Alert archive / Indiana / Blizzard Warnings in 2012
Blizzard Warning 1, NWS Chicago, IL
NWS Chicago, IL issued this blizzard warning at Feb 10, 2012, 11:45 PM CST for Porter County, Indiana. It was in force for 4 hr. 4 reports 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
- Feb 10, 2012, 11:45 PM CST (05:45 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 11, 2012, 3:40 AM CST
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Chicago, IL
County Porter County, IN
The radar
The Chicago radar (KLOT), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:48 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11, 12:13 AM CST | SNOW 8.5 | Portage, IN | 8.5 INCHES STORM TOTAL SNOW SO FAR. SNOW HAS REDUCED TO FLURRIES AND AREA ROADS ARE VERY HAZARDOUS. |
| Feb 11, 12:25 AM CST | HEAVY SNOW 4 | 4 E Lincoln Hills, IN | VISIBILITY IS DOWN TO ZERO...MORE THAN 2 INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN IN 20 MINUTES INCLUDING 1 INCH IN APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AT VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY. |
| Feb 11, 1:35 AM CST | SNOW 5.5 | 4 E Lincoln Hills, IN | APPROX 4.5 INCHES FROM LAKE EFFECT...INCLUDING NEARLY 4 INCHES FROM 0000 TO 0030 LST. MEASURED AT VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY |
| Feb 11, 1:45 AM CST | SNOW 2 | 4 E Burns Harbor, IN |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 00:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 198 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 674 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 66 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -133 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 64 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
710 WWUS43 KLOT 110545 WSWLOT URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL 1145 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012 ...DANGEROUS LAKE EFFECT SNOW STORM TO SET UP TONIGHT OVER MAINLY NORTHWEST INDIANA... INZ002-111345- /O.CAN.KLOT.LE.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120211T1500Z/ /O.NEW.KLOT.BZ.W.0001.120211T0545Z-120211T1500Z/ PORTER- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...VALPARAISO 1145 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST SATURDAY... ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IS CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST SATURDAY. THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. * TIMING...AN INTENSE BAND OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF PORTER COUNTY OVERNIGHT INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SATURDAY BEFORE SHIFTING EAST INTO LAPORTE COUNTY AND WEAKENING. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 6 TO 12 INCHES IS LIKELY WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF UP TO 18 INCHES EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTY. SNOWFALL RATES WITHIN THE MOST INTENSE SNOW BANDS TONIGHT WILL APPROACH 4 INCHES PER HOUR AT TIMES. DUE TO THE LOCALIZED NATURE OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW...ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY OVER A SHORT DISTANCE. * IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF CRIPPLINGLY INTENSE SNOWFALL RATES AND WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 35 AND 50 MPH WILL RESULT IN WHITE OUT CONDITIONS WITH VISIBILITIES DROPPING TO ONLY 10 OR 20 FEET AT TIMES. TRAVEL WILL BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF NOT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND THE INDIANA HIGHWAY PATROL IS SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE AVOID TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. && $$ INZ001-111000- /O.CON.KLOT.LE.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120211T1000Z/ LAKE IN- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...GARY 1145 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST SATURDAY... * TIMING...MODERATE TO HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER THE COUNTY TONIGHT BEFORE SLOWLY SHIFTING EAST OUT OF THE COUNTY BY SUNRISE SATURDAY. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 6 TO 10 INCHES WHERE THE HEAVIEST LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND OCCURS. ISOLATED TOTALS OF UP TO 14 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN LAKE COUNTY. SNOWFALL RATES WITHIN THE MOST INTENSE SNOW BANDS TONIGHT COULD EXCEED 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR. DUE TO THE LOCALIZED NATURE OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW...ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY OVER A SHORT DISTANCE. * IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF SNOW...WINDS...AND FALLING TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL LIKELY MAKE TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF NOT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHIN THE MOST INTENSE SNOW BANDS... DUE TO NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY IN EXTREMELY HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES. STRONG NORTH WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH...AT TIMES...WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH PERIODS OF WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF LAKE- EFFECT SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP 1 TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. VISIBILITIES VARY GREATLY AND CAN DROP TO ZERO WITHIN MINUTES. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE COULD BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. && $$ INZ011-111345- /O.CON.KLOT.LE.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120211T1500Z/ JASPER- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...RENSSELAER 1145 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST SATURDAY... * TIMING...MODERATE SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE COUNTY THIS EVENING...WITH HEAVIER LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS REACHING THE COUNTY TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. * SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL SNOWFALL OF 6 TO 9 INCHES ARE LIKELY OVER THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS EXPECTED FURTHER SOUTH. DUE TO THE LOCALIZED NATURE OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COULD VARY GREATLY OVER VERY SHORT DISTANCES. * IMPACTS...THE COMBINATION OF SNOW...WINDS...AND FALLING TEMPERATURES TONIGHT WILL LIKELY MAKE TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF NOT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHIN THE MOST INTENSE SNOW BANDS... DUE TO NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY IN EXTREMELY HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES. STRONG NORTH WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH...AT TIMES...WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH PERIODS OF WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF LAKE- EFFECT SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. LAKE-EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TYPICALLY ALIGN THEMSELVES IN BANDS AND WILL LIKELY BE INTENSE ENOUGH TO DROP 1 TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW PER HOUR FOR SEVERAL HOURS. VISIBILITIES VARY GREATLY AND CAN DROP TO ZERO WITHIN MINUTES. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE COULD BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. && $$ IZZI
1 follow-up statement
365 WWUS43 KLOT 110940 WSWLOT URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL 340 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012 INZ002-111045- /O.CAN.KLOT.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120211T1500Z/ PORTER- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...VALPARAISO 340 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS CANCELLED THE BLIZZARD WARNING. THE HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND HAS MOVED EAST INTO LA PORTE COUNTY. LIGHT SNOW AND FLURRIES CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH DAYBREAK...LITTLE TO NO FURTHER ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE LAKE...WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. $$ INZ001-111045- /O.CAN.KLOT.LE.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120211T1000Z/ LAKE IN- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...GARY 340 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IS CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS CANCELLED THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING. THE HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND HAS MOVED EAST INTO LA PORTE COUNTY. NO FURTHER SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 30 AND 35 MPH AT TIMES WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. $$ INZ011-111045- /O.CAN.KLOT.LE.W.0001.000000T0000Z-120211T1500Z/ JASPER- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...RENSSELAER 340 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IS CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHICAGO HAS CANCELLED THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING. THE HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND HAS MOVED EAST INTO LA PORTE...STARKE...AND PULASKI COUNTIES. LIGHT SNOW AND FLURRIES CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH DAYBREAK...LITTLE TO NO FURTHER ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO BETWEEN 30 AND 35 MPH AT TIMES WILL RESULT IN CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. $$ JEE
Nearby
Blizzard Warnings in Indiana, 2012Every blizzard warning in 2012
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.