Lake Michigan, 2011

Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Lake Michigan, August 13, 2011

August 13, 2011 · NWS LOT · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A line of strong thunderstorms moved across Lake Michigan during the afternoon of August 13th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
2

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 LOT wrote it up.

A line of strong thunderstorms moved across Lake Michigan during the afternoon of August 13th.

What forecasters said that day

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 Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 13, 12:27 PM CST, 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 13, 12:27 PM CST, 28 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 13, 10:50 AM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 13, 12:42 PM CST, 13 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 13, 12:46 PM CST, 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 13, 12:50 PM CST, 5 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 13, 12:52 PM CST, 3 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 13, 12:54 PM CST, 1 minute before
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Local storm report, Aug 13, 12:54 PM CST, 1 minute before
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The radar

The Chicago radar (KLOT), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:54 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 marine thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island Il

When
August 13, 12:55 PM CST to 1:25 PM CST
Where
Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island Il forecast zone, Harrison-Dever Crib
Measured
44 kt (51 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
41.920, -87.570

Winds gusted above 36 knots for 30 minutes with a peak gust to 44 knots.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Burns Harbor to Michigan City in

When
August 13, 2:05 PM CST to 2:15 PM CST
Where
Burns Harbor to Michigan City in forecast zone, Michigan City
Measured
42 kt (48 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
41.730, -86.910

What these are

Marine Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds of 34 knots or more over coastal or lake waters.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Michigan in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather history

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 339842, 342847.