Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton
- When
- May 21, 1:10 PM EST
- Where
- Fulton County, Countywide
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 41.617, -84.133
Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down countywide.
Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 21, 2004
On the morning of May 21st, a fast moving squall line developed in the morning over Lake Michigan and moved southeast across the Northern Indiana CWA. Measured wind gusts were to 78 MPH with other unconfirmed wind gusts estimated over 90 MPH.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS IWX wrote it up.
On the morning of May 21st, a fast moving squall line developed in the morning over Lake Michigan and moved southeast across the Northern Indiana CWA. Measured wind gusts were to 78 MPH with other unconfirmed wind gusts estimated over 90 MPH. Trees and power lines down and the most widespread damage was north of a Michigan City to Van Wert Ohio line. Three deaths occurred during the event all the result of large trees crushing vehicles.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at May 21, 12:40 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 21, 12:40 PM EST, 30 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 1240 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004 .AVIATION... THUNDERSTORMS MOVG ESE ALONG FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS NRN IN ATTM. STORMS APPEAR TO BE CAUSING FRONT TO BE FCST TOO FAR TO THE SOUTH BY THE MODELS. POSSIBLE THAT CLUSTER OF STORMS OVER NE IA WILL ALSO MOVE ACROSS THE TERMINALS THIS EVE... WENT WITH VCTS FOR NOW. LATER TONIGHT EXPECT THE FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH OF THE AREA RESULTING IN VFR CONDITIONS. && .UPDATE... QUICK ZONES/GRIDS TO INCREASE POPS AND ADD SVR WATCH HEADLINE IN SERN PORTION OF CWA. && .PREV DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM... FORECAST CHALLENGE IS SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL FOR THIS AFTERNOON. FRONTAL BOUNDARY BISECTING FORECAST AREA WILL SHIFT JUST A BIT FARTHER SOUTH THIS AM...THEN RETURN NORTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...FOCUSING CONVECTION. THOUGH SIGNIFICANT TRIGGER ALOFT MISSING...LOW LEVEL FRONTAL CONVERGENCE AND A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS...CAPES TO 2000 J/KG...WILL LEAD TO STORM GENERATION. 850 THROUGH 700 MB WINDS PROGGED TO INCREASE TO 40 TO 50 KT THIS EVENING...SUPPORTING DAY 1 OUTLOOK FOR SEVERE. AFTER MIDNIGHT...EXPECT JUST ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS...MAINLY OVER NORTHERN SECTIONS OF FORECAST AREA. NGM MOS TEMPERATURES...WHICH ARE A BLEND OF COOLER GFS AND WARMER ETA MOS HIGHS FOR TODAY...LOOK BEST. PREFER WARMER ETA MOS LOWS FOR TONIGHT...GIVEN CURRENT DEWPOINTS AND BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING. LONG TERM... SIGNIFICANT MODEL DIFFERENCES EXIST WITH REGARD TO MID LEVEL AND SURFACE FEATURES FROM SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. ETA HAS TRENDED WEAKER AND FASTER WITH 500 MB FEATURES AND CONSEQUENTLY PUSHES COLD FRONT SOUTH THROUGH REGION QUICKER THAN GFS...WHICH EXHIBITED BETTER RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY. SOME FEEDBACK PROBLEMS WERE INDICATED IN GFS...HOWEVER...LEADING TO A SOMEWHAT STRONG MID LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND CONSEQUENT PLACEMENT OF SURFACE LOW TOO FAR NORTH AND WEST. ASIDE FROM ABOVE DISCREPANCY...UKMET AND GEM SUPPORT GFS...SO WILL LEAN TOWARD ITS SOLUTION. THUS...WILL ONLY GO WITH CHANCE POPS FAR NORTH ON SATURDAY. WILL INCLUDE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT ENTIRE FORECAST AREA...WITH HIGHEST POPS ON SUNDAY NIGHT AS COLD FRONT DROPS THROUGH REGION. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. && JT
Hazardous weather outlook, May 21, 6:15 AM EST, 6 hours 55 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 615 AM EST FRI MAY 21 2004 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-221100- ADAMS IN-ALLEN OH-ALLEN IN-BERRIEN MI-BLACKFORD IN-BRANCH MI-CASS MI- CASS IN-DE KALB IN-DEFIANCE OH-ELKHART IN-FULTON OH-FULTON IN- GRANT IN-HENRY OH-HILLSDALE MI-HUNTINGTON IN-JAY IN-KOSCIUSKO IN- LA PORTE IN-LAGRANGE IN-MARSHALL IN-MIAMI IN-NOBLE IN-PAULDING OH- PULASKI IN-PUTNAM OH-ST. JOSEPH MI-ST. JOSEPH IN-STARKE IN- STEUBEN IN-VAN WERT OH-WABASH IN-WELLS IN-WHITE IN-WHITLEY IN- WILLIAMS OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANGOLA...ARCHBOLD...AUBURN... BENTON HARBOR...BENTON HEIGHTS...BERNE...BLUFFTON...BREMEN...BRYAN... BUCHANAN...BUTLER...COLDWATER...COLUMBIA CITY...DECATUR...DEFIANCE... DELPHOS...DOWAGIAC...DUNKIRK...DUNLAP...ELKHART...FAIR PLAIN... FAIRMOUNT...FORT SHAWNEE...FORT WAYNE...GARRETT...GAS CITY... GEORGETOWN...GOSHEN...GRANGER...GRISSOM AFB...GULIVOIRE PARK... HARTFORD CITY...HICKSVILLE...HILLSDALE...HUNTINGTON...KENDALLVILLE... KNOX...LA PORTE...LAGRANGE...LIGONIER...LIMA...LOGANSPORT...MARION... MICHIGAN CITY...MISHAWAKA...MONTICELLO...MONTPELIER...NAPOLEON... NAPPANEE...NEW HAVEN...NILES...NORTH MANCHESTER...OSSIAN...OTTAWA... PERU...PLYMOUTH...PORTLAND...ROCHESTER...SIMONTON LAKE... SOUTH BEND...ST. JOSEPH...STURGIS...SWANTON...SYRACUSE... THREE RIVERS...TRAIL CREEK...TRI-LAKES...UPLAND...VAN WERT... WABASH...WARSAW...WAUSEON...WESTVILLE...WINAMAC AND WINONA LAKE 615 AM EST FRI MAY 21 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN INDIANA...NORTHWEST OHIO AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...NORTHERN INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DAMAGING WIND WILL BE THE MOST LIKELY FORM OF SEVERE WEATHER. THUNDERSORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE FOCUSED ALONG A WARM FRONT LIFTING SLOWLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REGION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTEME SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN ON SATURDAY AND ACROSS THE AREA FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY DUE TO A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OSCILLATING OVER THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BY LATE AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/IWX BARJENBRUCH
