National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Snow Squalls May Impact New Year's Eve Travel from the Great Lakes to the Northeast; Heavy Rain Returns to California

An Alberta clipper will bring lake effect snow downwind of the Great Lakes, with the highest snow totals downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Snow squalls may impact New Year's Eve travel during the evening and overnight hours across parts of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Northeast. Heavy rain will bring a flash flooding threat for southern California on New Year's Eve into New Year's Day. Read More >

Isolated severe thunderstorms raced east across portions of northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, producing large hail and strong winds. Hail up to the size of golf balls was reported with severe thunderstorms in Wells county Indiana and Fulton county Ohio, while other large hail reports were received at various other locations. A strong upper level shortwave trough combined with a surface cold front supported the development of thunderstorms by late Wednesday afternoon. Pictures of some of the hail as well as radar images are located below.

 

Pea to penny size hail from Bluffton Courtesy WANE TV  Fort Wayne. Pea to penny size hail from Bluffton Courtesy WANE TV Fort Wayne. Large hail from Warren Courtesy WANE TV Fort Wayne.

 

Golf ball size hail from Bluffton Courtesy Indiana's News Center Fort Wayne. Various size hail from Liberty Center Courtesy Indiana's News Center Fort Wayne. Plant damage from hail in Liberty Center Courtesy Indiana's News Center Fort Wayne. Porch windows blown out in Liberty Center Courtesy Indiana's News Center Fort Wayne.

 

 

Very large hail indicated on the KIWX Doppler Radar. Very large hail creates what is know as a "hail spike" in radar imagery.  The spike is formed as the radar beam is deflected down to the ground and then back to the radar.  The presence a spike is indicative of very large hail, in this case golf ball size hail. A three dimensional view of the storm near Liberty Center shows how impressive core was on radar. The white/pink returns aloft was basically the location of the hail core aloft.