A weak cold front and a lake breeze over northeastern Illinois, combined with very unstable conditions to promote rapid storm development from northern Illinois into portions of northern Indiana. Most of the damage was from a bowing segment and high precipitation supercell that moved across northeastern Illinois into western Indiana.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 weak cold front and a lake breeze over northeastern Illinois, combined with very unstable conditions to promote rapid storm development from northern Illinois into portions of northern Indiana. Most of the damage was from a bowing segment and high precipitation supercell that moved across northeastern Illinois into western Indiana. Pockets of more intense wind damage occurred, with numerous reports of funnel clouds and a few gustnadoes on a few very pronounced outflow boundaries.
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 Jun 4, 1:46 PM EST, 2 hours 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 246 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011 .SHORT TERM.../TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/ EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE ACROSS THE CWA THIS AFTN WITH 3-4KJ/KG MIXED LAYER CAPE AND LITTLE TO NO CONVECTIVE INHIBITION. ALTHOUGH FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH CDFNT/SHRTWV MOVG ACROSS SRN WI/NW IL IS WEAK...IT MAY BE SUFFICIENT WHEN COMBINED WITH LAKE BREEZE INTERACTION FOR SCT TSTM DEVELOPMENT AS IT MOVES SE ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTN/EVE. GIVEN LARGE CAPE/DCAPE AND AROUND 30KT 0-6KM SHEAR... THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR SVR STORMS... WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. INITIAL STORM DEVELOPMENT COULD ALSO CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AS 800 J/KG CAPE IN HAIL GROWTH ZONE AND RELATIVELY DRY MID LEVEL AIR SHOULD COUNTERACT DETRIMENTAL AFFECTS OF 13-14KFT FREEZING LEVELS. ASSUMING CONVECTIVE INITIATION DOES OCCUR... A QUICK TRANSITION FROM CELLS TO SMALL BOWS LIKELY GIVEN UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW EVIDENT ON WOLCOTT PROFILER. CONVECTION SHOULD MOVE OUT OF SRN PORTION OF THE AREA BY 06Z AS CDFNT MOVES INTO SRN IN/OH. SFC HIGH WILL MOVE INTO THE UPR GRTLKS BEHIND THIS FRONT PROVIDING FAIR WEATHER ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY. AS THE HIGH MOVES TO THE LWR GRTLKS SUNDAY NIGHT WAA WILL DEVELOP ACROSS OUR CWA. CONVECTION PSBL LATE TONIGHT AND AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT OVER THE PLAINS WHERE STALLING/RETREATING FRONT AT NOSE OF LLJ WILL PROVIDE SOME ISENT LIFT/LOW LEVEL THETA-E ADVECTION. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD MOVE SE AND ATTM EXPECT IT WILL REMAIN WEST OF OUR CWA SO DRY WX FCST AFT 06Z TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING WITH CONVECTIVE DEBRIS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. LITTLE CHANGE TO GOING TEMP GRIDS OR 12Z MOS GUIDANCE WITH TEMPS EXPECTED TO FALL BACK CLOSER TO NORMAL TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A NORTH ATLANTIC OMEGA BLOCK WILL HOLD THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD SUPPORTING A PERSISTENT LARGE SCALE FLOW PATTERN ACROSS NOAM. THE LOCAL AREA WILL GENERALLY BE LOCATED ON THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF AN EXPANSIVE RIDGE THAT WILL BE CENTERED ACROSS THE LOWER MS VALLEY AND SRN/CENTRAL PLAINS. LOW AMPLITUDE SHORTWAVES AND/OR CONVECTIVELY MODIFIED VORT MAXES WILL LIKELY PROPAGATE EWD OVER/ALONG THE RIDGE AXIS. THESE WEAK MID LVL IMPULSES WILL LIKELY AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS/SHOWERS ALONG A LOW LEVEL THETA-E RIDGE / HIGH PWAT / AXIS THAT WILL MIXING NEWD ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. WITH THIS CONTINUED WITH CHC POPS MAINLY MONDAY AFTN AND NIGHT...AND ADDED LOW CHC POPS TO TUESDAY MORNING IN THE NE WITH THE BOUNDARY