Alert archive / Indiana / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Chicago, IL

June 17, 1992Porter County, Indiana

NWS Chicago, IL issued this tornado warning at Jun 17, 1992, 5:02 PM CDT for Porter County, Indiana. It was in force for 28 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 17, 1992, 5:02 PM CDT (22:02 UTC)
Expired
Jun 17, 1992, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Chicago, IL
Area
Whole counties

County Porter County, IN

The nearest sounding before it

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 301 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 12:00Z on 1992-06-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1538 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 12:00Z on 1992-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1538 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-44 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
809 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
98 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCHI 172202
TORCHI
INC127-172230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
502 PM CDT WED JUN 17 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHWEST INDIANA
 
   ...NORTHEASTERN PORTER COUNTY
 
AND THE ADJACENT WATERS OF SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN
 
 
AT 455 PM PORTER COUNTY SHERRIF REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR VALPARAISO. THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THE TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45
MPH.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS IN A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. GET AWAY FROM WINDOWS!

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Jun 17, 1:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 40 minutes before
ILZ003-005-008-ILC105-INC127-171930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
120 PM CDT WED JUN 17 1992

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR NORTHEAST ILLINOIS
   AND THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA...

AT 115 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME SEVERE...FROM 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF WOODSTOCK
TO 45 MILES WEST OF AURORA AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD.  THE LINE WAS
MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH WHILE INDIVIDAUL THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINE
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.  LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS
HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE ROCKFORD VICINITY FROM THESE STORMS.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST MCHENRY COUNTY BY 145 PM.

REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO DEVELOPMENT.  MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER
IS SPOTTED OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

TAYLOR
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 2:03 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
ILZ003-005-008-ILC105-INC127-172000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
200 PM CDT WED JUN 17 1992

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR NORTHEAST ILLINOIS
   AND THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA...

AT 155 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
FROM 20 MILES NORTH OF JOLIET TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF PONTIAC AND THEN
SOUTHWESTWARD.  OTHER SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM
WOODSTOCK TO 25 MILES WEST OF OTTAWA.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED
IN SOUTHERN DUPAGE COUNTY.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
THESE STORM WILL LIKELY CONTAIN BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...
AND GUSTY WINDS.

PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS` SHOULD AVOID OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AS THESE
STORMS MOVE THROUGH AND STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
TAYLOR
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 3:16 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
ILZ001-002-172030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
315 PM CST WED JUN 17 1992

...TORNADO WATCH CANCELED FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL ILLINOIS COUNTIES JO DAVIESS/STEPHENSON/WINNEBAGO/BOONE/
WHITESIDE/OGLE/LEE/AND WHITESIDE...

JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS THAT RAKED NORTHERN
ILLINOIS EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON HAVE MOVED ON EAST INTO NORTHEAST
ILLINOIS AND AREAS TO THE SOUTH. A FEW LINGERING STORMS REMAIN OVER
PARTS OF DE KALB COUNTY AT 315 CDT THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THESE ARE
WEAKENING WHILE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
FIELDS
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 3:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
ILZ001-002-172030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ...CORRECTION TO 1ST PARAGRAPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
315 PM CST WED JUN 17 1992

...TORNADO WATCH CANCELED FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL ILLINOIS COUNTIES JO DAVIESS/STEPHENSON/WINNEBAGO/BOONE/
CARROLL/OGLE/LEE/AND WHITESIDE...

JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS THAT RAKED NORTHERN
ILLINOIS EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON HAVE MOVED ON EAST INTO NORTHEAST
ILLINOIS AND AREAS TO THE SOUTH. A FEW LINGERING STORMS REMAIN OVER
PARTS OF DE KALB COUNTY AT 315 CDT THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THESE ARE
WEAKENING WHILE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
FIELDS
Local storm report, Jun 17, 4:29 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCKFORD IL
430 PM CDT WED JUN 17 1992

REPORTS FOR JUNE 17 1992   ...387...

TIME CDT                      EVENT

1218 PM      PEA SIZED HAIL IN ROCKFORD...AT 9TH AND BROADWAY...
             WINNEBAGO COUNTY ILLINOIS. SKYWARN.

1230 PM      MARBLE SIZED HAIL BETWEEN MT CARROLL AND THOMPSON...
             CARROLL COUNTY ILLINOIS. 50 MILES WSW ROCKFORD.
             ILLINOIS DISTRICT 1 STATE POLICE.

1238 PM      3/4 INCH HAIL IN MT CARROLL...CARROLL COUNTY ILLINOIS.
             50 MILES WSW ROCKFORD. ILLINOIS DISTRICT 1 STATE POLICE.
                                                                    .
1254 PM      PEA SIZED HAIL IN DOWNTOWN ROCKFORD...IN WINNEBAGO
             COUNTY ILLINOIS. SKYWARN.

1302 PM      60 MPH WINDS IN PECATONICA...IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
             18 MILES WEST OF ROCKFORD. SKYWARN.

1305 PM      1 - 11/2 INCH HAIL IN ROCKFORD...IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
             SKYWARN.

1306 PM      3/4 INCH HAIL AT ALPINE AND RIVERSIDE IN ROCKFORD...
             AND 1 INCH HAIL AT WINDSOR AND ALPINE IN ROCKFORD...
             IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY. SKYWARN.

1322 PM      MARBLE SIZED HAIL IN THE MILLEDGEVILLE-DIXON AREA...
             IN LEE COUNTY...AROUND 40 MILES SW ROCKFORD.
             SKYWARN.                                          .
1334 PM      3/4 INCH HAIL AT MULFORD AND BAXTER IN
             NORTHEAST ROCKFORD...IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
             SKYWARN.

1342 PM      WINDS GUSTING TO 60 MPH AND NUMEROUS LARGE TREES
             DOWN...IN BELVIDERE...IN BOONE COUNTY. 13 MILES
             EAST OF ROCKFORD. BELLVIDERE SHERIFFS POLICE.

1355 PM      3/4 INCH HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN...BETWEEN ROCHELLE
             AND GRAND DETOUR...IN SOUTH CENTRAL OGLE COUNTY.
             AROUND 25 MILES SOUTH OF ROCKFORD. SHERIFFS POLICE.

1430 PM      3/4 INCH HAIL IN PAW PAW...IN SOUTHEAST LEE
             COUNTY. 35 MILES SOUTH ROCKFORD.

1438 PM      SEVERAL SIGNS DOWN IN MALTA...IN DE KALB COUNTY.
             25 MILES SOUTH ROCKFORD. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
             UNIVERSITY SPOTTER.

1445 PM      TREE DOWN IN CITY OF DE KALB...IN DE KALB COUNTY.
             25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ROCKFORD. NIU SPOTTER.

FIELDS/HELGERSON/BELL/WILLARD
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 5:00 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
ILZ003-005-008-ILC105-INC127-172000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
458 PM CDT WED JUN 17 1992

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST
   AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA...

THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT EAST OF A LINE FROM CHICAGO TO BLOOMINGTON TO
SPRINGFIELD. THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWEST OR WEST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS. IN THE CHICAGO METROPOLITAN AREA THE MAIN THREAT
IS FOR SOUTHERN COOK AND WILL COUNTIES AND FOR LAKE COUNTY INDIANA.
THE THREAT HAS DIMINISHED FOR THE NORTH AND WEST SUBURBS.

PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND NORTHWEST INDIANA
SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND
POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

ALLSOPP

The office that day

Everything else NWS Chicago, IL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 17, 4:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTLake, Porter44 min
Jun 17, 5:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLOTLake, Porter39 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Indiana, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes in 1992

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.