NWS Northern Indiana December 19th 2004 Lake Effect Snowstorm

Lake Effect Snowstorm paralyzes northwest Indiana

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
547 AM EST MON DEC 20 2004

...MAJOR LAKE EFFECT SNOWSTORM BLANKETS NORTHWEST INDIANA...

THE LARGEST LAKE EFFECT SNOWSTORM IN SEVERAL YEARS HIT NORTHWEST INDIANA AND PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. A STRONG COLD FRONT CROSSED THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
THE COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON SO FAR MOVED INTO THE REGION FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT. THE COLD AIR MOVING ACROSS
THE RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF THE GREAT LAKES RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT LAKE EFFECT SNOW. OFF LAKE MICHIGAN
NORTHWEST WINDS SATURDAY NIGHT QUICKLY SHIFTED TO THE NORTH ON SUNDAY. THIS RESULTED IN AN INTENSE SINGLE BAND
OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW EXTENDING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF LAKE MICHIGAN. THE BAND OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW CAME ONSHORE NEAR
BENTON HARBOR MICHIGAN THEN SHIFTED SOUTHWEST TO WESTERN LAPORTE COUNTY AND EASTERN PORTER COUNTY. THE BAND THEN
REMAINED NEARLY STATIONARY FROM LATE SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. SNOWFALL RATES WITHIN THE CENTER OF
THIS INTENSE BAND OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW WERE 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WAS CONFINED TO A SMALL AREA
OF WESTERN LAPORTE COUNTY AND EASTERN PORTER COUNTY WHERE 15 TO 25 INCHES OF SNOW FELL. THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATION
WAS AT MICHIGAN CITY WITH 26 INCHES OF SNOW.

...SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

CITY.................COUNTY.......SNOWFALL

BERRIEN SPRINGS......BERRIEN.......8.0
BENTON HARBOR........BERRIEN.......7.8
EAU CLAIRE...........BERRIEN.......5.3
BUCHANAN.............BERRIEN.......4.0
NILES (EAST SIDE)....BERRIEN.......2.4

...NORTHWEST INDIANA...

MICHIGAN CITY........LAPORTE......26.0
WESTVILLE............LAPORTE......20.0
WANATAH..............LAPORTE......12.0
WANATAH 5S...........LAPORTE.......8.0
SOUTH BEND AIRPORT...ST. JOSEPH....8.0
NORTH JUDSON.........STARKE........6.0
ROLLING PRAIRIE......LAPORTE.......4.8
SOUTH BEND CITY......ST. JOSEPH....4.5
NEW CARLISLE.........ST. JOSEPH....3.0

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NORTHERN INDIANA THANKS OUR VOLUNTEER SNOW SPOTTERS FOR THEIR REPORTS.
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REPORT YOUR SNOWFALL THROUGHOUT THE WINTER SEASON.

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HITCHCOCK