Weak instability and moderate shear associated with a northward moving warm front allowed a favorable environment for several small clusters of storms to become severe, mainly producing pockets of damaging winds. One storm exhibiting supercell characteristics began producing more focus damage in Wabash County, with a brief tornado developing on the north side of Columbia City in Whitley County.
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.
Weak instability and moderate shear associated with a northward moving warm front allowed a favorable environment for several small clusters of storms to become severe, mainly producing pockets of damaging winds. One storm exhibiting supercell characteristics began producing more focus damage in Wabash County, with a brief tornado developing on the north side of Columbia City in Whitley County. A few hail reports were also received.
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 Mar 8, 9:45 AM EST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1045 AM EDT SUN MAR 8 2009
.UPDATE...
PREVIOUS FORECAST LOOKING VERY GOOD AND HAVE ONLY MADE SOME MINOR
ADJUSTMENTS THIS MORNING. VERY STRONG SURFACE BOUNDARY NOW LOCATED
JUST SOUTH OF THE CWA WITH TEMPS PRETTY MUCH IN THE 40S CWA-WIDE.
BAND OF HEAVIER RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH A BAND OF FN CONVERGENCE
AROUND THE H850 LEVEL IS BEGINNING TO PULL NORTH AND EAST AS FLOW
AT THIS LEVEL SOUTH OF THE 850 FRONT BEGINS TO BACK SOME IN
RESPONSE TO THE INTENSE SHORTWAVE PULLING INTO IOWA/MISSOURI ATTM.
FOLLOWING CLOSER TO THE NAM EVOLUTION IN THE NEAR TERM GIVEN IT/S
SUPERIOR INITIALIZATION AT 12UTC...ALONG WITH THE RUC WHICH IS
QUITE SIMILAR...IT APPEARS THE SURFACE FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH TO A
LINE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ROUTE 30 AND ROUTE 6...PRETTY MUCH
BISECTING THE CWA. SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY...SVR POTENTIAL IS
LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKELY AS NEGATIVELY TILTED SHORTWAVE
ARRIVES LATER TODAY WITH 90-100KT SPEED MAX AT 500 HPA. SHEAR
LOOKS IMPRESSIVE AT ALL LEVELS AND AS IS TYPICAL THIS TIME OF
YEAR...MAIN QUESTION WILL BE THE INSTABILITY. COLD POOL ALOFT
APPEARS TO ARRIVE IN THE AREA AROUND 21Z...JUST AHEAD OF THE
SURFACE COLD FRONT AND IN THE WARM SECTOR...WITH 300-500 J/KG OF
CAPE POSSIBLY DEVELOPING...PARTICULARLY OVER THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF
THE CWA...ALONG AND SOUTH OF ROUTE 30. THIS WILL BE PLENTY GIVEN
THE STRONG DYNAMICS TO DEVELOP ROBUST CONVECTION WITH DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BOTH POSSIBLE GIVEN THE IMPRESSIVE WIND
FIELD...AND WELL POSITIONED WET BULB ZERO LINE. SLIGHT RISK FROM
SPC IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THIS THINKING AND THEREFORE WILL
CONTINUE SVR MENTION IN MY OH/IN ZONES.
ALL THE FLAGS LOOK FINE GIVEN SOME MINOR FLOOD PROBLEMS THIS
MORNING AND SOME ADDITIONAL RAINFALL. ALSO...WIND THREAT LOOKS
INTACT THIS EVENING WITH STRONG COLD ADVECTION IN THE WAKE OF THE
DEPARTING LOW...IN TANDEM WITH AN INTENSE STRATOSPHERIC INTRUSION
OF DRY AIR.
UPDATED GRIDS/PRODUCTS ARE OUT.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 730 AM EDT SUN MAR 8 2009/
AVIATION...
IFR CONDITIONS WITH WIDESPREAD RAIN, LOW CIGS, AND SCT TSTMS CONTG
NORTH OF STNRY FRONT ACROSS NRN IN/IL ATTM. FRONT SHOULD LIFT
NORTH OF THE AREA THIS AFTN ALLOWING FOR BRIEF IMPROVEMENT, BUT
WILL QUICKLY BE FOLLOWED BY COLD FRONT TOWARD EVE. ADDITIONAL
TSTMS ARE PSBL WITH THE FROPA. BEHIND THE FRONT STRONG WLY WINDS
WITH GUSTS AROUND 40KTS ARE EXPECTED MUCH OF THE NIGHT. WRAP
AROUND LOW CLOUDS SHOULD KEEP MVFR CIGS OVER THE AREA THROUGH
MONDAY MORNING.
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 616 AM EDT SUN MAR 8 2009/
UPDATE...
