Dangerous, prolonged heat is ongoing in the Mid-South to Mid-Mississippi Valley and heat expands into the Northeast for a brief period today. Widely scattered instances of flash flooding due to heavy rains are forecast from northeast Kansas to much of Indiana. Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of New England, northern Mid-Atlantic, and North Dakota. Read More >
Overview
A strong storm system combined with weak instability to produce scattered severe weather across the area. Most of the severe weather in the form of large hail and isolated damaging wind gusts occurred across far northern Indiana, southern Lower Michigan, and extreme northwest Ohio. In addition to the severe weather, strong non-thunderstorm winds gusted to around 45 mph for many locations during the afternoon and early evening.
Wind & Hail:
Below is a map of the storm reports received during the event. This includes reports or large hail, damaging winds due to thunderstorms, and damage from non-thunderstorm winds.
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Photos & Video
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| Accumulating dime sized hail in La Porte county. Photo courtesy of WSBT |
Golf ball sized hail near Wanatah, IN. Photo courtesy of Isaac Polanski |
Hail in southern La Porte county. Photo courtesy of WSBT |
Non-Thunderstorm wind damage in Fort Wayne vicintiy. Photo courtesy of WANE |
Radar
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| 0.5 degree base reflectivity from KIWX at approximately 3:30pm EDT Thursday. This storm produced golf ball sized hail near Wanatah, IN | Vertical cross section of base reflectivity for same storm near Wanatah, IN indicating 50 dBZ returns higher than 20,000 feet above ground level. |
Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
332 AM EDT FRI MAR 15 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1020 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 WSW BRISTOL 41.70N 85.89W
03/14/2019 ELKHART IN BROADCAST MEDIA
A TREE FELL ON A CAR ON STATE ROAD 120 JUST
WEST OF COUNTY ROAD 17. NO INJURIES.
0753 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW LINN GROVE 40.66N 85.04W
03/14/2019 ADAMS IN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
POWER LINES DOWN ALONG SR 218 BETWEEN CR 500
W AND SR 116.
0751 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 WNW NEW HAVEN 41.09N 85.08W
03/14/2019 ALLEN IN BROADCAST MEDIA
TREE DOWN BLOCKING THE ROAD.
0620 PM HAIL 2 WNW ANGOLA 41.65N 85.03W
03/14/2019 M1.00 INCH STEUBEN IN TRAINED SPOTTER
0615 PM HAIL SALEM CENTER 41.59N 85.14W
03/14/2019 E1.00 INCH STEUBEN IN PUBLIC
0615 PM HAIL 2 WNW ANGOLA 41.65N 85.03W
03/14/2019 E0.70 INCH STEUBEN IN TRAINED SPOTTER
0542 PM TSTM WND GST 3 NW SOUTH BEND 41.71N 86.31W
03/14/2019 M59 MPH ST. JOSEPH IN ASOS
WIND GUST RECORDED AT SOUTH BEND REGIONAL
AIRPORT.
0542 PM TSTM WND GST 2 WNW BENTON 41.52N 85.79W
03/14/2019 M59 MPH ELKHART IN ASOS
CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND GST REPORT FROM 3
NW SOUTH BEND. WIND GUST RECORDED AT GOSHEN
AIRPORT.
0449 PM HAIL 3 WSW EDWARDSBURG 41.78N 86.14W
03/14/2019 E0.75 INCH CASS MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0433 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 E MARCELLUS 42.03N 85.78W
03/14/2019 CASS MI BROADCAST MEDIA
MULTIPLE TREES BLOWN DOWN EAST OF DOWAGIAC
ALONG MARCELLUS HIGHWAY.
0433 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 ENE DOWAGIAC 42.00N 86.08W
03/14/2019 CASS MI BROADCAST MEDIA
CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 1
E MARCELLUS. MULTIPLE TREES BLOWN DOWN EAST
OF DOWAGIAC ALONG MARCELLUS HIGHWAY.
0426 PM HAIL 3 ESE WEST UNITY 41.58N 84.39W
03/14/2019 M1.00 INCH WILLIAMS OH TRAINED SPOTTER
0425 PM HAIL FAYETTE 41.67N 84.33W
03/14/2019 E1.00 INCH FULTON OH PUBLIC
0414 PM HAIL 3 SSE PULASKI 41.47N 84.49W
03/14/2019 E0.88 INCH WILLIAMS OH TRAINED SPOTTER
TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
0412 PM HAIL 1 NNE SAINT JOSEPH 42.11N 86.48W
03/14/2019 E1.25 INCH BERRIEN MI TRAINED SPOTTER
TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
0411 PM HAIL HUDSON LAKE 41.71N 86.53W
03/14/2019 E1.00 INCH LA PORTE IN PUBLIC
PICTURE SHARED ON TWITTER BY WSBT.
