Alert archive / Indiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 53, NWS Northern Indiana

May 16, 2025White County, Indiana

NWS Northern Indiana issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2025, 6:28 PM EDT for White County, Indiana. It was in force for 51 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 16, 2025, 6:28 PM EDT (22:28 UTC)
Expired: May 16, 2025, 7:19 PM EDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Northern Indiana
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County White County, IN

The radar

The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:32 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 161 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 2325 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -13 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -15 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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.

NWS Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 16, 2:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

There is a chance for storms this evening, mainly between 7pm and 10pm EDT. A few thunderstorms could become severe with damaging winds the primary threat, mainly south of US 24.
Cooler and breezy on Saturday.
Periodic rain chances return next week, mainly Tuesday through Thursday.

Area forecast discussion, May 16, 2:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 13 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
215 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- There is a chance for storms this evening, mainly between 7pm
  and 10pm EDT. A few thunderstorms could become severe with
  damaging winds the primary threat, mainly south of US 24.

- Cooler and breezy on Saturday.

- Periodic rain chances return next week, mainly Tuesday through
  Thursday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 215 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

A shortwave, 70-80 kt 500 mb jet, and an attendant cold front track
through this evening into the early overnight through the base of an
Upper Midwest upper low. The associated shot of deeper ascent and
some low level moisture return with a developing low level jet
should bring a period of scattered showers/storms to most of the
area this evening. Still cannot rule out a few strong to severe
storms, mainly south of US 24, as shear profiles are favorable
for organized convection. Instability is the limiting factor
however with MLCIN and dry air to overcome, though incoming
height falls/cooling aloft, and some last minute low level
theta-e advection, should eventually allow updrafts to break the
cap with MLCAPE potentially surging into the 1000-1500 j/kg
range (highest southeast of US 24). High DCAPE with steep 0-3km
lapse rates favor a downburst wind threat if any multicell
clusters/lines emerge. Overall confidence in anything more
than isolated strong to severe cells is low, with greater probs
for severe storms off to the south near the primary
moisture/instability axis.

Cold advection on the southern fringes of a stacked low moving east
through the Great Lakes region will provide significantly cooler and
breezy conditions post-frontal later tonight into Saturday. Cyclonic
flow around the low will also allow stratocu to build in for a time,
especially north of US 30 where non zero chances for a rogue
sprinkle/shower will exist. Sunday is definitely the preferred
weekend day weather-wise as high pressure nudges in from the north
with sunshine, lighter winds and slightly warmer temps.

Next week continues to look wet at times as an upper low cuts off
and slowly tracks east through the Central US and Great Lakes. The
greatest chances for rain are the Tuesday through Thursday periods,
with temperatures generally below average for mid-late May.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 127 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

An upper level speed max lifting across downstream portion of
upper trough and an accompanying upper level short wave will
help to advect some increased low level moisture northward late
this afternoon/early this evening. Sfc dew points have mixed out
nicely early this afternoon into the upper 40s to lower 50s. The
challenging part of this convective forecast is trying to assess
extent of moisture return in advance of this short wave tonight
and how much destabilization can occur. Strengthening low/mid
level wind fields and initial dry profiles do suggest potential
of some strong winds with any storms (or showers). Have not made
substantial changes to previous timing of main potential threat
in the 00Z-03Z window for thunder. Otherwise, southerly gusts
to 20 to 25 knots will be maintained in advance of the
associated cold front this evening, with post-frontal west winds
gusting to 30 to 35 knots by Saturday afternoon. Conditions
should remain primarily VFR this period with the exception of
any stronger showers and storms.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...None.
OH...None.
MI...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 5 PM EDT Saturday for LMZ043-046.

&&

DISCUSSION...Steinwedel
AVIATION...Marsili

Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 2:18 PM EDT, 4 hours 10 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
218 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

INZ005>009-012>015-017-018-020-022>027-032>034-103-104-116-203-204-
216-MIZ078>081-177-277-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025-171830-
Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Starke-Pulaski-Marshall-
Fulton IN-Whitley-Allen IN-White-Cass IN-Miami-Wabash-Huntington-
Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford-Jay-Northern La Porte-
Eastern St. Joseph IN-Northern Kosciusko-Southern La Porte-
Western St. Joseph IN-Southern Kosciusko-Cass MI-St. Joseph MI-
Branch-Hillsdale-Northern Berrien-Southern Berrien-Williams-
Fulton OH-Defiance-Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH-
218 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025 /118 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana, southwest
Michigan and northwest Ohio.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

There is a chance for storms this evening, mainly between 7pm and
10pm EDT. A few thunderstorms could become severe with damaging winds
the primary threat, mainly south of US 24.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

LMZ043-046-171830-
New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI-
218 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM EDT SATURDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters of
southeastern Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Small Craft Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Small Craft Advisory.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 16, 3:08 PM EDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
308 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1005 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 E Pottawattomie Park  41.72N 86.82W
05/15/2025                   La Porte           IN   Emergency Mngr

            Delayed report of large tree downed on
            mobile home. Time estimated from radar.

