A strong cold front moved across the region. Ahead of the front, temperatures were in the lower 90s with surface dewpoints well into the 70s.
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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 strong cold front moved across the region. Ahead of the front, temperatures were in the lower 90s with surface dewpoints well into the 70s. 30 to 40 knots of shear were also in place for the storm to work with. A strong elevated mixed layer was in place, limiting the potential for more explosive storm development. Reports of hail and damaging winds were received, but were sporadic.
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 Aug 24, 5:45 PM EST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 645 PM EDT WED AUG 24 2011 .AVAITION... CU DVLPG ALONG/AHEAD OF CDFNT MOVG THROUGH IL WITH ISOLATED TS OVER CENTRAL IL. MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION OVER LWR MI AHEAD OF POSITIVELY TILTED MID LEVEL SHRTWV MOVG SE ACROSS WI. RECENT AMDAR SOUNDING TAKEN EAST OF CHICAGO SUGGESTS CAP OVER NRN INDIANA WAS WKNG SO EXPECT COMBINATION OF COOLING/LIFT ALOFT ASSOCIATED WITH APCHG SHRTWV AND BL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE ALONG CDFNT WILL RESULT IN CAP BREAKING ACROSS NRN INDIANA THIS EVE AND STORMS DVLPG IN VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS WITH CONSIDERABLE DEEP LAYER SHEAR. APPEARS FRONT WILL BE THROUGH SBN BY OR SHORTLY AFTER 00Z SO PLAN ON CONTG TO LEAVE TS OUT OF THEIR TAF THOUGH DID ADD CB'S THIS EVE GIVEN SHOWERS IN SWRN LWR MI. STORMS DVLPG ALONG CDFNT LIKELY WILL EVOLVE INTO A LINE DURING THE EVE SO CONTD WITH TEMPO +TSRA AT FWA AND GIVEN POTENTIAL FOR SVR STORMS ADDED WIND GUSTS TO 40KT TO TAF. AIRMASS WILL DRY OUT QUICKLY BEHIND THE FRONT WITH VFR CONDITIONS AND NW FLOW THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 PM EDT WED AUG 24 2011/ SHORT TERM... SUBSIDENCE AND CAPPING HAVE PUT A LID ON ATMOSPHERE THIS AFTERNOON WITH LITTLE CLOUD COVER. 12Z SOUNDINGS FROM DVN AND ILX SHOWED ELEVATED MIXED LAYER WITH STEEP LAPSE RATES. 18Z SOUNDINGS HAVE SHOWN THE EML TO HAVE EXPANDED EAST WITH DTX AND ILN SOUNDINGS SHOWING STRONG CAP WITH ELEVATED STEEP LAPSE RATES ABOVE. TAMDAR SOUNDING FROM OUT OF CHICAGO SIMILAR WITH STRONG CAPPING STILL IN PLACE. THIS CREATES PROBLEM WITH FORECAST FOR THIS EVENING AND CONVECTIVE INITIATION. FULL SUNSHINE AND MIXING HAS RESULTED IN MUCAPES GREATER THAN 4000 J/KG WITH DEW POINTS HAVING CLIMBED INTO THE LOWER AND MID 70S THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE AND SURFACE OBS SHOW COLD FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL LAKE MICHIGAN INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN AND EASTERN IA WITH STEADY PROGRESS SOUTHEAST. AS OF 19Z ONLY SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS HAD FORMED ALONG THE FRONT WITH A HINT OF SOME AGGRAVATED CU DEVELOPING. WATER VAPOR STILL SHOWS SPEED MAX AND SHORT WAVE APPROACHING FROM MN AND NORTHERN WI. CONVECTIVE AND HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON RAPID DEVELOPMENT SHORTLY AFTER 21Z OVER OUR AREA AS MID LEVEL SUPPORT AND COLD FRONT COME TOGETHER IN AREA OF GREATEST INSTABILITY. HOWEVER...EASTWARD EXTENT OF CAPPING AND DRY AIR SEEN IN 18Z SOUNDINGS ARE A CONCERN. WILL KEEP POPS IN THE CHANCE CATEGORY NORTHWEST AND KEEP LIKELY CATEGORIES CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WHERE CAP WILL BE WEAKEST AND TIMING BEST. 0-6KM BULK SHEAR AND EFFECTIVE SHEAR AT OR ABOVE 40 KNOTS THIS EVENING WHICH WILL SUPPORT INITIAL DISCREET SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL PRIMARY HAZARDS WITH LOW CHANCE FOR ISOLATED TORNADO IN FAR EASTERN AREAS WHERE GREATEST SHEAR WILL RESIDE AND LCL HEIGHTS RUNNING AROUND 1000 M. ANY DISCREET SUPERCELLS EXPECTED TO QUICKLY CONGEAL INTO A LINE ECHO WAVE PATTERN AND QUICKLY MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. AGAIN WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE AND HAIL MAIN CONCERNS. EXPECT ALL THIS ACTIVITY TO EXIT OUR SOUTHEAST BY MID TO LATE EVENING WITH CLEARING SKIES IN ITS WAKE OVERNIGHT. THURSDAY WILL SEE A RETURN TO MORE COMFORTABLE CONDITIONS WITH