0410 PM HAIL 1 SSW SAINT JOSEPH 42.08N 86.50W
03/14/2019 E1.25 INCH BERRIEN MI PUBLIC
LOTS OF SMALLER PIECES OF HAIL WITH A FEW TO
HALF DOLLAR.
0410 PM HAIL FAIR PLAIN 42.08N 86.45W
03/14/2019 M0.88 INCH BERRIEN MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0405 PM HAIL SAINT JOSEPH 42.10N 86.49W
03/14/2019 M0.75 INCH BERRIEN MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0405 PM HAIL SAINT JOSEPH 42.10N 86.49W
03/14/2019 M1.00 INCH BERRIEN MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0359 PM HAIL NEW CARLISLE 41.71N 86.51W
03/14/2019 E1.00 INCH ST. JOSEPH IN BROADCAST MEDIA
PICTURE SHARED ON TWITTER BY ABC 57.
0358 PM HAIL 3 N KINGSBURY 41.57N 86.70W
03/14/2019 E1.75 INCH LA PORTE IN PUBLIC
BRIEF PERIOD OF HAIL WITH A FEW REACHING
GOLF BALL SIZE.
0354 PM TSTM WND GST 2 W BYRON 41.65N 86.66W
03/14/2019 E60 MPH LA PORTE IN PUBLIC
0354 PM HAIL LA PORTE 41.60N 86.71W
03/14/2019 E0.70 INCH LA PORTE IN BROADCAST MEDIA
HAIL COVERING THE GROUND IN PARTS OF TOWN.
0354 PM HAIL 2 W BYRON 41.65N 86.66W
03/14/2019 E1.25 INCH LA PORTE IN PUBLIC
0352 PM TSTM WND GST 3 NW SOUTH BEND 41.70N 86.31W
03/14/2019 M50 MPH ST. JOSEPH IN ASOS
REPORTED AT SOUTH BEND AIRPORT.
0335 PM HAIL WANATAH 41.43N 86.90W
03/14/2019 E1.75 INCH LA PORTE IN PUBLIC
PICTURE POSTED ON TWITTER OF GOLF BALL SIZE
HAIL.
&&
$$
Peak Wind Reports
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Northern Indiana 454 AM EDT Fri Mar 15 2019 ...PEAK WIND REPORTS PAST 24 HOURS... Location Speed Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Indiana... ...Allen County... Fort Wayne International Ap 54 MPH 1208 AM 03/15 40.98N/85.20W ...Cass County... Logansport/cass Cnty Ap 51 MPH 0913 PM 03/14 40.71N/86.37W ...De Kalb County... 3 E Saint Johns 40 MPH 0135 AM 03/15 41.31N/85.06W ...Elkhart County... 2 WNW Benton 59 MPH 0542 PM 03/14 41.52N/85.79W Goshen Municipal Airport 59 MPH 0542 PM 03/14 41.53N/85.79W Elkhart Municipal Airport 44 MPH 0550 PM 03/14 41.72N/86.00W 2 SW Simonton Lake 44 MPH 0550 PM 03/14 41.72N/86.00W 1 WNW Jimtown 36 MPH 0803 PM 03/14 41.64N/86.04W ...Fulton County... Fulton County Airport 43 MPH 1235 AM 03/15 41.07N/86.18W ...Grant County... Grant County Municipal Apt 41 MPH 0635 PM 03/14 40.48N/85.68W ...Huntington County... 3 SSW Huntington 46 MPH 0848 PM 03/14 40.83N/85.53W 3 NE Majenica 39 MPH 0723 PM 03/14 40.82N/85.41W ...Kosciusko County... Warsaw Municipal Airport 48 MPH 0415 AM 03/15 41.27N/85.84W James Lake 42 MPH 1053 PM 03/14 41.31N/85.72W 2 SW Warsaw 38 MPH 0446 PM 03/14 41.21N/85.87W Warsaw Municipal Airport 38 MPH 0735 PM 03/14 41.27N/85.84W ...La Porte County... 2 W Byron 60 MPH 0354 PM 03/14 41.65N/86.66W La Porte 49 MPH 0835 PM 03/14 41.57N/86.73W Michigan City 43 MPH 0515 PM 03/14 41.70N/86.82W 1 W Michigan City 37 MPH 0742 PM 03/14 41.71N/86.90W ...Lagrange County... 1 ENE Lagrange 38 MPH 0601 PM 03/14 41.65N/85.39W ...Marshall County... Plymouth 39 MPH 1032 PM 03/14 41.34N/86.31W Bremen 38 MPH 0319 PM 03/14 41.44N/86.16W 2 W Mentone 35 MPH 0303 PM 03/14 41.18N/86.08W ...Miami County... 1 SSW Grissom Afb 47 MPH 0520 PM 03/14 40.65N/86.15W 3 W Amboy 42 MPH 0400 PM 03/14 40.59N/85.98W Santa Fe 38 MPH 1154 PM 03/14 40.64N/85.99W ...Noble County... 3 NE Avilla 38 MPH 0655 PM 03/14 41.40N/85.20W ...Pulaski County... 3 ENE Vanmeter Park 42 MPH 0501 PM 03/14 41.11N/86.52W ...St. Joseph County... 3 W Roseland 59 MPH 0542 PM 03/14 41.71N/86.31W South Bend International Ap 51 MPH 1138 PM 03/14 41.71N/86.32W 2 S New Carlisle 46 MPH 0406 PM 03/14 41.66N/86.51W ...Starke County... 