided geographically into three land areas: the Great Lakes Plains, with its large
sand dunes and areas of rich soil; the Till Plains, which is a fertile region and part of the
Midwestern Corn Belt; and the Southern Plains and Lowlands, a hillier area where glaciation did not
occur in the ice age; this region contains many limestone caves. Indiana’s highest point, at 1,257
feet (0.38 kilometers) above sea level, is Hoosier Hill.
Major rivers in Indiana include the Ohio, Wabash, Tippecanoe, Kankakee, and White River. Major
lakes include Lake Michigan, Lake Wawasee, and Monroe Lake.
Indiana’s climate is influenced by its location in the upper Midwestern region of the U.S., which
is affected by colder polar air masses from the north and warm, subtropical Gulf of Mexico air;
slightly less influential are weather systems originating from the Pacific Ocean. Additionally, Lake
Michigan exerts influence on the state’s climate. Seasons are well defined, with cold winters and
warm to hot, humid summers. Microclimates are influenced by elevation, latitude, soil type, lakes,
and terrain. Annual precipitation averages vary from 37 inches (94 centimeters) in the northern part
of the state to 47 inches (119 centimeters) to the south, with May being the wettest month and
February the driest. Snowfall averages from 14 inches (36 centimeters) per year in southwest Indiana
to 76 inches (193 centimeters) in north central Indiana, where Lake Michigan’s influence is apparent.
Temperatures in the Hoosier state also vary based on terrain and proximity to Lake Michigan.
January is the coldest month, with average highs ranging from 31 degrees F (-0.6 degrees C) to the
north and 38 degrees F (3.3 degrees C) to the south. The warmest temperatures occur in July, with
highs ranging from 80 degrees F (26.7 degrees C) to the north and 83 degrees F (28.3 degrees C) to the
south.
The conflicting air masses affecting Indiana’s weather can lead to violent thunderstorms and even
tornadoes; Indiana averages 23 tornadoes per year. However, Indiana’s climate can be quite pleasant,
particularly in the fall, when the state experiences mild temperatures and many sunny days.
Related Resources:
Back to Destination Indiana
|
