A pre-frontal trough moved through during the first part of the day, limiting destabilization in many areas until early afternoon when skies cleared somewhat in northwestern parts of the area. A weak cold front and lake breeze triggered convective development.
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.
A pre-frontal trough moved through during the first part of the day, limiting destabilization in many areas until early afternoon when skies cleared somewhat in northwestern parts of the area. A weak cold front and lake breeze triggered convective development. Overall shear and instability was rather limited, allowing for only pulse type storms. However, the boundaries remained nearly stationary with a period of back building and training thunderstorms, causing flash flooding 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 Jul 28, 1:54 PM CST, 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 354 PM EDT TUE JUL 28 2009 .SHORT TERM... MAIN FEATURE IN THE SHORT TERM IS DEEP LOW CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN ONTARIO PULLING AWAY SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST WITH AN ASSOC SFC FRONT DRAPED TO ITS SOUTH ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. THIS FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE THROUGH THE CWA LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY CONTINUING PRECIP CHANCES THROUGH THE PERIOD. MORNING SHOWERS/PERSISTENT CLOUD COVER ASSOCIATED WITH A SUBTLE PRE FRONTAL TROF HELD OFF INSTABILITY THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT SPC MESOANALYSIS SHOWS THAT SUNSHINE IS FINALLY GENERATING SIGNIFICANT INSTABILITY WITH SBCAPES > 2000 AND LI/S -2 TO -4. SO FAR...BEST VALUES ARE ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER WHERE STORMS HAVE ALREADY FORMED WHERE STEADY STATE FLOW IS INTERACTING WITH THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THE LAKE BREEZE...AND IN THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST WHICH WAS LEAST IMPACTED THIS MORNING AND HAS SEEN THE MOST SUN TODAY. THE ENVIRONMENT IS STILL NOT SUPPORTIVE OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE THREAT WITH WEAK FLOW ALFOT / 25 KTS AT H5 ON WOLCOTT PROFILER WITH UNIDIRECTIONAL VERTICAL PROFILE / ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED SEVERE CELLS ARE POSSIBLE. WITH EVENTUAL COVERAGE IN QUESTION HAVE RETAINED CHANCE POPS THROUGH THIS EVENING WEIGHTED TO THE AREAS WITH ONGOING ACTIVTY/DEEPEST INSTABILITY. GRIDS OVERNIGHT STILL APPEAR IN GOOD SHAPE WITH DECENT MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE BNDRY WHICH FINALLY BEGINS TO MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE CWA. MINOR TEAKS TO FRONTAL TIMING BASED ON THE 12Z NAM WHICH SHOWS ACTIVITY SLIDING SOUTHEAST ON WEDNESDAY LIMINTING MORNING PRECIP TO THE SOUTHEAST HALF...WITH THE FRONT FINALLY CLEARING THE CWA WEDNESAY EVENING...RESULTING IN PRECIP CHANCES LINGERING OVER THE SOUTHEAST BORDER COUNTIES THROUGH THE DAY. VERY MILD TEMPS AGAIN TONIGHT WITH A QUITE MOIST BOUDARY LAYER IN PLACE AND SIGNIFICANT CLOUD COVER EXPECTED. WENT WARMER THAN THE MET GUIDANCE FOR LOWS WHILE USING A MET/MAV/PERSISTENCE BLEND FOR WEDNESDAYS HIGHS. && .LONG TERM.../WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING/... THE LONG TERM FORECAST WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BLOCKING PATTERN OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND WEST COAST OF NORTH AMERICA. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A PRONOUNCED REX BLOCK OVER THE PACIFIC AND AT THE PRESENT TIME THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT THIS IS GOING TO BREAK DOWN ANYTIME SOON. THIS IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE GFS SOLUTION OF WEAKENING THIS BLOCK THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. GIVEN THE PERSISTENT NATURE OF THE REX BLOCKS...FEEL THAT THE ECMWF AND UKMET WOULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THE BROAD SYNOPTIC PATTERN. THIS LEADS TO THE MORE DIFFICULT PART OF THE FORECAST...TRANSLATING THIS TO THE SUB-SYNOPTIC SCALE. THE PATTERN CONTINUES COOL AND UNSETTLED THROUGH THE PERIOD AND WITH THE NEXT FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO BE PASSING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. WHILE EXACT TIMING AND PLACEMENT WILL BE CRITICAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS...HAVE INTRODUCED 6 HOURLY POPS FOR THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THIS ALLOWS US TO PUSH POPS AROUND A FEW HOURS AND RETAIN THE GENERAL PATTERN. THE KEY TO DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS WILL BE THE EXTENT AND TIMING OF CONVECTION OVER THE HIGH PLAINS AND UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. AGAIN WITH THE PERSISTENT PATTERN THIS SUMMER...CONFIDENCE IS HIGH FOR THE FORMATION. THEN IT BECOMES A MATTER OF PROPAGATION. HAVE OPTED TO USE THE HPC GUIDANCE VALUES TO ESTABLISH THE //PATTERN// OF DEVELOPMENT...BUT HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS FOR TIMING AND LOCATION. APPEARS THAT THERE WILL BE A BREAK BETWEEN SYSTEMS OVER THE WEEKEND...AND