Overview
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On January 12-13, a strong low pressure system impacted the area with heavy snow, heavy rain, strong gusty winds in excess of 50 mph, and impacts to travel. Many roads becoming slick and snow covered for the Friday evening commute. A flash freeze and patchy blowing snow further degraded road conditions Saturday morning. All in all, snow amounts of 2" to 4", with one reported 6" total, were recorded on January 12th. Lake effect snow continued through the 14th, especially for Berrien and Cass counties in Michigan. Arctic air followed the winter storm, with wind chills as low as -15 to -25 degrees for several days. |
Snow Totals
The initial onset of precipitation on the morning of January 12th was mainly snow, before precipitation transitioned to heavy rain south of US 30. A mix of rain and snow persisted north of US 30, before precipitation changed back to snow (heavy at times) in the afternoon. The rain/snow line set up right through Fort Wayne, IN; areas on the south side of town saw 0-0.5" of snow while areas on the north side of town saw totals near 2". Lake effect snow began early January 13th and added several more inches to totals, especially in far southwest Michigan. As of 1 AM EST January 16th, an estimated 19 inches of snow fell in Coloma, MI and 16.2 inches fell in Shoreham, MI in Berrien County from the 12th to the 15th!
...SNOWFALL REPORTS... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Indiana... ...Allen County... Fort Wayne 10.4 N 1.6 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.22N/85.14W 3 ENE Wallen 1.3 in 0845 AM 01/13 41.18N/85.12W Fort Wayne 4.1 NE 1.2 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.12N/85.09W ...Cass County... Young America 3.0 in 0800 AM 01/14 40.57N/86.33W ...Blackford County... (KA9VIS) Hartford City 0.7 N 1.0 in 0700 AM 01/14 40.46N/85.37W ...De Kalb County... Ashley 5.5 in 1100 AM 01/14 41.51N/85.13W 0.6 S Garrett 2.0 in 0730 AM 01/14 41.34N/85.13W ...Elkhart County... Goshen 3.0 WSW 7.7 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.56N/85.88W Goshen 4.6 N 6.8 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.64N/85.83W 1 ESE Dunlap 5.4 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.63N/85.90W Goshen 0.3 NE 3.5 in 0900 AM 01/14 41.58N/85.83W Wakarusa 2.4 NNE 3.5 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.57N/85.99W Goshen 1.2 SW 3.3 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.57N/85.85W ...Fulton County... Akron 1.5 in 1140 AM 01/12 41.04N/86.03W Rochester 2.4 NW 1.3 in 0700 AM 01/13 41.09N/86.23W ...Grant County... (KC9QCJ) Shamrock Lakes 3.0 1.2 in 0700 AM 01/14 40.45N/85.45W ...Huntington County... Huntington 0.3 W 3.2 in 0700 AM 01/14 40.88N/85.51W ...Jay County... (KC9LQY) Portland 5.4 SW 0.3 in 0700 AM 01/14 40.39N/85.06W ...Kosciusko County... North Webster 2.3 N 5.3 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.36N/85.70W Leesburg 6.7 ESE 5.1 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.31N/85.72W Milford 0.9 N 4.0 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.42N/85.85W Leesburg 0.1 WNW 3.5 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.33N/85.85W Warsaw 3.7 E 3.3 in 0730 AM 01/14 41.23N/85.78W Warsaw 3.0 SE 3.2 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.21N/85.80W ...La Porte County... 