&&

NDM

Local storm report, May 16, 3:21 PM EDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
321 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 SE Barron Lake        41.82N 86.14W
05/15/2025                   Cass               MI   Broadcast Media

            Delayed report. Two trees uprooted and large
            tree branches downed. Time estimated from
            radar.

&&

NDM

Local storm report, May 16, 3:47 PM EDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
347 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1020 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 NNW Saint Joseph      42.11N 86.50W
05/15/2025  M96 MPH          LMZ043             MI   Mesonet

            St Joseph, MI Weatherflow station.

1020 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 NW Bridgman           41.98N 86.62W
05/15/2025  M63 MPH          LMZ043             MI   Buoy

            A 54 knot gust was recorded by the Buoy
            45026.

1010 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 NW Michigan City      41.73N 86.91W
05/15/2025  M48 MPH          LMZ046             IN   C-Man Station

            A 42 knot gust was recorded at the Michigan
            City GLERL site (MCYI3).

&&

Local storm report, May 16, 4:03 PM EDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
403 PM EDT Fri May 16 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1005 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 E Pottawattomie Park  41.72N 86.82W
05/15/2025                   La Porte           IN   Emergency Mngr

            Delayed report of large tree downed on
            mobile home. Time estimated from radar.

1020 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Saint Joseph            42.10N 86.49W
05/15/2025                   Berrien            MI   Trained Spotter

            Large 3 foot diameter tree downed onto a
            house. Time estimated from radar.

1025 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Buchanan                41.83N 86.37W
05/15/2025                   Berrien            MI   Broadcast Media

            Reports of large trees downed. Time
            estimated from radar.

1028 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Berrien Springs         41.95N 86.34W
05/15/2025                   Berrien            MI   Broadcast Media

            Reports of large trees downed. Time
            estimated from radar.

1100 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 SE Barron Lake        41.82N 86.14W
05/15/2025                   Cass               MI   Broadcast Media

            Delayed report. Two trees uprooted and large
            tree branches downed. Time estimated from
            radar.

1020 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 NNW Saint Joseph      42.11N 86.50W
05/15/2025  M96 MPH          LMZ043             MI   Mesonet

            St Joseph, MI Weatherflow station.

1020 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 NW Bridgman           41.98N 86.62W
05/15/2025  M63 MPH          LMZ043             MI   Buoy

            A 54 knot gust was recorded by the Buoy
            45026.

1010 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 NW Michigan City      41.73N 86.91W
05/15/2025  M48 MPH          LMZ046             IN   C-Man Station

            A 42 knot gust was recorded at the Michigan
            City GLERL site (MCYI3).

1004 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Trail Creek             41.70N 86.86W
05/15/2025                   La Porte           IN   Trained Spotter

            Received photos of tree limbs down. Time
            estimated by radar.

1005 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Michigan City           41.71N 86.88W
05/15/2025                   La Porte           IN   Trained Spotter

            Trees down. One reportedly on a mobile home.
            Time estimated by radar.

1013 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 N Benton Heights      42.13N 86.42W
05/15/2025  M61 MPH          Berrien            MI   ASOS

1025 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 N Benton Heights      42.13N 86.42W
05/15/2025  M72 MPH          Berrien            MI   ASOS

            ASOS station KBEH Benton Harbor.

1130 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 ESE Fishers Lake      41.98N 85.53W
05/15/2025                   St. Joseph         MI   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency manager reports trees and power
            lines down from Three River to Mendon. Time
            estimated via radar.

1130 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 E Fishers Lake        41.98N 85.53W
05/15/2025                   St. Joseph         MI   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency manager reports tree limbs and
            powerlines down from Three Rivers to Mendon.
            Time estimated via radar.

1135 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 SW Fishers Lake       41.97N 85.60W
05/15/2025  M59 MPH          St. Joseph         MI   AWOS

            AWOS station KHAI Three Rivers.

1155 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 NW Elkhart            41.72N 86.00W
05/15/2025  M59 MPH          Elkhart            IN   AWOS

            AWOS station KEKM Elkhart Municipa.

&&

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 15, 9:15 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	IWX		90 min
May 15, 9:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	LaPorte, Saint Joseph	34 min
May 15, 11:03 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	IWX	Elkhart, Saint Joseph	42 min
May 15, 11:48 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	IWX	LaGrange	42 min
May 16, 9:59 AM EDT	Small Craft Advisory	IWX		31 hr
May 16, 6:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Cass, Miami	59 min
May 16, 7:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Fulton, Miami, Pulaski, Wabash	65 min
May 16, 7:23 PM EDT	Blowing Dust Advisory	IWX	Adams, Allen, Blackford, Cass, DeKalb, Elkhart and 18 more	3 hr
May 16, 7:29 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Huntington, Kosciusko, Marshall, Whitley	46 min
May 16, 7:31 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	IWX		89 min
May 16, 7:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Adams, Blackford, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Wells	64 min
May 16, 7:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Whitley	53 min
May 15, 9:53 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	IWX	Berrien, Cass	67 min
May 15, 10:54 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Cass, Saint Joseph	36 min
May 15, 11:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	IWX	Branch, Saint Joseph	47 min
May 16, 12:15 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	IWX	Branch, Hillsdale	60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Indiana, 2025 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.