2 ESE Brems 44 MPH 0435 PM 03/14 41.33N/86.66W ...Steuben County... Tri-state Steuben County Air 40 MPH 0555 PM 03/14 41.64N/85.08W ...Wabash County... 1 SSE Roann 55 MPH 0415 PM 03/14 40.89N/85.92W Somerset 41 MPH 0353 PM 03/14 40.66N/85.81W 2 ESE Somerset 37 MPH 0628 PM 03/14 40.66N/85.79W ...White County... White County Arpt. 44 MPH 0415 PM 03/14 40.71N/86.77W ...Whitley County... Columbia City 36 MPH 1045 PM 03/14 41.16N/85.49W ...Michigan... ...Berrien County... 1 SSE New Buffalo 50 MPH 0823 PM 03/14 41.77N/86.74W Southwest Michigan Regional 48 MPH 0643 PM 03/14 42.13N/86.43W 1 WNW Millburg 42 MPH 0925 PM 03/14 42.13N/86.37W Saint Joseph 35 MPH 1116 AM 03/14 42.10N/86.49W ...Branch County... 3 ENE Lake of the Woods 44 MPH 0933 PM 03/14 41.88N/84.99W Coldwater 43 MPH 0636 PM 03/14 41.93N/85.05W ...Cass County... 2 WSW Edwardsburg 46 MPH 1102 PM 03/14 41.79N/86.13W ...Hillsdale County... Hillsdale Municipal Airport 38 MPH 0156 AM 03/15 41.92N/84.59W Jerome 35 MPH 0209 AM 03/15 42.02N/84.46W ...St. Joseph County... Three Rivers Municipal Dr Ha 51 MPH 0535 PM 03/14 41.96N/85.59W 1 S Constantine 49 MPH 1106 PM 03/14 41.82N/85.66W Sturgis 39 MPH 0355 PM 03/14 41.81N/85.44W ...Ohio... ...Allen County... Lima Allen County Airport 48 MPH 0604 PM 03/14 40.71N/84.02W Bluffton 36 MPH 1035 AM 03/14 40.89N/83.89W ...Defiance County... Defiance Memorial Airport 47 MPH 0448 PM 03/14 41.34N/84.43W ...Fulton County... Fulton Cnty Ap 44 MPH 0120 AM 03/15 41.61N/84.13W ...Putnam County... 3 ENE Ottawa 40 MPH 0435 PM 03/14 41.04N/83.98W Kalida 38 MPH 1032 PM 03/14 40.98N/84.20W ...Van Wert County... Van Wert 40 MPH 0428 PM 03/14 40.87N/84.59W 3 E Cavett 38 MPH 0647 PM 03/14 40.95N/84.51W ...Williams County... 1 WSW Bryan 39 MPH 0415 PM 03/14 41.46N/84.57W 2 WSW Hallock 36 MPH 0426 AM 03/15 41.51N/84.59W 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. $$
Rain Reports
The following may depicts radar estimated storm total rainfall. Rainfall amounts varied quite a bit across the area with swaths of a half inch to an inch of rain for locations which received the heavier showers and thunderstorms (especially southwest Lower Michigan).
Environment
A strong upper level system was responsible for forcing thunderstorm development across the region during the afternoon and evening hours. Instability was limited and shear profiles were excessive. This hindered the severe weather potential across some locations. Areas across southwest Lower Michigan into far northwest Indiana experienced some of the stronger storms of this event at the nose of the weak instability axis where upper level forcing was maximized with an upper level jet streak, and where deep layer moisture convergence was maximized.
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| Figure 1: 300 mb analysis from 8am 3/14/19 | Figure 2: 850 mb analysis from 8am 3/14/19 | Figure 3: Surface analysis from 8am 3/14/19 |
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| Figure 4: Most Unstable CAPE (MUCAPE) analysis from 5pm 3/14/19. | Figure 5: Effective shear analysis from 5pm 3/14/19 | Figure 6: 0-6 km bulk shear analysis from 5pm 3/14/19 |
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| Figure 7: 850 mb moisture transport analysis from 5pm 3/14/19 | Figure 8: 0-3 km storm relative helicity (SRH) from 5pm 3/14/19 | Figure 9: Precipitable water analysis from 5pm 3/14/19 |
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