Lake-Effect Snow in Indiana, January 14 to 15, 2009

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in Indiana, January 14 to 15, 2009
Start: 2009-01-14T17:00
End: 2009-01-15T08:00
Location: Indiana

January 14 to 15, 2009 · NWS IWX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A single lake effect snow band affected portions of northwest Indiana late January 14th into early January 15. An Alberta Clipper tracked through the northern Ohio Valley on January 14th.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

A single lake effect snow band affected portions of northwest Indiana late January 14th into early January 15. An Alberta Clipper tracked through the northern Ohio Valley on January 14th. An arctic airmass filtered in behind this system, with strong northerly flow over the relatively warm lake waters leading to the lake effect snow activity.

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 Jan 14, 3:04 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 14, 3:04 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 14, 4:58 AM CST, 12 hours 2 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 14, 12:44 PM CST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 14, 12:51 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 14, 1:04 PM CST, 3 hours 56 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 14, 2:10 PM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 14, 3:22 PM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jan 14, 3:45 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

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Event by event

2 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, La Porte

When: January 14, 5:00 PM CST to January 15, 3:00 AM CST
Where: La Porte forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A heavy, type 1, lake effect snow band pivoted through the west to east late January 14th into the early morning hours on January 15. Intense snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches were reported within this band, with total snowfall amounts ranging between 6 and 12 inches. A trained spotter reported 8.3 inches of snow 5 miles north of La Porte. Gusty winds and heavy snow rates led to visibilities near zero and blowing snow.

Lake-Effect Snow, St. Joseph

When: January 15, 12:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where: St. Joseph forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

A heavy, type 1, lake effect snow band pivoted through the west to east during the early morning hours of January 15th. Intense snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches were reported within this band, with total snowfall amounts ranging between 5 and 10 inches. The South Bend Regional Airport reported 6.3 of total snow accumulation. Gusty winds and heavy snow rates led to visibilities near zero and blowing snow.

What these are

Lake-Effect Snow: Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Indiana, January 2009

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 141284, 141285.