Indiana, 2010

Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Indiana, December 4 to 7, 2010

December 4 to 7, 2010 · NWS IWX · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A long duration lake effect snow event dropped accumulating snow on much of northern Indiana between December 5th and December 7th. Snowfall totals ranged from 3-5 inches in the Fort Wayne area to around 10 inches in South Bend.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 long duration lake effect snow event dropped accumulating snow on much of northern Indiana between December 5th and December 7th. Snowfall totals ranged from 3-5 inches in the Fort Wayne area to around 10 inches in South Bend. Gusty winds within these snow bands created widespread blowing and drifting snow.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 winter weather, 5 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, La Porte

When
December 4, 11:00 PM CST to December 7, 7:00 PM CST
Where
La Porte forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area, especially northeastern portions of the county, December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate to heavy lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event ranged from 4 inches in western portions of the county to 10 inches in the far northeast. A trained spotter reported 8.7 inches of total snow accumulation in La Porte. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to numerous accidents on area roadways and school closures.

Lake-Effect Snow, Marshall

When
December 5, 2:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
41.325, -86.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area, especially far northern portions of the county, December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate to heavy lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event ranged from 3 inches in southeastern portions of the county to around 8 inches in far northwest Marshall County. There was a CoCoRaHs report of 5.1 inches in Plymouth. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to numerous accidents on area roadways and school closures.

Lake-Effect Snow, St. Joseph

When
December 5, 2:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
St. Joseph forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate to heavy lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event ranged from 4 inches in far southeastern portions of the county to around 10 inches across northern St. Joseph County. The South Bend airport reported a storm total snow accumulation of 10.2 inches. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to numerous accidents on area roadways and school closures.

Lake-Effect Snow, Elkhart

When
December 5, 5:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Elkhart forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
41.597, -85.859 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate to heavy lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event ranged from 4 inches in far southwestern portions of the county to between 6 and 10 inches elsewhere. A CoCoRaHs observer reported 6 inches in a 12 hour period 5 miles southwest of Elkhart. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to numerous accidents on area roadways and school closures.

Lake-Effect Snow, Kosciusko

When
December 5, 7:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Kosciusko forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate to heavy lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event ranged from 3 inches in southern portions of the county to between 6 and 10 inches across far northern Kosciusko County. The NWS office reported a storm total snow accumulation of 10.0 inches. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to numerous accidents on area roadways and school closures.

Winter Weather, Lagrange

When
December 5, 9:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Lagrange forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
41.643, -85.426 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event generally ranged between 3 and 6 inches across the county, heaviest in far western portions of the county. A trained spotter reported 3 inches of total snow accumulation in LaGrange. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to several accidents on area roadways and school delays and closures.

Winter Weather, Steuben

When
December 5, 9:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Steuben forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
41.644, -85.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event generally ranged between 2 and 5 inches across the county. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to several accidents on area roadways and school delays and closures.

Winter Weather, Noble

When
December 5, 9:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Noble forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
41.399, -85.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event generally ranged from around 2 to 4 inches across eastern portions of the county to between 4 and 8 inches in the west. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to several accidents on area roadways and school delays and closures.

Winter Weather, De Kalb

When
December 5, 9:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
De Kalb forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
41.398, -84.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event generally ranged between 1 and 5 inches across the county. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to several accidents on area roadways and school delays and closures.

Winter Weather, Whitley

When
December 5, 9:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Whitley forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
41.139, -85.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event generally ranged from 1 to 2 inches in southwest Whitley County to between 3 and 6 inches in far northwest Whitley County. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to several accidents on area roadways and school delays and closures.

Winter Weather, Allen

When
December 5, 9:00 AM EST to December 7, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Allen forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
41.091, -85.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A long duration lake effect snow event affected the area December 5th through December 7th. The lake effect snow bands were cellular and transitory, resulting in periods of moderate lake effect snow during this time. Snowfall totals for the entire event generally ranged between 2 and 4 inches across the county. The Fort Wayne airport reported 3.7 inches of total snow accumulation. This snowfall, combined with blowing and drifting snow from gusty winds, led to several accidents on area roadways and school delays and closures.

What these are

Lake-Effect Snow
Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Indiana in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, December 2010

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 264836, 264837, 264838, 264839, 264840, 264843, 264844, 264845, 264846, 264847, 264849.