An extended period of hot and humid conditions occurred over the region with afternoon highs in the mid to upper 90s and overnight lows in the mid 70s to around 80.
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.
An extended period of hot and humid conditions occurred over the region with afternoon highs in the mid to upper 90s and overnight lows in the mid 70s to around 80.
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 20, 6:25 PM EST, 7 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
725 PM EDT WED JUL 20 2011
.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS...
EARLY EVENING CONVECTION STAYING SOUTH OF KFWA AND NOT EXPECTED TO
HAVE AN IMPACT ON TAFS THIS CYCLE. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DIMINISH TO
5KTS OR LESS TONIGHT. BASED ON PREVIOUS NIGHT WILL INCLUDE A MENTION
OF BR AT BOTH SITES FOR THE LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING HOURS.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.
...DANGEROUS HEAT AND HUMIDITY HAS SETTLED IN...
DESPITE LINGERING CLOUD COVER THIS MORNING...MANY LOCATIONS ACROSS
SOUTHWESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA HAVE CLIMBED INTO
THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 90S WITH HEAT INDICES ON TARGET WITH HEADLINES
IN THE 100 TO 110 DEGREE RANGE. A FEW SPOTS ARE SHOWING LOCALLY
HIGHER. AS CLOUDS SHIFT AWAY FROM THE EAST...THESE AREAS SHOULD
QUICKLY CATCH UP. HEADLINES TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT WITH
OVERNIGHT LOWS BACK INTO THE 70S.
IN ADDITION TO THE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS...WILL BE MONITORING CU
FIELD DEVELOPING ACROSS FAST EASTERN ILLINOIS AND PORTIONS OF
WESTERN INDIANA. HRRR MODEL HAS INDICATED CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR
SEVERAL RUNS NOW ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA. MOST RECENT RUN HAD
CONVECTION ONGOING WITH THIS OBVIOUSLY LACKING ATTM. GIVEN
INSTABILITY IN PLACE AND CU FIELD POPPING...CANNOT RULE OUT
CONVECTION THROUGH EARLY EVENING. ADDED POPS EARLIER IN AN UPDATE
AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING.
THURSDAY WILL BE YET ANOTHER SCORCHER FOR THE AREA. WILL NEED TO
WATCH FOR ANY CONVECTIVE DEBRIS FROM YET ANOTHER COMPLEX EXPECTED TO
FORM UP ACROSS MINNESOTA TONIGHT AND TRACK INTO MICHIGAN.
TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE AT LEAST AS WARM AND LIKELY WARMER ON
THURSDAY WITH HIGHEST SURGE OF 850 MB TEMPS OVERHEAD. HIGHS IN THE
MID 90S OR WARMER STILL LOOK REASONABLE WITH HEAT INDICES CLIMBING
TO 105 OR ABOVE IN MANY LOCATIONS. A FEW OF THE MODELS BRING A WEAK
BOUNDARY INTO THE AREA DURING THURSDAY AFTERNOON NIGHT TO STIR
UP POSSIBLE CONVECTION. SLGT CHC POPS ALREADY IN PLACE AND SEE NO
REASON TO INCREASE AT THIS POINT GIVEN CONCERNS AS TO HOW FAR SOUTH
BOUNDARY CAN SHIFT AS WELL AS AMOUNT OF CONVERGENCE AND CAPPING
GIVEN SUCH WARM AIR.
&&
.LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
DETERMINING THE DURATION OF THE EXCESSIVE HEAT AND HUMIDITY ALONG
WITH DAILY CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WILL
CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN CHALLENGES FOR THE LONG TERM.
UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO BE TRACKING EASTWARD
THROUGH ONTARIO AND QUEBEC ON FRIDAY WITH WEAKER VORTS POSSIBLY
MOVING INTO SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SFC HIGH
PRESSURE WILL LIKELY BE BUILDING INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY...BUT
WITH SOME MINOR SUPPRESSION OF GREAT LAKES RIDGING AND WEAK RIGHT
ENTRANCE REGION OF SOUTHERN CANADIAN JET STREAK IN PLACE...DID GO
AHEAD AND CONTINUE CHANCE OF THUNDER ON FRIDAY. IN ADDITION TO THIS
FORCING...12Z NAM FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATING BETWEEN 2000 TO 3500
J/KG OF SURFACE BASED CAPE. SOME ENHANCEMENT OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR
EXPECTED AS WESTERLIES GET SLIGHTLY SUPPRESSED SOUTHWARD AS THIS
TROUGH MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA. THUS...SOME ISOLATED SEVERE
THREAT CANNOT BE RULED OUT FRIDAY AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ACROSS
MAINLY FAR NORTH WHERE BETTER WIND FIELDS SHOULD BE IN PLACE. AT
THIS TIME...CONVECTIVE COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED
AND VERY MOIST LOW LEVELS WILL STILL BE IN PLACE ALONG WITH LOW
LEVEL THERMAL PROGS THAT WOULD ONCE AGAIN AT LEAST SUPPORT HIGHS IN
THE LOWER 90S IF SOME INSOLATION CAN BE REALIZED. THESE FORECASTED
CONDITIONS ON FRIDAY YIELD HEAT INDICES OF 105 TO 110 ACROSS THE
SOUTH AND 95 TO 100 FAR NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN SECTIONS. GIVEN THAT
FRIDAY WOULD BE SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW OF HEAT INDICES IN EXCESS OF
100...HAVE GONE AHEAD AND EXTENDED THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING INTO
FRIDAY.