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 21, 12:39 PM EST, 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1239 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1114 AM FLASH FLOOD BERRIEN SPRINGS 41.95N 86.34W
05/21/2004 BERRIEN MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
*** 7 INJ *** FROM 1114 TO 1140 AM EST...TREES AND
POWERLINES DOWN COUNTYWIDE. LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED 7
PEOPLE INJURED AND 6 BUILDINGS DAMAGED.
&&
WAMSLEY/STRASSBERGLocal storm report, May 21, 12:41 PM EST, 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1241 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1235 PM HAIL LEESBURG 41.33N 85.85W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH KOSCIUSKO IN AMATEUR RADIO
AMATEUR RADIO REPORTED DIME SIZE HAIL.
&&
WAMSLEY/STRASSBERGLocal storm report, May 21, 12:43 PM EST, 27 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1243 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1114 AM TSTM WND DMG BERRIEN SPRINGS 41.95N 86.34W
05/21/2004 BERRIEN MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
*** 7 INJ *** FROM 1114 TO 1140 AM EST...TREES AND
POWERLINES DOWN COUNTYWIDE. LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED 7
PEOPLE INJURED AND 6 BUILDINGS DAMAGED.
&&
WAMSLEY/STRASSBERGLocal storm report, May 21, 12:47 PM EST, 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1247 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 PM HAIL 10 E LAGRANGE 41.64N 85.22W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH LAGRANGE IN EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
WAMSLEY/STRASSBERGLocal storm report, May 21, 12:53 PM EST, 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1253 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1237 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NE ALBION 41.44N 85.37W
05/21/2004 NOBLE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN.
&&
WAMSLEY/STRASSBERGLocal storm report, May 21, 1:07 PM EST, 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
107 PM EST FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 PM TSTM WND DMG HILLSDALE 41.93N 84.64W
05/21/2004 HILLSDALE MI EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN REPORTED COUNTYWIDE.
&&
WAMSLEY/STRASSBERGThe radar
The Detroit radar (KDTX), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:12 UTC.
Event by event
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Van Wert
- When
- May 21, 1:56 PM EST
- Where
- Van Wert County, Van Wert
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 40.867, -84.567
Emergency management reported a telephone pole down in Van Wert.
Hail, Allen
- When
- May 21, 2:06 PM EST
- Where
- Allen County, Lima
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 40.750, -84.100
Thunderstorm Wind, Van Wert
- When
- May 21, 2:06 PM EST
- Where
- Van Wert County, Van Wert
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 40.867, -84.567
Amateur radio reported a semi truck blown over in Van Wert.
Thunderstorm Wind, Paulding
- When
- May 21, 2:10 PM EST
- Where
- Paulding County, 2 mi S of Payne
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 41.050, -84.717
Emergency management reported trees down south of Payne.
Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam
- When
- May 21, 2:10 PM EST
- Where
- Putnam County, 8 mi SSE of Kalida
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 40.883, -84.117
General public reported an estimated wind gust to 60 MPH.
Thunderstorm Wind, Putnam
- When
- May 21, 2:20 PM EST to 2:40 PM EST
- Where
- Putnam County, Countywide
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 41.017, -84.117
Emergency management reported trees and power lines down countywide.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 21, 2004
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Iowa, May 21 to 22, 2004
- Tornado in Iowa, May 21, 2004
- Flooding in Michigan, May 21 to 23, 2004
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Ohio, May 21, 2004
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Ohio, May 21 to 22, 2004
- Tornado and Hail in Ohio, May 21, 2004
- Flash Flooding in Ohio, May 21, 2004
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, May 21, 2004
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, May 21, 2004
- Flooding in Ohio, May 21 to 24, 2004
- Flood and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 21, 2004
More
Every storm in Ohio in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, May 2004
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5397806, 5397807, 5397892, 5397893, 5397894, 5397895, 5397896.