HIGHS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE 70S AND DEW POINTS DROPPING BACK INTO 60S AND EVENTUALLY 50S. OVERNIGHT LOWS FRIDAY MORNING EXPECTED BACK INTO 50S WITH GUIDANCE INDICATING LOWER AND MID 50S POSSIBLE NORTH SIMILAR TO A FEW DAYS AGO. LONG TERM... FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... SFC HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION TO BEGIN THE FCST PERIOD WILL PROVIDE DRY WX AND SEASONABLE TEMPS FRIDAY AND CONTINUING INTO THE WEEKEND. WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY PASSING THROUGH ON SATURDAY WILL DO LITTLE MORE THAN AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AS MOISTURE BLOCKED BY TROPICAL SYSTEM IMPACTING SE/MID ATL COAST. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS STILL ATTEMPTING TO BRING SHORT WAVE DOWN INTO THE REGION BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK IN THE WAKE OF TROPICAL SYSTEM AS IRENE TRACKS UP ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD. STILL ALOT OF SPREAD IN SOLNS WRT TIMING/STRENGTH/PLACEMENT...GFS FASTER/WEAKER/FARTHER NORTH WHILE ECMWF IS SLOWER/STRONGER/FURTHER SOUTH. GIVEN THESE DIFFERENCES AND BOTH ARE LACKING IN MOISTURE AND AVG ENSEMBLE GUID STILL BELOW CLIMO WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP WITH DRY FCST MON AND TUE. RIDGING BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA ON WED IN WHAT LOOKS TO BE THE START OF TEMPS HEADING MORE ABOVE NORMAL. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && SHORT TERM...LASHLEY LONG TERM...LOGSDON AVIATION...JT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 606 AM EDT WED AUG 24 2011 INZ004>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ078>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-251000- 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-CASS MI- ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY- PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...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...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...WAUSEON... ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA... PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA 606 AM EDT WED AUG 24 2011 /506 AM CDT WED AUG 24 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MID EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH A RISK FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM MONTICELLO TO STURGIS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX INZ003-LMZ043-046-MIZ077-251000- LA PORTE-NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI- MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-BERRIEN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN 606 AM EDT WED AUG 24 2011 /506 AM CDT WED AUG 24 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM IS POSSIBLE WITH A RISK FOR LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE BOTH TODAY AND TONIGHT AND A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE THURSDAY ALONG WITH CONTINUED HAZARDOUS SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS ON LAKE MICHIGAN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 806 PM EDT WED AUG 24 2011 MIZ078>080-250030- BRANCH MI-CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI- 806 PM EDT WED AUG 24 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHEASTERN CASS...NORTHERN ST. JOSEPH AND NORTHWESTERN BRANCH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN... AT 800 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHWESTERN KALAMAZOO COUNTY...OR 11 MILES NORTHWEST OF THREE RIVERS...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... FISHERS LAKE... MENDON... LEONIDAS AND SHERWOOD... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING FOR NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHERN MICHIGAN AND NORTHWESTERN OHIO. LAT...LON 4197 8515 4199 8581 4207 8581 4208 8516 TIME...MOT...LOC 0006Z 269DEG 34KT 4208 8568 NG
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:09 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement officials reported a tree down west of Lagrange.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, August 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: 338923.