BY FRIDAY NIGHT...ATTENTION WILL SHIFT BACK TO ANOTHER VIGOROUS
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH TRACKING INTO SASKATCHEWAN/MONTANA. A STRONG LOW
LEVEL JET SHOULD DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS
FRIDAY NIGHT WITH SETUP APPEARING TO BE QUITE FAVORABLE FOR MCS
FORMATION SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. WEST TO NORTHWEST CORFIDI
VECTORS AND THICKNESS ORIENTATION WOULD SUPPORT MOVEMENT OF THIS MCS
INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION ON SATURDAY IF IT WERE TO HOLD
TOGETHER. AT THE VERY LEAST...DO HAVE A GREATER CONCERN FOR MORE IN
THE WAY OF CONVECTIVE CLOUD DEBRIS FROM UPSTREAM CONVECTION ON
SATURDAY. WHILE EXTENSION OF EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING INTO THE WEEKEND
IS VERY POSSIBLE...WILL HOLD OFF EXTENSIONS BEYOND FRIDAY NIGHT AT
THIS TIME DUE TO UNCERTAINTIES IN CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION.
HOWEVER...EVEN WITH HEAT INDICES AROUND OR JUST BELOW 100...THIS
WOULD BE CAUSE FOR CONCERN GIVEN THESE OPPRESSIVE CONDITIONS WOULD
BE RUNNING INTO A DURATION OF FIVE TO SIX DAYS INCREASING THE
POTENTIAL OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESS. THE AFOREMENTIONED UPSTREAM
TROUGH WILL SKIRT ALONG US/CANADIAN BORDER ON SUNDAY AND EVENTUALLY
DROP INTO SOUTHEAST ONTARIO AND SOUTHERN QUEBEC EARLY NEXT
WEEK. GREATEST THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS STILL APPEARS TO BE ON SUNDAY
WITH STRONGEST LARGE SCALE FORCING AND STRONGER WESTERLIES ACROSS
SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION THROUGH THE BASE OF THIS TROUGH. HIGHER
END CHANCE POPS STILL APPEAR REASONABLE AND LEFT AS IS FOR SUNDAY.
SOME RELIEF ON THE WAY FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THIS UPPER TROUGH
DROPS INTO NORTHEAST CONUS TAKING A COOL FRONT SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE
REGION. DESPITE FRONTAL PASSAGE ON MONDAY...POST FRONTAL MIXING
SHOULD STILL RESULT IN HOT CONDITIONS WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO
AROUND 90 SOUTH...BUT FALLING SHORT OF HEADLINE CRITERIA WITH DRIER
AIR ADVECTING SOUTH. SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN ECMWF/GFS CONCERNING
AMPLITUDE OF THIS TROUGH WILL DETERMINE DURATION OF THIS BREAK IN
THE HEAT...AND HAVE FOLLOWED TRENDS FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST IN SIDING
TOWARD STRONGER RIDGE MAINTENANCE ACROSS CENTRAL CONUS...WITH HEAT
LIKELY BUILDING BACK IN AS EARLY AS MIDDLE PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 AM EDT /7 AM CDT/ SATURDAY FOR
INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034.
MI...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 AM EDT SATURDAY FOR MIZ077>081.
OH...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 AM EDT SATURDAY FOR OHZ001-002-
004-005-015-016-024-025.
LM...NONE.
&&
SHORT TERM...FISHER
LONG TERM...MARSILI
AVIATION...JALHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 1242 PM EDT WED JUL 20 2011 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-211645- 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 1242 PM EDT WED JUL 20 2011 /1142 AM CDT WED JUL 20 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION. AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS IN EFFECT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAINLY WEST OF A THREE RIVERS MICHIGAN TO HARTFORD CITY INDIANA LINE. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. HOWEVER...THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND INTENSE LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. PEAK AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 100 TO 115 CAN BE EXPECTED WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE MIDDLE 70S TO AROUND 80. THIS EXCESSIVE HEAT WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FRIDAY INTO THIS WEEKEND...WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES LIKELY EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES EACH AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY AND AGAIN SUNDAY. SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE BOTH DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FRIDAY AND SUNDAY. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-211645- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 1242 PM EDT WED JUL 20 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR A THUNDERSTORM INTO THIS EVENING. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED BUT LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND INTENSE LIGHTNING WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WILL EXIST ALONG THE SHORELINE OF BERRIEN COUNTY ON THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FRIDAY AND SUNDAY. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX
1 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.
A 56 year old male was found unconscious by family in his home around 130 am EDT July 21, and died an hour later at a local hospital. Autopsy results indicated his death was indirectly related to the heat, with a preexisting heart condition being the primary cause.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excessive Heat, St. Joseph | 2011-07-21 | 56 | Male | Permanent Home | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, July 2011
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: 330670.