Deepening low pressure moved into northwestern Wisconsin with a strong cold front extending from it into the southern Great Lakes. Abundant moisture and a strong wind field set the state for a line of strong to severe storms to move into northwest parts of Indiana during the late evening hours of April 25th into the early morning hours of the 26th.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS IWX wrote it up.
Deepening low pressure moved into northwestern Wisconsin with a strong cold front extending from it into the southern Great Lakes. Abundant moisture and a strong wind field set the state for a line of strong to severe storms to move into northwest parts of Indiana during the late evening hours of April 25th into the early morning hours of the 26th. While most activity remained below severe limits, a small cluster of storms was able to tap the strong wind fields and cause damaging winds in some areas.
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 Apr 25, 8:00 PM EST, 2 hours 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
900 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2008
.UPDATE...
UPDATING CURRENT ZONE FORECAST TO REMOVE AFTERNOON WORDING.
OTHERWISE FORECAST ON TRACK. PRE-FRONTAL SHOWERS HAVE STARTED TO
MOVE INTO THE FAR WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. BEGINNING TO
LOSE THE INSTABILITY FROM EARLIER IN THE DAY...AND EXPECT THAT THE
SEVERE POTENTIAL IS DWINDLING. EXPECT ISOLATED SEVERE POTENTIAL IN
THE FAR WEST...THEN LESS LIKELY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. WINDS
WILL REMAIN GUSTY THROUGH LATE IN THE DAY SATURDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...
STRONG COLD FRONT TO IMPACT THE AREA TONIGHT...SBN BETWEEN 02 AND
04Z AND TO FWA BETWEEN 03 AND 06Z. THE INITIAL CONVECTION WILL BE
INTENSE IN THE WEST...HOWEVER AS THE FRONT SHIFTS EAST...INSTABILITY
WILL DIMINISH SOMEWHAT AND EXPECT THAT TSRA WILL BE LESS ORGANIZED
AS THE FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH FWA. ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT WINDS
WILL BE QUITE STRONG AND WIDESPREAD IFR AND OCCASION LIFR
CONDITIONS.
POST FRONTAL...MVFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER
FROPA...WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY SATURDAY.
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...
...PROBLEM OF THE DAY LIES WITH SEVERE POSSIBILITIES WITH CONVECTIVE
LINE ALONG COLD FRONT TONIGHT...
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
AIRMASS HAS DESTABILIZED SUBSTANTIALLY THIS AFTERNOON DESPITE THICK
CIRROSTRATUS BAND WITH TEMPS RISING TO NEAR 80 ACROSS THE CWA AND
SBCAPE VALUES SHOOTING TO NEAR 2K J/KG. SBCAPES SEEM TO BE A LITTLE
OVERDONE WITH MLCAPE VALUES OF AROUND 500 J/KG LOOKING TO BE MORE
REPRESENTATIVE OF A WELL MIXED BOUNDARY LAYER PARCEL. CONVECTIVE
CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON LOOK TO BE VERY SMALL WITH BEST
CHANCE...THOUGH STILL MINIMAL...OF ANYTHING DEVELOPING PARTS OF
NORTHWEST CWA WHERE SPC RUC MESOANALYSIS SHOWS LOWER LFCS AND SOME
MOISTURE CONVERGENCE IN A WEAKLY CAPPED ENVIRONMENT. MAIN SHOW NOW
LIGHTING UP OVER ERN IA/ERN MO WILL BE OUR CONCERN TONIGHT.
AFOREMENTIONED INSTABILITY WILL TO BEGIN TO WANE AFTER DARK BUT
SHOULD STILL BE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN CONVECTION THROUGH THE CWA.
BEST CHANCES OF SVR CONVECTION WILL BE OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF CWA
WHERE STORMS COULD STAY SFC BASED WITH ONLY A SHALLOW ISOTHERMAL
LAYER PRESENT UNTIL A FEW HOURS AFTER DARK. EASTERN HALF CWA WILL
HAVE LOWER SVR PROBS AS INSTABILITY LIKELY TO BE MARGINAL AT BEST
FOR SVR CONVECTION BY THE TIME THE LINE REACHES A MARION, IN TO
THREE RIVERS, MI LINE. STG GUSTY WINDS SHOULD BE THE MAIN THREAT
WITH LINEAR MODE OF CONVECTION WITH MARGINALLY SVR HAIL POSSIBLE
WITH WBZ HEIGHTS 10-11KFT AND SOME CAPE BETWEEN -10 AND -30C. LINE
SHOULD CLEAR THE AREA BY SATURDAY MORNING LEAVING SOME LOW POST
FRONTAL CLOUDS IN ITS WAKE.
SATURDAY...
MODEL FCST SOUNDINGS AND RH FIELDS INDICATING LEFT OVER STRATOCU
SHOULD MIX OUT BY EARLY AFTERNOON OVER THE CWA BUT MADE ONLY MADE
SMALL TWEAKS TO GOING HIGHS TO ACCOUNT FOR CAA IN THE MORNING THAT
COULD SLOW UPWARD TEMP PROGRESSION UNTIL AFTER NOON EDT.
