Alert archive / Indiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Indianapolis, IN

April 26, 1994Elkhart County, Indiana

NWS Indianapolis, IN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 26, 1994, 11:47 PM EST for Elkhart County, Indiana. It was in force for 43 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 26, 1994, 11:47 PM EST (04:47 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 1994, 12:30 AM EST
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Indianapolis, IN
Area
Whole counties

County Elkhart County, IN

The nearest sounding before it

Dayton/James M C, OH (KDAY), launched 00:00Z, 4.8 hours before the alert went out and 235 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 1994-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 981 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 1994-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 70 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
981 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1633 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
178 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
3.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSBN 270447
SVRSBN
INC039-270530-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SOUTH BEND IN
1147 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SOUTH BEND HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA
 
   ...ELKHART COUNTY
 
AT 1145 EST...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES WEST OF NEW
PARIS...25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SOUTH BEND.
 
THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR...TOWNS IN THE PATH ARE
NEW PARIS...NAPPANEE AND ELKHART INDIANA.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
 
 
CLICK&

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, Apr 26, 6:45 PM EST, 5 hours 2 minutes before
INZALL-270500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
644 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL
MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE
ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA ARE RENSSELAER...SOUTH BEND AND
ELKHART.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO WATCH AREA. PERSONS
IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

AT 643 PM EST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

ZIMMERMAN
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 8:17 PM EST, 3 hours 30 minutes before
INZ010-011-019-020-028-270315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
817 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF
INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

AT 815 PM EST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO NORTHWEST
INDIANA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF
RENSSELAER NEAR KANKAKEE ILLINOIS SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

BY 915 PM EST...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE TO NEAR MOROCCO...20
MILES WEST OF RENSSELAER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED LARGE HAIL
IN ILLINOIS...AND MAY STILL BE SEVERE WHEN THEY MOVE INTO INDIANA.

ALSO...REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

ZIMMERMAN
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 8:56 PM EST, 2 hours 51 minutes before
INZ010-011-019-020-028-270315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
855 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF
INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

AT 850 PM EST VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE SOUTHERN
TIP OF LAKE MICHIGAN ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS TO NEAR SAINT LOUIS.  SOME
OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF
RENSSELAER AND EXTENDED SOUTHWEST TO NEAR SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS.

AT 835 PM EST THE CHICAGO RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO ABOUT 35
MILES WEST OF RENSSELAER.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO PRODUCED LARGE
HAIL OVER NORTHEAST ILLINOIS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AND HOUR AND
MAY MOVE TO NEAR OR JUST NORTHWEST OF RENSSELAER BY 930 PM EST.  PERSONS
OVER FAR NORTHWEST INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER.

ALSO...REMEMBERF...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

HENDRICKSON
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 9:17 PM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
INZ010-011-019-020-028-270345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
915 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST FOR THAT PART OF
INDIANA NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM DANVILLE ILLINOIS TO ELKHART.

AT 912 PM EST VERY STRONG THUDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF
CHICAGO TO ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF RENSSELAER.  RADAR INDICATED SOME OF
THESE STORMS MAY HAVE PRODUCED SMALL TORNADOES ACROSS NORTHEAST
ILLINOIS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 50 MILES AN HOUR
AND WILL MOVE INTO THE RENSSELAER AREA BY 945 PM EST.

MEANWHILE ANOTHER CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED OVER EAST
CENTRAL ILLINOIS NEAR CHAMPAIGN.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST
AT 50 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL INDIANA JUST TO THE
WEST OF COVINGTON AFTER 1000 PM EST.

PERSONS OVER NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL INDIANA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
POSSIBLE SEVERE LWEATHER.

ALSO...REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

HENDRICKSON
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 9:53 PM EST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
INZALL-270800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
950 PM EST TUE APR 26 1993

IN INDIANA A NEW TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM EST AND
INCLUDES THAT PART OF INDIANA...SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ELKHART TO DANVILLE
ILLINOIS AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM SULLIVAN TO NASHVILLE TO PORTLAND.

SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE NEW TORNADO WATCH ARE...FORT WAYNE...KOKOMO...
LAFAYATTE...INDIANAPOLIS AND TERRE HAUTE.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT NORTH OF A LINE FROM ELKHART TO DANVILLE
ILLINOIS UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

REMEMBER...A WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
JEH
Local storm report, Apr 26, 10:48 PM EST, 59 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
1048 PM EST TUE APR 26 1994

TIME (EST)    COUNTY LOCATION    EVENT

1025 PM       JASPER             SHERIFFS DEPUTY REPORTED 50 TO 60 MPH
  2                               WINDS WEST OF RENSSELAER

1035 PM       JAPSER             PENNY SIZE HAIL AT THE SHERIFFS OFFICE
                                 IN RENSSELAER

DE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Indianapolis, IN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 9:38 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDJasper, Newton52 min
Apr 26, 10:08 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDLaPorte52 min
Apr 26, 10:31 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDJasper, Newton26 min
Apr 26, 10:44 PM ESTTornado WarningINDJasper20 min
Apr 26, 10:47 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDPulaski, Starke58 min
Apr 26, 11:33 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDFulton, Kosciusko, Marshall57 min
Apr 26, 11:36 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDNewton39 min
Apr 26, 11:41 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDBenton, Warren34 min
Apr 26, 11:52 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDPulaski, Starke48 min
Apr 27, 12:02 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDParke, Vermillion28 min
Apr 27, 12:04 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDTippecanoe26 min
Apr 27, 12:12 AM ESTTornado WarningINDTippecanoe33 min
Apr 27, 12:19 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDCarroll26 min
Apr 27, 12:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDaviess, Knox40 min
Apr 27, 12:36 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDSullivan, Vigo39 min
Apr 27, 12:40 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDClinton35 min
Apr 27, 12:47 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDClay, Greene, Owen28 min
Apr 27, 1:26 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDMarion34 min
Apr 27, 1:41 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDHancock, Shelby34 min
Apr 27, 1:55 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDHenry, Madison35 min
Apr 27, 2:21 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDFayette39 min
Apr 27, 3:31 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDDubois29 min
Apr 27, 4:42 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningINDGibson, Pike53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Indiana, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.