Gusty springlike storms rake Indiana, spawning tornado

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Spring-like storms packing gusty winds and a tornado raked Indiana on Wednesday, toppling semitrailers and leaving thousands of people without power.

An EF-1 tornado struck the south Indianapolis suburb of Greenwood, the National Weather Service said. Details about the twister were not immediately available, but such storms can pack winds of 86-110 mph.

Indianapolis television stations showed pictures of damage including a portion of a roof blown off a veterinary office.

The weather service earlier reported winds gusted to 69 mph at Seymour in southern Indiana and 52 mph in Greenwood.

Indiana State Police reported a semitrailer on its side was blocking all southbound traffic on Interstate 69 just northeast of Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities also reported toppled semis on Interstate 74 on Indianapolis' southwest side, I-70 in western Indiana and U.S. 41 in southwestern Indiana.

Power companies reported 16,500 customers without service across Indiana early Wednesday evening.

The storms came on the heels of unusually warm weather two days before Christmas. The weather service reported record highs for the date of 64 in Fort Wayne and 62 in South Bend.