0.8 W La Porte 11.2 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.61N/86.73W La Porte 1.6 SW 7.1 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.59N/86.73W Waterford 5.5 in 0105 PM 01/13 41.67N/86.84W Mill Creek 1.9 NNE 7.1 in 0730 AM 01/14 41.61N/86.52W ...Marshall County... Plymouth 2.5 WSW 3.0 in 0500 AM 01/14 41.33N/86.36W ...Miami County... Denver 0.5 SSE 0.4 in 0700 AM 01/14 40.86N/86.07W Denver 1.3 NE 0.4 in 0800 AM 01/14 40.88N/86.06W ...Noble County... Kendallville 4.5 NW 4.0 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.50N/85.31W Albion 3.7S 2.7 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.34N/85.41W Albion 0.5 N 1.8 in 0600 AM 01/14 41.40N/85.42W ...St. Joseph County... New Carlisle 7.6 in 0430 AM 01/14 41.71N/86.50W Granger 1.8 ENE 7.5 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.75N/86.11W 1 N Georgetown 6.8 in 0115 PM 01/13 41.75N/86.23W 2 WNW Roseland 6.6 in 0118 PM 01/13 41.73N/86.29W 2 SSE Indian Village 6.5 in 0430 PM 01/13 41.69N/86.23W Mishawaka 3.9 ENE 6.3 in 0740 AM 01/14 41.68N/86.10W South Bend 4.6 SE 6.0 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.62N/86.22W South Bend 3.3 SE 5.8 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.64N/86.23W 1 S Roseland 4.1 in 0700 AM 01/13 41.71N/86.25W ...Steuben County... 2 ENE Salem Center 5.2 in 1151 AM 01/13 41.59N/85.11W Angola 4.1 N 4.8 in 0545 AM 01/14 41.70N/84.99W Angola 4.6 in 0630 AM 01/14 41.64N/84.99W Hudson 4.6 N 4.1 in 0715 AM 01/14 41.60N/85.09W ...White County... 5.6 N Badger Grove 0.8 in 0700 AM 01/13 40.67N/86.95W ...Whitley County... Columbia City 4.6 S 3.4 in 0600 AM 01/14 41.09N/85.47W Columbia City 0.5 WSW 1.8 in 0630 AM 01/14 41.16N/85.49W Tri-Lakes 3.0 N 1.5 in 0745 AM 01/14 41.26N/85.49W ...Michigan... ...Berrien County... Shoreham 2.0 SE 9.5 in 0800 AM 01/14 42.03N/86.49W Buchanan 1.4 ESE 7.2 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.82N/86.34W St. Joseph 2.8 SSE 7.1 in 0700 AM 01/14 42.06N/86.47W Niles 2.7 W 6.5 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.84N/86.30W St. Joseph 1.5 SSE 6.6 in 0700 AM 01/14 42.08N/86.48W Stevensville 1.7 SSE 5.4 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.99N/86.51W ...Branch County... Coldwater 2.0 in 0500 PM 01/12 41.94N/85.00W ...Cass County... 3.0 NNW Edwardsburg 4.5 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.84N/86.10W ...Hillsdale County... Osseo 2.7 NE 6.0 in 0925 AM 01/13 41.90N/84.49W Litchfield 0.3 ENE 5.1 in 0715 AM 01/14 42.05N/84.75W ...St. Joseph County... Three Rivers 2.4 NE 6.9 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.97N/85.60W 2 E Mottville 4.3 in 1059 AM 01/13 41.80N/85.72W ...Ohio... ...Allen County... Lima 2.7 NE 1.0 in 0700 AM 01/14 40.77N/84.08W ...Fulton County... Swanton 4.0 S 3.3 in 0800 AM 01/13 41.53N/83.91W ...Henry County... Napoleon 1.2 SSE 4.0 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.38N/84.12W Napoleon 0.6 WSW 2.1 in 0800 AM 01/14 41.39N/84.14W ...Putnam County... Ottawa 1.0 N 1.3 in 0700 AM 01/14 41.04N/84.04W ...Van Wert County... Van Wert 0.5 in 0443 PM 01/12 40.87N/84.58W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. $$
