Cold northwesterly winds crossed relatively warm Lake Michigan waters early November 20th. This resulted in lake-induced instability and multiple lake-effect snow bands during the day November 20th.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Cold northwesterly winds crossed relatively warm Lake Michigan waters early November 20th. This resulted in lake-induced instability and multiple lake-effect snow bands during the day November 20th. A secondary trough moved through in the afternoon, which aided in the development of an intense single band (Type 3 Lake Effect Snow event) that night into the first half of November 21st. Amounts of 6-14 inches were reported within this heavy lake effect snow band.
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 Nov 19, 5:34 PM CST, 17 hours 26 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotters across the county reported snowfall totals generally between 4 and 8 inches, with the heaviest snowfall falling very early on Friday, November 21st. There was a report of 6.8 in La Porte and 5.1 in Rolling Prairie. There were reports of several slide-offs and some accidents.
Spotters across the county reported snowfall totals generally between 4 and 8 inches, with the heaviest snowfall falling very early on Friday, November 21st from Plymouth northwest to just east of Walkerton. There was a report of 8 1 mile southeast of Plymouth. Several slide-offs and some accidents were reported.
Spotters across the county reported snowfall totals generally between 4 and 10 inches, with the heaviest snowfall falling very early on Friday, November 21st. There were reports of 8 to 10 inches of snow accumulation near Knox. Several slide-offs and some accidents were reported.
Spotters across the county reported snowfall totals generally between 4 and 11 inches, with the heaviest snowfall falling very early on Friday, November 21st in the South Bend area. There were reports of 10.2 in South Bend and 5.8 in Mishawaka. There were reports of several slide-offs and some accidents.
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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 135778, 135781, 135782, 135780.