TEMPS SOUTH OF FRONT OVER CENTRAL IL/IN IN THE L-M60S ATTM. MODELS
ARE A BIT TOO COOL IN THIS AREA. EXPECT THIS WARMER AIR WILL
OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS AFTN AS THE FRONT LIFTS NE. BUMPED UP
HIGHS ABOUT A CATEGORY ACROSS THE CWA WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE
U40S NORTH TO THE MID 60S SOUTH. HIGHS IN THE NE MAY ACTUALLY
OCCUR EARLY THIS EVE AFTER 00Z.
DISCUSSION...
STNRY FRONT FROM OH TO KS THIS MORNING WAS THE FOCUS FOR A LARGE
AREA OF RAIN ALONG AND NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY. BULK OF TSTM ACTIVITY
ATTM REMAINS WEST OF OUR AREA FROM IL-KS CLOSER TO NOSE OF LLJ. AS
STRONG SHRTWV LIFTS NE FROM SRN PLAINS TODAY, ATTENDANT SFC/H85
LOW WILL DEEPEN AND LLJ WILL ALSO PROGRESS NE CAUSING UPSTREAM
SHOWERS AND TSTMS TO MOVE EAST ACROSS OUR CWA. ALREADY OVER AN
INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE CWA AND APPEARS GOOD POTENTIAL
FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN TODAY SO CONTD WITH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH
THIS EVE. WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS
THE AREA THIS AFTN. SHOULD BE A BRIEF BREAK IN PRECIP AS THIS
OCCURS. WK SFC BASED INSTABILITY IN THE WARM SECTOR COMBINED WITH
HIGH SHEAR ENVIRONMENT SUGGESTS POTENTIAL FOR SVR TSTMS
ALONG/AHEAD OF CDFNT MOVG THROUGH THE AREA LATE THIS AFTN/THIS
EVE WITH BEST CHC IN SOUTH WHERE INSTABILITY WILL BE GREATEST. BEHIND THE
FRONT A STRONG PRESSURE/ISALLOBARIC GRADIENT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
CWA TONIGHT. STEEPENING LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES DUE TO CAA SHOULD
ALLOW STRONG WINDS TO MIX DOWN TO SFC FOR A 3-6HR PD WITH GUSTS
AROUND 40KT EXPECTED, THUS, ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR TONIGHT.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA MONDAY PROVIDING FAIR WX.
RIDGING ALOFT WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA DURING THE DAY MONDAY AS
ANOTHER SHRTWV DIGS INTO MEAN WRN TROF. WITH CONSIDERABLE SUNSHINE
EXPECTED, THIS SHOULD ALLOW HIGHS TO AGAIN RECOVER TO ABOVE NORMAL
READINGS IN THE U40S-L50S OVER MOST OF THE AREA...A LITTLE COLDER
NEAR LM WHERE LAKE BREEZE WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE DAY AS GRADIENT
DIMINISHES. FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS EXPECTED TO SURGE BACK NORTH INTO
THE LWR OH VALLEY MONDAY NIGHT AS ANOTHER STRONG SHRTWV DIGS INTO
THE CENTRAL ROCKIES CAUSING SFC LOW TO DVLP OVER CO/KS. MODELS IN
GOOD AGREEMENT ON OVER-RUNNING SHOWERS SPREADING INTO THE AREA
AHEAD OF THE FRONT MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING SO BUMPED UP
POPS INCREASED POPS 20-30% DURING THIS PERIOD. DEEP LOW PRESSURE
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SHRTWV EXPECTED TO LIFT NE TO THE UPR GRTLKS
TUE NGT WITH STRONG CDFNT PUSHING EAST ACROSS OUR AREA. AGAIN SOME
WK INSTABILITY SHOULD OVERSPREAD THE AREA IN THE WARM SECTOR, HWVR
QUESTIONABLE HOW MUCH MOISTURE WILL REMAIN AS THE CDFNT MOVES
THROUGH, SO LEFT POPS FOR TUE NGT IN THE CHC CATEGORY. NO SGFNT
CHANGES MADE TO DAYS 4-7, WHICH STILL APPEARS TO BE A COOL/DRY PD
AS CANADIAN SFC HIGH MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE GRTLKS.
&&
.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR
INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM EDT /5 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EDT
/5 AM CDT/ MONDAY FOR INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-
032>034.
MI...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR MIZ077>081.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EDT MONDAY FOR
MIZ077>081.
OH...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EDT MONDAY FOR
OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025.
LM...GALE WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 2 AM EDT MONDAY FOR
LMZ043-046.
