Alert archive / Indiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 28, NWS Northern Indiana

August 26, 1986Grant County, Indiana

NWS Northern Indiana issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 26, 1986, 7:04 PM EST for Grant County, Indiana. It was in force for 41 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 26, 1986, 7:04 PM EST (00:04 UTC)
Expired
Aug 26, 1986, 7:45 PM EST
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Northern Indiana
Area
Whole counties

County Grant County, IN

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 26, 7:06 PM ESTThunderstorm Wind 0Grant, IN

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 141 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Dayton/James M C, OH at 00:00Z on 1986-08-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 991 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Dayton/James M C, OH at 00:00Z on 1986-08-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 198 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
991 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-59 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
895 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
198 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
246 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
8.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KFWA 270004
SVRFWA
INC179-001-053-270045-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WAYNE IN
704 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES OF

NORTHEAST INDIANA...WELLS...ADAMS AND GRANT

AT 655 PM EST RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM
10 MILES NORTH OF BLUFFTON TO NEAR MARION INDIANA MOVING
TOWARDS THE EAST AT 30 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL LIKELY PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN
HOUR AND HAIL 3/4-INCH OR LARGER IN DIAMETER.

REMEMBER THESE STORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH
LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

 MYERS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 26, 3:31 PM EST, 3 hours 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
330 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EST..10PM EDT...

AT 320 PM EST...THE LEDING EDGE OF A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS..15 MILES
WIDE..WAS ALONG THE EAST SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN FROM BENTON HARBOR
MICHIGAN THROUGH MICHIGAN CITY INDIANA..TO 10 MILES NORTH OF CROWN
POINT INDIANA.

BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..AND POSSIBLE WIND GUSTS
TO 45 MPH ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

THE THUNDERTORMS WILL BE MOVING ACROSS SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND
NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA AROUND 20 MPH AND ARE EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN
SOUTH BEND AROUND 430PM EST.

PERSONS IN SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA SHOULD BE
ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE
QUICKLY TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
SIGHTED.
MOWERY
Special weather statement, Aug 26, 3:57 PM EST, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WAYNE IN
356 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
9 PM EST THIS EVENING...

AT 354 PM EST NO THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING IN NORTHEAST INDIANA.
HOWEVER..THUNDERSTORMS NOW MOVING INTO NORTHWEST INDIANA WILL MOVE
INTO PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST INDIANA DURING THE NEXT 2 TO 3 HOUR PERIOD.

RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST INDIANA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER DEVELOPMENT AS WE PROCEED INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

MARSHALL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT.

MARSHALL
Special weather statement, Aug 26, 4:13 PM EST, 2 hours 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
410 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EST..10PM EDT...

AT 400 PM EST...A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS..20 MILES WIDE..STRETCHED
ACROSS SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHWEST INDIANA FROM KALAMAZOO
MICHIGAN TO 20 MILES SOUTH OF GARY INDIANA.  THE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
WAS MOVING SOUTHEST AT 20 MPH.

HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 10 TO 15 MILES NORTH OF SOUTH BEND..NEAR
BUCHANAN MICHIGAN AND CASSOPOLIS MICHIGAN..

BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN..FLOODING STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS..DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING..AND POSSIBLY SOME STRONG GUSTY WINDS..ACCOMPANY THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.

PERSONS IN SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA SHOULD BE
ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE
QUICKLY TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
SIGHTED.
MOWERY
Special weather statement, Aug 26, 4:51 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WAYNE IN
450 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST INDIANA UNTIL
9 PM EST THIS EVENING...

AT 446 PM EST A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 25 MILES
NORTH OF KENDALLVILLE TO 35 MILES WEST OF ALBION IN NORTHEAST INDIANA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH AND CONTAINED VERY HEAVY
RAIN..STRONG GUSTY WINDS..AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

BY 545 PM EST THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXTEND FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST
OF ANGOLA TO NEAR ALBION TO 20 MILES WEST OF COLUMBIA CITY.

PERSONS IN NORTHEAST INDIANA SHOULD BE ALERT TO POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER DEVELOPMENT.

MARSHALL
Special weather statement, Aug 26, 5:14 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
510 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

...TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED FOR BERRIEN AND CASS COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN..
...TORNADO WATCH REMAINES IN EFFECT FOR ST JOSEPH COUNTY MICHIGAN AND
NORTHERN INDIANA.

AT 500 PM EST...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE IN A LINE
10 MILES WIDE FROM STURGIS MICHIGAN THROUGH ELKHART INDIANA TO PLYMOUTH
INDIANA.  THE HEAVY DOUWNPOURS WITH THESES THUNDERTORMS WILL LIKELY
CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS..INTERSECTIONS..AND UNDERPASSES.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER SOUTHERN LOWER
MICHIGAN..NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST INDIANA IN AN BAND 40 MILES WIDE
FROM LANSING M0ICHIGAN TO 30 MILES SOUTH OF GARY INDIANA.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.
MOWERY
Special weather statement, Aug 26, 6:40 PM EST, 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
635 PM EST TUE AUG 26 1986

...TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED FOR THE NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA COUNTIES OF
LAPORTE..STARKE..ST JOSEPH..ELKHART..MARSHALL..PULASKI..FULTON..AND
KOSCIUSKO..AND IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 630 PM EST...A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS 20 MILES WIDE EXTENDED FROM
NORTHEAST INDIANA NEAR ANGOLA TO LAFAYETTE INDIANA.

ALTHOUGH SOME SHOWERS CONTIN{UE OVER THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF KOSCUISKO
AND FULTON COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED
TO BECOME SEVERE.

THE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
MOWERY

The office that day

Everything else NWS Northern Indiana issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 26, 7:04 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningIWXAdams, Wells41 min
Aug 26, 7:08 PM ESTTornado WarningIWXAdams37 min
Aug 26, 7:50 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningIWXJay40 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Indiana, 1986Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.