&&
.LONG TERM...
SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...
...MUCH COOLER WEATHER WITH FROST OR FREEZE POTENTIAL NEXT WEEK...
SIGNIFICANT PATTERN CHANGE STILL EXPECTED BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AND
CURRENT FORECAST HAS SITUATION HANDLED WELL. STILL CONCERNS WITH
DETAILS ON STRENGTH AND EVOLUTION OF SURFACE WAVE FOR LATE SUNDAY
INTO MONDAY. GFS REMAINS QUITE STRONG WHILE NAM AND ECMWF REMAIN
WEAKER. WILL CONTINUE WITH LIKELY POPS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT AS MODELS DO
AGREE ON A WAVE WITH AT LEAST SOME PRECIPITATION. THE GFS REMAINS
COLDEST AND DEEPEST WITH LOW LEVEL THICKNESS PROGS AND THERMAL
FIELDS SUGGESTING AT LEAST A CHANCE FOR SNOW. ADDED A CHANCE OF SNOW
SHOWERS TO LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AS TRANSITION PERIOD TO MATCH PREVIOUS
SHIFTS ADDITION OF SNOW SHOWERS ON MONDAY. HIGHS ON MONDAY EXPECTED
TO BE A GOOD 30 DEGREES COLDER THAN TODAY. COLD POCKET ALOFT AND
WRAP AROUND MOISTURE SHOULD STILL ALLOW FOR A CHANCE OF INSTABILITY
SHOWERS ON MONDAY WITH TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE 40S. IF SKIES CAN
CLEAR AND WINDS BECOME LIGHT MONDAY NIGHT...STILL LOOKING AT FROST
OR EVEN FREEZE POTENTIAL WITH TEMPERATURES NEARING THE 30 DEGREE
MARK.
DEVELOPING WARM FRONT TO OUR SOUTH BY MID WEEK LOOKS TO STILL BE A
PLAYER IN OUR FORECAST. MODELS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT
AND LOCATION. GENERALLY LEANING TOWARD A FURTHER SOUTH ECMWF
SOLUTION AT THIS TIME GIVEN COLD AIR AND UPPER LOW TO THE NORTH.
KEPT FORECAST DRY UNTIL FRIDAY WHEN FRONT MAY BE INTO OUR AREA. MUCH
UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS FEATURE AND CONFIDENCE LOW IN PCPN
PROBABILITIES WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...
VFR CONDS SHOULD PREVAIL THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AS SCT CU DEVELOPS
BELOW CIRROSTRATUS VEIL BUT REMAINS ABOVE 3KFT. WINDS WILL CONTINUE
TO HOWL FROM THE SSW AND GUST UP NEAR 30KTS AT TIMES. ISOLATED
CONVECTION NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY AT
KSBN WHERE SBCAPE VALUES APPROACHING 2K J/KG IN WEAKLY CAPPED
ENVIRONMENT. SLOWED TIMING OF PRECIP WITH COLD FRONT TONIGHT WITH
GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE WITH EXPECTED LINE OF CONVECTION. CLOUDS SHOULD
SCATTER BY MID-MORNING SATURDAY ALLOWING VFR CONDS TO DOMINATE THE
DAY.
&&
.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...NONE.
MI...NONE.
OH...NONE.
LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 PM EDT
SATURDAY
FOR LMZ043-046.
&&
SHORT TERM...SIMPSON
LONG TERM...LASHLEY
AVIATION...LEWISHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 945 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2008 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-270145- LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE- PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN- MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-BERRIEN- CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE- HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND... MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...ANGOLA... KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...AUBURN...GARRETT...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON... WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...ROCHESTER...WARSAW... WINONA LAKE...COLUMBIA CITY...SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE... MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...LOGANSPORT...PERU...WABASH... NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR... BERNE...MARION...HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...WAUSEON... ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA... PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA 945 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2008 /845 PM CDT FRI APR 25 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE AROUND FREEZING BOTH MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT ENDANGERING ANY VEGETATION WHICH HAS RECENTLY BEGUN TO GROW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-270145- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 945 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED SATURDAY AND AGAIN MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX JC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 1028 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2008 INZ003-004-012>015-020-022-MIZ077-078-260330- LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-STARKE-PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-WHITE- CASS IN-BERRIEN-CASS MI- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND... MISHAWAKA...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON...WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE... PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...ROCHESTER...MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON... LOGANSPORT...NILES...BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN... DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS 1028 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2008 /928 PM CDT FRI APR 25 2008/ ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE REGION... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH SLOWLY EAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH...MOVE INDOORS FOR SAFETY. JC
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:40 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 61 mph was recorded at the South Bend Regional Airport ASOS.
Local broadcast media reported a large 100 year old tree being blown down by thunderstorm winds, destroying the second story of a residence. Damage is estimated at $50,000.
A 58 mph wind gust was recorded at the Goshen Municipal airport ASOS.
Local law enforcement reported trees and power lines were blown down in and around Middlebury.
Local law enforcement reported a tree down blocking the road near the intersections of County Roads 9 and 32.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, April 2008
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: 86729, 86726, 86730, 86727, 86728.