&&
SHORT TERM...JT
LONG TERM...JT
AVIATION...JT
UPDATE...ARNOTTHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 601 AM EDT SUN MAR 8 2009 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-091015- 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 601 AM EDT SUN MAR 8 2009 /501 AM CDT SUN MAR 8 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TODAY... POSSIBLY CAUSING FLOODING OF RIVERS... STREAMS...AND LOW LYING AREAS. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY... A FEW OF WHICH MAY BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT SOUTH OF ROUTE 30. WIDESPREAD WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME FLOODING OF RIVERS IN THE AREA DUE TO THIS WEEKEND'S HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-091015- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 601 AM EDT SUN MAR 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WEST GALES ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT ARE EXPECTED MUCH OF THE PERIOD MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY EVENING. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/PROGRAM_AREAS/MARINE/INDEX.PHP
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1124 AM EDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1123 AM FLOOD BLUFFTON 40.74N 85.17W
03/08/2009 WELLS IN EMERGENCY MNGR
NUMEROUS COUNTY ROADS COVERED BY WATER. WATER
APPROACHING RESIDENCES IN RURAL AREAS.
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0902474
ARNOTTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1146 AM EDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1139 AM HEAVY RAIN COLUMBIA CITY 41.16N 85.48W
03/08/2009 M2.44 INCH WHITLEY IN TRAINED SPOTTER
2.44 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 7 PM SATURDAY
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0902475
LWFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1150 AM EDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1149 AM HEAVY RAIN AKRON 41.04N 86.02W
03/08/2009 M2.10 INCH FULTON IN TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOODING IN FIELDS NEAR MAIN ROADS
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0902476
LMKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1203 PM EDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1202 PM FLOOD ELIDA 40.79N 84.20W
03/08/2009 ALLEN OH NWS EMPLOYEE
INTERSECTION OF GREENWOOD AND 309 IN ELIDA IS NEARLY
IMPASSABLE DUE TO FLOODING
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0902477
LMKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1208 PM EDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1207 PM FLOOD FORT WAYNE 41.07N 85.14W
03/08/2009 ALLEN IN TRAINED SPOTTER
YARD FLOODING IN PARTS OF FORT WAYNE
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0902478
LMKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1212 PM EDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1211 PM HEAVY RAIN COLUMBUS GROVE 40.92N 84.06W
03/08/2009 M2.60 INCH PUTNAM OH TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL 2.60 INCHES OF RAIN SO FAR. SPOTTER REPORTS
FLOODING OF SEVERAL LOW LYING STREETS IN COLUMBUS GROVE.
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0902479
LMKThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:08 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 lightning, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Firefighters arrived at the residence on East County Road 100 South, east of Monroe to find the front of the house engulfed in flames. Several construction issues made it difficult to fight with the house being a total loss. The damage was estimated at around $100,000.
The public reported the fabric cover to a building being blown off as well as shingle damage to a house.
Emergency management officials reported scattered trees and power lines down around Monticello.
Emergency management officials reported the back half of a roof was ripped off a local business. No injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at $15,000.
Emergency management officials reported a large tree fell onto a residence.
Emergency management officials reported two mobile homes, as well as a block building suffering heavy damamge. No injuries were reported. The Grisson Air Force Base reported a 61 mph wind gust.
A trained spotter reported a six inch diameter tree down on State Route 16, just west of Denver.
Emergency management officials reported nickel size hail at Grissom Air Force Base.
Emergency management officials reported a barn roof was blown off at County Road 250 North and State Route 19. Damage is estimated at $20,000.
A National Weather Service (NWS) survey team examined the damage at a farm west of North Manchester on State Route 114. Over half of a barn roof was removed from strong winds, likely around 70 mph, entering through a possible door opening. Adjacent buildings, including a house, suffered minor damage, including siding and some shingles. A wooden playground suffered damage from the winds as did some shingles on the residence. Damage is estimated at around $60,000 for the barn and around $5,000 for the swing set and roof damage.
Trained spotters reported 2 utility poles being snapped on State Route 105, just north of Bippus.
A local newspaper reported that quarter size hail was observed in Bippus.
The circulation rapidly touched down on the southern outskirts of the Countryside Mobile Home Park and moved northeast through the eastern part of the park. As the circulation intensified, extensive damage occurred to 6 mobile homes which were severely damaged or destroyed. An additional 20 trailers in the immediate area suffered varying amount of damage from ripped skirting to some shifting off blocks. At least one trailer was occupied at the time of the tornado, but luckily no injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at around one half million dollars.
A trained spotter reported penny size hail at State Route 14 and Interstate 69.
Amateur radio operators reported roof damage to a barn, with shingles torn off a adjacent house. Damage estimated at around $1000. In addition, the Fort Wayne Indiana ASOS reported a 61 mph wind gust and spotters reported a 68 mph wind gust in Fort Wayne.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Indiana, 2009Warnings in Indiana, March 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: 161053, 158729, 158730, 160729, 158733, 158751, 160727, 158530, 160732, 160768, 160847, 161167, 151324, 158529, 160868.