AGAIN HAVE OPTED TO SANDWICH SATURDAY WITH 6 HOUR POP/WX GRIDS TO ALLOW US TO ADJUST AND TWEAK AS NEEDED. LITTLE IF ANY CHANGE TO THE CURRENT TEMPERATURE FORECAST. STILL AT OR BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION... CDFNT OVER NRN IL IS SLOWLY WORKING ITS WAY TOWARD THE TERMINALS. -SHRA ACROSS THE AREA ARE DIMINISHING AS THEY MOVE ENE AND MAY SEE A -SHRA AFFECT KFWA BUT EXPECT VFR CONDS TO CONT. BIG QUESTION COMES WITH RA/TS DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPECT TO SEE SOME CONVECTIVE PRECIP DEVELOP NEAR 21Z ACROSS THE FA AND MAY HAVE TO MONITOR TERMINALS FOR VSBY/CIG RESTRICTIONS...BUT NOT CONFIDENT IN TIMING AND COVERAGE SO ONLY ADDED VCTS AT THIS TIME. MAY SEE SOME MVFR BR DEVELOP BETWEEN 06-13Z AT KFWA WITH LIGHT WINDS AND PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN PLACE BUT WILL BURN OFF SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. CDFNT WILL PUSH THROUGH KSBN WED NEAR THE 13Z TIME FRAME AND NEAR THE END OF THE TAF PD AT KFWA SO HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR THE WIND SHIFT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && SHORT TERM...LUD LONG TERM...LEWIS AVIATION...WEISSER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 534 AM EDT TUE JUL 28 2009 INZ004>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ078>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-290945- 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-CASS MI- ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY- PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...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...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...WAUSEON... ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA... PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA 534 AM EDT TUE JUL 28 2009 /434 AM CDT TUE JUL 28 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY...THURSDAY NIGHT...AND SUNDAY. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX INZ003-LMZ043-046-MIZ077-290945- LA PORTE-NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI- MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-BERRIEN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN 534 AM EDT TUE JUL 28 2009 /434 AM CDT TUE JUL 28 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE BERRIEN COUNTY SHORELINE TODAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY...THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...AND SUNDAY. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
347 PM EDT TUE JUL 28 2009
INZ003-004-MIZ077-078-282030-
BERRIEN MI-CASS MI-LA PORTE IN-ST. JOSEPH IN-
347 PM EDT TUE JUL 28 2009
AT 244 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHERN LAPORTE COUNTY MOVING EAST
AT 15 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
BUCHANAN...
NEW CARLISLE...
HUDSON LAKE...
GALIEN AND CRUMSTOWN...
CHAIN-O-LAKES...LYDICK AND DAYTON...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 90 IN INDIANA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 38 AND
83.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 94 IN INDIANA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 33 AND
45.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 94 IN MICHIGAN BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 0 AND 7.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES.
SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 4175 8689 4176 8684 4182 8676 4193 8619
4163 8610 4157 8695 4172 8695
TIME...MOT...LOC 1947Z 252DEG 14KT 4170 8659
BJSThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:54 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotters reported ping pong ball size hail at the intersection of County Road 200 North and Wozniak Road.
A CoCoRaHS observer reported penny size hail, as well as 1.50 inches of rain in a half hour.
Local newspapers reported trees and power lines down from Michigan City into LaPorte and Rolling Prairie. No structure damage was reported.
Law enforcement officials reported a few trees down in the Wakarusa area.
Law enforcement officials reported a few trees down in the Goshen area.
Numerous reports were received of flash flooding across many parts of Michigan City. Video footage showed water flowing over many roadways, averaging at least a foot deep, causing some vehicles to stall. At one point, all lanes on US 20 between Johnson road and US 421 were closed due to flowing water over the highway. A CoCoRaHS observer southeast of Trail Creek reported a storm total of 5.64 inches of rain, with an observer on the southwest side of Michigan City reporting 4.10 inches of rain. Rainfall amounts quickly tapered south of Michigan City with locations as far south as the Kingsbury area not even seeing a quarter inch. No reports of injuries or fatalities were noted as a result of the flooding. Damage amounts in terms of washout repairs, basements flooding and other types of damage are estimated at $250,000.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, July 2009
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: 176292, 176504, 181367, 176293, 176294, 176503.