Photos & Video
| Heavy snow in New Buffalo, MI. 3am EST January 13. (Nathan Voytovick) |
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| Heavy snow falling at the Fort Wayne International Airport on January 12th. (KFWA observer) |
Strong winds caused blowing and drifting snow on reginal roadways. Taken the morning of 1/13. (NWS IWX, T.) |
Roadway conditions deteriorated quickly the night of 1/12. (Ben Kessler) |
Snow covered roads on IN 19 near Etna Green, 1/13. (Michael Skipper) |
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| Over a foot of snow fell in Coloma, Michigan! (Rebecca Jo) |
Impressive snow accumulations in Baroda, MI (Michelle Nitz Schafer) |
Snow on a patio in Coloma, Michigan taken on 1/16. (Kathy Rennhack) |
Snow drifts in St Joe, MI where an estimated 15 inches fell in 3 days. (Ryan Lynch) |
Radar
January 12, 2024
| Radar loop from about 5am EST 1/12 through 11am EST. This heavy burst of snow, with rates near 1" per hour, quickly covered the roadways. (NOAA) |
| Radar loop from about 12pm EST 1/12 through 6pm EST. Due to precipitation type limitations in this algorithm, this radar loop depicts more rain than what was actually observed; especially toward the Michigan state line. Snow transitioned to rain by midday, but then back to snow in others. This resulted in variable travel conditions from north to south. (NOAA) |
Wind Reports
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Northern Indiana 152 PM EST Sat Jan 13 2024 ...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS PAST 24 HOURS... Location Speed Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Indiana... ...Adams County... Decatur 45 MPH 0155 AM 01/13 40.76N/85.06W ...Allen County... Fort Wayne International Ap 54 MPH 0350 AM 01/13 40.98N/85.18W 1 SE Wallen 40 MPH 1135 AM 01/13 41.15N/85.15W Spencerville 36 MPH 0945 AM 01/13 41.25N/84.89W ...Cass County... Dunkirk 50 MPH 1100 PM 01/12 40.76N/86.39W Logansport 45 MPH 0755 AM 01/13 40.72N/86.37W Walton 39 MPH 0245 AM 01/13 40.66N/86.22W Galveston 37 MPH 1215 AM 01/13 40.56N/86.19W ...De Kalb County... Garrett 41 MPH 0305 AM 01/13 41.33N/85.13W Auburn Dekalb C 40 MPH 0355 AM 01/13 41.30N/85.07W Spencerville 37 MPH 0925 AM 01/13 41.28N/84.88W Hamilton 36 MPH 1015 AM 01/13 41.50N/84.94W ...Elkhart County... Goshen 52 MPH 0240 AM 01/13 41.53N/85.78W Elkhart Municipa 37 MPH 1022 PM 01/12 41.72N/86.00W ...Fulton County... Rochester 47 MPH 1135 PM 01/12 41.07N/86.18W Kewanna 44 MPH 0745 AM 01/13 40.94N/86.43W ...Huntington County... Huntington 44 MPH 0238 AM 01/13 40.83N/85.53W Lafontaine 36 MPH 1125 PM 01/12 40.70N/85.50W ...Jay County... 