A cold front moved through during the morning hours of the 11th, with relatively strong wind fields in place. Moderate instability was available, allowing for numerous thunderstorms to develop.
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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 cold front moved through during the morning hours of the 11th, with relatively strong wind fields in place. Moderate instability was available, allowing for numerous thunderstorms to develop. A few storms were able to tap the available winds, producing a isolated areas of wind damage.
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 11, 6:00 AM EST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 700 AM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 .AVIATION... SIMILAR TIMING WRT TSRA THIS AM WITH TEMPO IFR CONDS/VSBY RESTRICTIONS IN HEAVIER SHRA WITH AMBIENT BR/HZ ALREADY INTO LOW END MVFR RANGE ACRS NRN IN. KEPT 4 HR LONG 12-16 UTC TEMPO TSRA AT KFWA WITH UNCERTAINTY TOWARD LATE END WRT SRN WI CONVECTION BECOMG MORE SFCBASED AND STRENGTHEN BY LATE AM. OPT NOT TO INTRODUCE BR/FG TOWARD DAYBREAK SUN AS AIRMASS EXCHANGE/FALLING SFC DPS SHOULD TRUMP STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING TO SVRL/5-10F DEGREES BLO XOVER. && .SHORT TERM... TSRA CHCS ON INCRS THIS AM AND DESPITE NERN IL CONVECTION LANGUISHING ATTM...HIR INSTABILITY /NEAR 2000 J/KG MLCAPE/ POSITIONED ACRS NRN IN WITH INCREASED/VEERING LLJ PER KIWX VWP SHOULD ALLOW FOR AN INCRS IN SCT PREFRONTAL ROUND OF CONVECTION NEAR DAYBREAK ESPCLY NWRN THIRD CWA. FURTHER NW ACRS WCNTL LWR MI INTO SWRN WI ADDNL TSRA CONT IN SLIGHTLY ELEVATED INSTABILITY WITH NEAR TO POSTFRONTAL LIFTED PARCELS FORCED BY STRONG MIDLVL SHORTWAVE DROPPING ESE ACRS WI PER WV IMAGERY. THIS AREA TO PROVIDE ADDNL CONVECTIVE CHCS ACRS NRN CWA ERLY THIS AM. ANTICIPATE CONTD PROGRESSION OF THIS CONVECTION ESE INTO SRN/SERN CWA BY MIDDAY WITH POTNL FOR GUSTY WINDS/CELLS APPROACHING SVR LIMITS AS PARCELS BECOME MORE SFC BASED WITH SBCAPES 2000-3000 J/KG ACRS FAR SRN/SERN CWA IN WSW-ENE ORIENTED PLUME OF HIR SFC-900MB THETA-E AIR. DOWNDRAFT CAPE POTNLY NEARING 1500 J/KG ERLY THIS AFTN SERN CWA WITH STRENGTHENING DEEP LAYER SHEAR MAY BE SUFFICIENT FOR ISOLD WIND THREAT. MODIFIED TEMPS DOWNWARD TONIGHT IN LINE WITH UPSTREAM 10-15F DOWNTURN AND 3-5C COOLER 925MB TEMPS WITH CLEARING TO AFFORD STRONG RADNL COOLING POTNL. SFC FNT STALLS NEAR OHIO RIVER VALLEY OVERNIGHT. WITH HUDSON/JAMES BAY VORTEX HOLDING TIGHT THRU F60 AND UPSTREAM ALBERTA VORTEX DIVING SEWD IN CONFLUENT FLOW ANTICIPATE 1-3KM MOISTURE RETURN NORTH OF SFC BNDRY TO FIRE IA/MO CONVECTION SUN EVENING. RAPID WNWLY MEAN FLOW WITH WEAKLY UNSTABLE 8H BASED PARCELS INTO SWRN CWA LATE SUN/ERLY MON AM SUPPORTS AT LEAST A MENTION OF LOW CHC SHRA/TSRA. && .LONG TERM.../MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... RIDGING BUILDING ON MONDAY HOLDS OFF ANY PRECIP TO THE SW ASSOC WITH ASCENT REGION OF CENTRAL PLAINS LOW DROPPING FURTHER INTO THE DEEP SOUTH...WITH CONTINUED QUIET CONDITIONS THROUGH TUESDAY. TUESDAY NIGHT...DRY FLOW AROUND RETREATING RIDGE LOSES ITS INFLUENCE AS WARM FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE CWA AHEAD OF NEXT WAVE PULLING OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. NOT PREPARED TO CHASE MUCH COOLER 00Z MEX GUIDANCE FOR TUE HIGHS BASED OFF SLOWER WARM FRONTAL PROGRESS...AND WITH HEIGHT RISES ONGOING UNDER MID JULY SUN WILL REMAIN CLOSE TO INHERITED GRID A SLIGHT TREND DOWNWARD. MID LEVEL SHRTWV MOVES INTO THE GREAT LAKES ON WED AS ASSOC SFC LOW TRACKS EAST DRAGGING A FRONT THROUGH THE CWA ON WED. FAVORED 00Z ECMWF/12Z GEM WITH FURTHER NORTH AND SLIGHTLY MORE PROGRESSIVE SFC LOW TRACK ALONG US/CAN BORDER. LITTLE CHANGE MADE TO POPS WITH GENERALLY CONSISTENT TIMING IN THE MODELS AND LITTLE VALUE TO ADD. WHILE BEST DYNAMICS REMAIN NORTH...AND ITS A BIT EARLY TO KEY ON SPECIFICS...IMPRESSIVE THETA-E SURGE COUPLED WITH LLEVEL WIND MAX AHEAD OF THE BNDRY CERTAINLY SUPPORTS POPS LATE TUE NIGHT IN THE WARM SECTOR AND INTO THE DAY WITH FROPA. KEPT WED NIGHT POPS WITH GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN LAGGING THE OP MODELS AND TRAILING QPF THROUGH 06Z THU. AT END OF EXTENDED...ECMWF/GFS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE RENEWED TROFING OVER THE EAST AS UPR RIDGE REMAINS LOCKED IN OVER THE SOUTHWEST.. THIS CONTINUES COMFORTABLE TEMPS FOR MID JULY WITH NW FLOW ALOFT. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && SHORT TERM...MURPHY LONG TERM...LUDINGTON AVIATION...MURPHY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 547 AM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 INZ003>009-012>017-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-121000- LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE- PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-BERRIEN-CASS MI- ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON 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...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN... MONTPELIER...WAUSEON...ARCHBOLD 547 AM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 /447 AM CDT SAT JUL 11 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHWEST OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED UNTIL MIDDAY. WHILE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...A FEW STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...HOWEVER IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX INZ018-020-022>027-032>034-OHZ004-005-015-016-024-025-121000- ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT- BLACKFORD-JAY-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FORT WAYNE...MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON... LOGANSPORT...PERU...WABASH...NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON... BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...BERNE...MARION...HARTFORD CITY... MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP... OTTAWA...PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA 547 AM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO AND NORTHERN INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. WHILE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED THIS MORNING...A FEW STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. FROM MIDDAY INTO EARLY THIS AFTERNOON A FEW ISOLATED STORMS WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...HOWEVER IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED MIDDAY INTO EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-121000- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 547 AM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED STORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING. LOCALLY HIGHER WINDS AND WAVES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
647 AM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0646 AM HAIL MICHIGAN CITY 41.71N 86.90W
07/11/2009 M0.50 INCH LAPORTE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX0900001
SAWThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:22 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management officials surveyed a scattered swath of damage across roughly a two and one half mile stretch along E Girard Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, 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: 177290.