Alert archive / Indiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 1991

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Northern Indiana

May 31, 1991Allen County, Indiana

NWS Northern Indiana issued this flash flood warning at May 31, 1991, 3:33 AM EST for Allen County, Indiana. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 31, 1991, 3:33 AM EST (08:33 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 1991, 7:30 AM EST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Northern Indiana
Area
Whole counties

County Allen County, IN

The nearest sounding before it

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 00:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 151 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 1991-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2324 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1991-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 72 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
2324 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1089 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
72 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
3.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFWA 310833
FFWFWA
INC003-311230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WAYNE IN
333 AM EST FRI MAY 31 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WAYNE HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  730 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST INDIANA
 
   ...ALLEN COUNTY
 
MANY COUNTY ROADS HAVE FLOODED OVER. CITY SEWERS HAVE SOME BACKUPS.
THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE ALLEN COUNTY SHERRIF AND CITY OFFICIALS.
ABOUT 3 1/2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN  IN THE LAST 8 HOURS.  ANOTHER
1/2 TO 1 INCH IS POSSIBLE BEFORE DAYBREAK.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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, May 30, 11:14 PM EST, 4 hours 19 minutes before
INZ001-002-004-005-MIZ001-007-008-310500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND MICHIANA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
1115 PM EST THU MAY 30 1991

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN
CANCELLED FOR NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING HAS ENDED.

AT 1110 PM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS NORTH
CENTRAL INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...HOWEVER NONE OF
THE STORMS WERE SEVERE.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF EDWARDSBURG
MICHIGAN...OR ABOUT 15 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF SOUTH BEND. THIS
THUNDERSTORM WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AS IT MOVES THROUGH AREAS AROUND ADAMSVILLE AND MOTTVILLE MICHIGAN
BY 1215 AM EST/115 AM EDT.
.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT
WITH A LOW AROUND 70. THE WIND WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT
5 TO 10 MPH.

MS
Local storm report, May 30, 11:31 PM EST, 4 hours 2 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
1130 PM EST THU MAY 30 1991

TIME      EVENT
1540EST   ONE INCH HAIL ON STATE ROAD 2 APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES
          WEST OF SOUTH BEND.

1545EST   LARGE TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON US HIGHWAY 20 TWO MILES WEST
          OF THE MICHIANA REGIONAL AIRPORT CLOSING THE HIGHWAY.

1604EST   1/2 INCH HAIL COVERED THE GROUND AND LIMBS WERE BROKEN OFF
          TREES IN LAKEVILLE INDIANA.

1605EST   3/4 INCH HAIL AT STATE ROAD 19 ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ELKHART
          INDIANA.

1640EST   PEA SIZE HAIL AND SUSTAINED WINDS OF 50 TO 55 MPH IN GOSHEN
          INDIANA.
.
1644EST   60 MPH WIND REPORTED 4 MILES SOUTH OF GOSHEN INDIANA IN
          BENTON INDIANA.

1648EST   60 MPH WINDS AND ONE FOOT DIAMETER TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN
          AT NAPPANEE INDIANA.

1702EST   3/4 INCH HAIL 3 MILES SOUTH OF NAPPANEE INDIANA IN NORTHERN
          KOSCIUSKO COUNTY.

1715EST   NUMEROUS TREES...POWER LINES AND A BARN WERE BLOWN DOWN
          AROUND MILFORD INDIANA. SOME TREES FELL ON HOUSES.

1910EST   1/4 INCH HAIL AT FISH LAKE INDIANA.

1955EST  WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH WERE REPORTED IN NEW CALISLE INDIANA.

1955EST  POWER OUTAGES AND WINDS OF 30 MPH WERE REPORTED ON THE WEST
         SIDE OF ELKHART INDIANA.

2025EST  LARGE TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN NORTHEAST OF BENTON HARBOR MICHIGAN
         IN BENTON TOWNSHIP. POWER OUTAGES WERE SCATTERED FROM BENTON
         HARBOR TO COLOMA MICHIGAN.
.
2247EST   PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN NEW CARISLE INDIANA.

SHIELDS
Special weather statement, May 31, 12:57 AM EST, 2 hours 36 minutes before
INZ003-005-006-OHZ001-310730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WAYNE IN
100 AM EST FRI MAY 31 1991

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME NORTHWEST OHIO
UNTIL 300 AM EDT.

AT 100 AM EST OR 200 AM EDT... THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED FROM 40 MILES WEST TO 30 MILES NORTH OF
FORT WAYNE OR 10 MILES WEST OF NORTH MANCHESTER TO KENDALLVILLE. SIMILAR
THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM 20 MILES NORTHEAST TO 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
FORT WAYNE OR FROM GRABILL TO GENEVA.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. BY 200 AM EST OR 300 AM EDT THEY
WILL BE 30 MILES NORTHEAST TO 20 MILES WEST OF FORT WAYNE OR FROM
EDGERTON OHIO TO NORTH MANCHESTER INDIANA.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE FLOODED ROADWAYS. SMALL STREAMS WILL REMAIN
HIGH OVERNIGHT.  MH
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:26 AM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
INZ003-005-006-OHZ001-310900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WAYNE IN
225 AM EST FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 225 AM EST/325 EDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED 20 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM
40 MILES NORTHEAST OF FORT WAYNE TO 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT WAYNE.
THE LINE STRETCHES BETWEEN DEFIANCE OHIO...FORT WAYNE AND WABASH
INDIANA.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES PER HOUR. THEY
HAD WEAKENED A LITTLE BIT FROM THE INTENSE STORMS EARLIER TONIGHT.

BY 4 AM EST/5 EDT...THE STORMS WILL DRIFT SOUTHEAST...AND BE 20 MILES
EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM BLUFFTON TO MARION INDIANA.  BY THEN...
THE WEATHER COMBINATION WILL BE MOSTLY RAINSHOWERS WITH SOME WIDELY
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS.

IN THE MEANTIME...THERE WILL BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
WATCH FOR HIGH WATER ON ROADS...AND DON`T DRIVE THROUGH IT.
.
WITSAMAN
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:46 AM EST, 47 minutes before
INZ001-002-004-005-MIZ001-007-008-310945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND MICHIANA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
245 AM EST FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 240 AM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS WHILE ONLY LIGHT RAIN
WAS OBSERVED OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN MARSEILLES AND KANKAKEE
ILLINOIS AND BETWEEN WINAMAC AND FORT WAYNE INDIANA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE EAST
AT 25 MPH.

TA
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT
WITH A LOW AROUND 70. THE WIND WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT
5 TO 10 MPH.

MS
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:47 AM EST, 46 minutes before
INZ001-002-004-005-MIZ001-007-008-310945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND MICHIANA WEATHER UPDATE...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
245 AM EST FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 240 AM EST...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA...AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS WHILE ONLY LIGHT RAIN
WAS OBSERVED OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE BETWEEN MARSEILLES AND KANKAKEE
ILLINOIS AND BETWEEN WINAMAC AND FORT WAYNE INDIANA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE EAST
AT 25 MPH.

TA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 30, 8:05 PM ESTTornado WarningIWXHuntington25 min
May 30, 10:29 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningIWXAdams, Grant, Huntington, Wells3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Indiana, 1991Every flash flood warning in 1991

Sources

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