1 N Portland 45 MPH 0535 AM 01/13 40.45N/84.98W ...Kosciusko County... Warsaw Muni 39 MPH 1055 PM 01/12 41.27N/85.83W ...La Porte County... La Porte 43 MPH 0435 AM 01/13 41.57N/86.73W ...Marshall County... Plymouth Site KC65 39 MPH 1115 PM 01/12 41.37N/86.30W ...Miami County... Grissom AFB Peru 52 MPH 1259 AM 01/13 40.63N/86.15W Amboy 43 MPH 0145 AM 01/13 40.59N/85.98W ...Noble County... Kendallville 41 MPH 1255 AM 01/13 41.47N/85.25W ...St. Joseph County... South Bend International Ap 46 MPH 1216 AM 01/13 41.70N/86.32W ...Starke County... Knox - Starke Co. Airport 39 MPH 0815 PM 01/12 41.33N/86.67W ...Steuben County... Angola 47 MPH 0115 AM 01/13 41.63N/85.08W ...Wabash County... North Manchester 41 MPH 0526 AM 01/13 41.00N/85.77W Wabash 38 MPH 1245 AM 01/13 40.89N/85.92W ...Wells County... Criagville 37 MPH 1055 AM 01/13 40.78N/85.09W ...White County... Monticello - White County Ar 45 MPH 1115 PM 01/12 40.72N/86.77W Chalmers 35 MPH 0120 AM 01/13 40.69N/86.92W ...Whitley County... Northeast Purdue Agricultura 50 MPH 0230 AM 01/13 41.11N/85.40W ...Michigan... ...Berrien County... Benton Harbor 49 MPH 0505 AM 01/13 42.13N/86.42W I94mm0419 42 MPH 0725 AM 01/13 42.18N/86.24W Saint Joseph 41 MPH 0600 AM 01/13 42.10N/86.49W I94mm0372 40 MPH 1028 AM 01/13 42.17N/86.33W 2.0 W Spinks Corners (MAWN) 38 MPH 0500 AM 01/13 42.08N/86.36W ...Branch County... Coldwater 40 MPH 0215 AM 01/13 41.92N/85.03W ...Hillsdale County... Hillsdale 37 MPH 0115 PM 01/13 41.92N/84.58W ...St. Joseph County... Sturgis Kirsch 46 MPH 1255 AM 01/13 41.80N/85.43W Three Rivers 38 MPH 1215 PM 01/13 41.97N/85.60W ...Ohio... ...Allen County... Lima 52 MPH 0621 AM 01/13 40.70N/84.02W Lima 1 N 46 MPH 1026 AM 01/13 40.78N/84.12W Bluffton 44 MPH 0715 AM 01/13 40.89N/83.89W Pandora 40 MPH 1235 PM 01/13 40.92N/83.97W ...Defiance County... Defiance 48 MPH 0959 AM 01/13 41.33N/84.43W Hicksville 39 MPH 1145 AM 01/13 41.26N/84.73W ...Fulton County... Wauseon 45 MPH 0515 AM 01/13 41.62N/84.13W Delta 44 MPH 0805 AM 01/13 41.51N/84.04W Fayette 35 MPH 0455 AM 01/13 41.63N/84.23W ...Henry County... Defiance 39 MPH 1215 PM 01/13 41.20N/84.20W Napoleon 37 MPH 1105 AM 01/13 41.46N/84.15W ...Paulding County... Antwerp 36 MPH 0915 AM 01/13 41.12N/84.70W Payne 35 MPH 0330 AM 01/13 41.06N/84.69W ...Putnam County... Ottawa 47 MPH 0415 AM 01/13 41.03N/83.98W Kalida 43 MPH 1230 PM 01/13 40.98N/84.20W Vaughnsville 42 MPH 1025 AM 01/13 40.88N/84.15W ...Van Wert County... Scott 46 MPH 0925 AM 01/13 40.99N/84.58W Van Wert 40 MPH 0536 AM 01/13 40.87N/84.59W Middle Point 39 MPH 0539 AM 01/13 40.86N/84.45W
Environment
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| Figure 1: 300 mb heights/winds upper level chart for 1/12 at 7pm EST. A strong 150 knot upper jet streak across the Ohio Valley contributed to the strength of this system. | Figure 2: Sfc pressure and fronts map for 1/12 at 7pm EST. Strong low pressure across southern Great Lakes and high pressure east of the Rockies led to very strong winds. | Figure 3: 850mb moisture transport map for 1/12 at Noon EST. |
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| Figure 4: Precipitable water map measured in inches for lowest 400mb for 1/12 at 1pm EST . | Figure 5: Surface temperature, dew point, and mean sea level pressure map on 1/12 at 4pm EST. | Figure 6: 700mb Petterssen frontogenesis map for 1/12 at 9am EST. |
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| Figure 7: KVUM (Valparaiso University in Indiana) upper air sounding for the evening of 1/11 at 1145pm EST. |
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