NEAR. MEDIUM RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO LIFT THE THE WARM FRONT/THETA-E RIDGE NORTH OF THE FA TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS NWD INTO THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES IN RESPONSE TO HIGH PLAINS HEIGHT FALLS. HIGH TEMPS NEAR 90F WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE SW ON TUESDAY...WITH WEDNESDAY HIGHS NEAR 90F CWA-WIDE. BUILDING HUMIDITY DURING THIS TIME WILL SUPPORT INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS...ALTHOUGH LACK OF ANY OBVIOUS TRIGGER AND SUBTLE MID LVL CAPPING/DRYING ENOUGH TO CONTINUE WITH A 14 POP/DRY FCST. LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY LOOKS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO TODAY AS A STRONGER MID LVL IMPULSE TRACKS EWD THROUGH THE NRN GREAT LAKES...AGAIN FLATTENING THE UPPER RIDGE AND SENDING A COLD FRONT SEWD BACK INTO THE FA. WITH THIS CONTINUED WITH CHC POPS FOR SHOWERS/STORMS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY GIVEN SUBTLE TIMING DIFFERENCES IN GUIDANCE. LARGER SPREAD IN MODEL GUIDANCE AS EXPECTED BY DAYS 6-7 (FRIDAY/SATURDAY). THE 12Z OP GFS TRENDED MORE TOWARDS THE ECMWF IN THURSDAY'S NRN GREAT LAKES SHORTWAVE DIVING SEWD INTO THE NORTHEAST US. THIS SUPPORTS A FLATTENING OF THE UPPER RIDGE...SFC RIDGING INTO THE GREAT LAKES...AND THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONTAL BOUNDARY SINKING WELL SOUTH OF THE FA. IF THIS PANS OUT WE WOULD SEE A RETURN TO DRY/COOLER/LESS HUMID WX BY DAYS 6/7. HOWEVER...OPTED NOT TO PULL INHERITED LOW CHC POPS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY GIVEN MODEL INCONSISTENCIES THIS FAR IN ADVANCE...AND FOR THE FACT THAT SEVERAL GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS STALL THE BOUNDARY FARTHER NORTH INVOF THE CWA. && .AVIATION... EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS OVER NRN INDIANA THIS AFTN. A CDFNT MOVG THROUGH NW IL/SE WI SHOULD DROP ACROSS NRN INDIANA BY THIS EVENING. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO TRIGGER SCT TSTMS...WHICH GIVEN THE INSTABILITY IN PLACE...COULD BE SVR WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...THUS MAINTAINED GOING TEMPO +TSRA GROUP AT BOTH TERMINALS LATE THIS AFTN. SOME LINGERING MID/HIGH CLOUDS EXPECTED TNGT AND SUNDAY. WINDS WILL VEER NE BEHIND THE FRONT OVERNIGHT... AND THEN LIKELY BACK NW AGAIN AT SBN SUNDAY AS LAKE BREEZE MOVES INLAND WITH LIGHT GRADIENT FLOW. LINGERING MOISTURE AND LIGHT WINDS MAY ALLOW PATCHY BR TO DVLP OVERNIGHT... AND ADDED MVFR VSBY RESTRICTION TO FWA TAF AROUND DAYBREAK. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JT LONG TERM...STEINWEDEL AVIATION...JT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 426 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-052030- 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 426 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011 /326 PM CDT SAT JUN 4 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY NIGHT...AND AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. IT REMAINS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE THE CHANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-052030- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 426 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN SEVERE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY NIGHT...AND AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. IT REMAINS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE THE CHANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/?N=MARINE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
431 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
INZ024>026-042130-
HUNTINGTON IN-WABASH IN-WELLS IN-
431 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD EXTREME NORTHEASTERN
BLACKFORD...EXTREME NORTHWESTERN JAY...WELLS...EXTREME WESTERN
ADAMS...SOUTHERN HUNTINGTON AND EASTERN WABASH COUNTIES...
AT 430 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM NEAR ANDREWS...OR 8 MILES EAST OF
WABASH...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
HUNTINGTON...
BLUFFTON...
MARKLE...
MOUNT ETNA...
LANCASTER...
MAJENICA...
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
SATURDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHERN MICHIGAN AND
NORTHWESTERN OHIO.
LAT...LON 4089 8548 4083 8507 4059 8508 4058 8521
4072 8560 4080 8576 4088 8572
TIME...MOT...LOC 2031Z 283DEG 27KT 4083 8567SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
432 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
INZ032>034-042115-
BLACKFORD IN-GRANT IN-JAY IN-
432 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD SOUTHERN BLACKFORD...
SOUTHWESTERN JAY AND SOUTHEASTERN GRANT COUNTIES...
AT 426 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR UPLAND...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...HAIL UP TO A HALF AN INCH IN
DIAMETER...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
THUNDERSTORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
HARTFORD CITY...
DUNKIRK...
REDKEY...
SHAMROCK LAKES...
MILL GROVE AND TRENTON...
CENTER...
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
SATURDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHERN MICHIGAN AND
NORTHWESTERN OHIO.
LAT...LON 4039 8522 4040 8561 4057 8559 4044 8491
4032 8496 4032 8521
TIME...MOT...LOC 2031Z 287DEG 24KT 4047 8546
MCSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
440 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
INZ012>015-042130-
FULTON IN-MARSHALL IN-PULASKI IN-STARKE IN-
340 PM CDT SAT JUN 4 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CASS...
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN MIAMI...SOUTHWESTERN MARSHALL AND FULTON
COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA...AND PULASKI AND SOUTHERN STARKE
COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST INDIANA...
AT 335 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM NEAR MEDARYVILLE...OR 13 MILES
NORTHWEST OF WINAMAC...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
WINAMAC...
CULVER...
DENHAM...
RIPLEY...
BEARDSTOWN...BASS LAKE AND PULASKI...
VANMETER PARK AND ORA...
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
SATURDAY EVENING/1000 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING/ FOR NORTHERN INDIANA
AND SOUTHERN MICHIGAN AND NORTHWESTERN OHIO.
LAT...LON 4123 8692 4122 8635 4118 8609 4100 8615
4100 8617 4091 8618 4091 8626 4095 8670
4105 8691
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 280DEG 23KT 4112 8679PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
444 PM EDT SAT JUN 04 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0442 PM HAIL HARTFORD CITY 40.45N 85.37W
06/04/2011 E0.25 INCH BLACKFORD IN PUBLIC
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX1100988
EBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
504 PM EDT SAT JUN 04 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG HARTFORD CITY 40.45N 85.37W
06/04/2011 BLACKFORD IN EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WINDOWS BLOWN OUT OF
BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR
&&
EVENT NUMBER IWX1100989
EBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
513 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
OHZ016-025-042145-
ALLEN OH-PUTNAM OH-
513 PM EDT SAT JUN 4 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHEASTERN ALLEN AND SOUTHERN
PUTNAM COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL OHIO...
AT 507 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTH OF ELIDA...OR 9 MILES EAST OF
DELPHOS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...HAIL UP TO A HALF AN INCH IN
DIAMETER...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
THUNDERSTORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
LIMA...
BLUFFTON...
COLUMBUS GROVE...
CAIRO...
ROCKPORT...
SLABTOWN...
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
SATURDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHERN MICHIGAN AND
NORTHWESTERN OHIO.
LAT...LON 4064 8388 4082 8428 4101 8412 4088 8387
4065 8387
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 302DEG 18KT 4087 8415
MCSThe Cincinnati radar (KILN), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down on the east side of Lima.
Emergency management officials reported hail slightly larger than one inch at the intersection of Cool and Sandusky Roads.
Emergency management officials reported trees and power lines down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, June 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: 321712, 321694, 321713.