Severe thunderstorms moved across far northwest Indiana during the afternoon hours of July 1st.
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 LOT wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms moved across far northwest Indiana during the afternoon hours of July 1st.
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 Jul 1, 10:08 AM CST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 1108 AM CDT SUN JUL 1 2012 .DISCUSSION... 347 AM...FORECAST CONCERNS/CHALLENGES INCLUDE PRECIP CHANCES/SVR THREAT TODAY THROUGH MONDAY AND HIGH TEMPERATURES/DEWPOINTS AND ASSOCIATED HEAT INDICES AND POTENTIAL LAKE BREEZES THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. EARLIER CLEAR SKIES SATURDAY EVENING COMBINED WITH LIGHT WINDS AND MOIST GROUND TO ALLOW FOG TO FORM WHICH BECAME DENSE IN SOME SPOTS. BKN/OVC CIRRUS SHIELD APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO PREVENT DENSE FOG FROM BECOMING WIDESPREAD...BUT AS THIS CLOUD COVER MOVES SOUTHEAST...WILL NEED TO MONITOR VISIBILITIES THROUGH SUNRISE. UNCERTAINTY REMAINS FAIRLY HIGH REGARDING CONVECTIVE TRENDS/ PRECIP CHANCES LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE SLOWLY DRIFTING NORTH WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 70S. ALSO EXPECTING A LAKE BREEZE THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. BUT ITS DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT OR TIME ANY UPPER LEVEL WAVES THAT COULD HELP CONVECTION TO DEVELOP. SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT THIS MORNING WILL BE DRY BUT BEYOND THAT HAVE LOW CHANCE POPS WHICH WILL NEED SOME TWEAKING AS TRENDS BECOME MORE CLEAR LATER TODAY. PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH SOME SHEAR ALOFT SUGGESTS THAT STORMS COULD QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS/LARGE HAIL THE MAIN THREATS. THOUGH POTENTIAL ORGANIZATION ALSO REMAINS UNCERTAIN. THERE DOES SEEM TO BE SOME CONSENSUS OF AN UPPER WAVE RIDING SOUTHEAST LATE TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING ALONG THE RIDGE AS IT BUILDS BACK NORTH AND POSSIBLY A SECOND WAVE MONDAY AFTERNOON. HAVE CONTINUED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS DURING THESE TIME PERIODS BUT CONFIDENCE REGARDING SPECIFICS REMAINS LOW. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 90S THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY. THE TWO HOTTEST DAYS APPEAR TO BE TUESDAY AND FRIDAY WHEN TEMPS WILL LIKELY REACH THE UPPER 90S AND PERHAPS TAG 100 AT SOME LOCATIONS. IT WILL ALSO BE QUITE HUMID WITH DEWPOINTS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. TUESDAY...WHILE VERY HOT...MIGHT SEE A MINOR BREAK AS IT WILL BE SOMEWHAT BREEZY AND SOUNDINGS SUGGEST LOWER DEWPOINTS...LOW/MID 60S...WILL LIKELY MIX TO THE SURFACE IN THE AFTERNOON. ONLY OTHER LOCAL RELIEF WILL COME IN THE WAY OF LAKE BREEZES TODAY AND THEN ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE LAKE BREEZE ON WEDNESDAY IS A POTENTIAL COMBINED COLD FRONT THOUGH NOT ALL THE MODELS HAVE IT MAKING IT AS FAR SOUTH AS NORTHEAST IL. IF IT DOES...IT COULD ALLOW A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TO FIRE AND AFTER MONDAY NIGHT...HAVE THE REST OF THE WEEK DRY...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ON WEDNESDAY. AS FOR HEAT HEADLINES...NONE THIS MORNING. APPEARS HEAT INDICES MAY APPROACH 105 IN THE FAR SOUTHERN CWA THIS AFTERNOON BUT WITH POTENTIAL CLOUD COVER/PRECIP...NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO GO WITH AN ADVISORY FOR THOSE AREAS FOR TODAY. APPEARS A LARGER AREA...MAYBE THE WESTERN HALF OR SO OF THE CWA MAY REACH 105-110 ON MONDAY... AGAIN DEPENDENT ON CLOUD COVER/PRECIP AND TOO FAR OUT FOR AN ADVISORY JUST YET. HEAT INDICES LIKELY TO BE IN THE 100-105 RANGE EVERY AFTERNOON THROUGH NEXT SATURDAY. STILL APPEARS TO BE SOME CONSENSUS FOR A STRONGER COLD FRONT TO MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. CMS && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 16Z... * CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. * TIMING OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. * LAKE BREEZE AND WIND SHIFT TO E OR NE THIS AFTERNOON. ZEBIC //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 12Z... WEAK WARM FRONT OVER CENTRAL ILLINOIS WILL SLOWLY LIFT NORTHWARD THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH SCATTERED TSRA NEAR THE FRONT. SMALL CHANCE EXISTS THAT TSRA COULD DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WITH LAKE BREEZE...BUT SUSPECT WEAK CONVERGENCE AND POTENTIALLY SOME CAPPING AND LACK OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE SHOULD KEEP THE CHANCE OF THAT LOW ENOUGH TO KEEP OUT OF THE TAFS FOR NOW. NO PARTICULARLY WELL DEFINED UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES UPSTREAM TO KEY IN ON TO FOCUS DEVELOPMENT OF A CLUSTER OF TSRA TONIGHT...SO ACTIVITY MAY BE SOMEWHAT DISORGANIZED AND SCATTERED. UNCERTAINTIES REGARDING COVERAGE...TIMING...AND EVEN IF STORMS WILL DEVELOP WERE ENOUGH TO KEEP MY GUNSHY FROM ADDING TSRA INTO THE TAFS TONIGHT...THOUGH THERE CERTAINLY IS SOME POTENTIAL THIS EVENING AND EVEN INTO THE OVERNIGHT. WINDS SHOULD BE LIGHT/VARIABLE TODAY UNTIL LAKE BREEZE ARRIVES THIS AFTERNOON RESULTING IN WIND SHIFT TO EAST TO NORTHEAST...WITH BEST GUESS AT TIMING NOW ROUGHLY 20Z FOR ORD/MDW. IZZI //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 16Z... * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN TSRA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT * MEDIUM CONFIDENCE ON LAKE BREEZE TIMING * HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL OTHER ELEMENTS ZEBIC //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 00Z TUESDAY-12Z SUNDAY...UPDATED 12Z... MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...VFR. WEDNESDAY...SLIGHT CHANCE OF TSRA OTHERWISE VFR. THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...VFR. IZZI && .MARINE... 252 AM CDT LIGHT GRADIENT OVER THE LAKE THROUGH MONDAY WITH WIND DIRECTION LARGELY DICTATED BY LAND/SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS. SOUTHERLY WINDS DO INCREASE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT WHICH SHOULD MOVE DOWN THE LAKE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. BEHIND THE FRONT HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN WITH COUPLE MORE DAYS OF GENERALLY LIGHT WINDS ANTICIPATED. IZZI && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 1101 AM CDT SUN JUL 1 2012 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019- 021615- WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE ILLINOIS-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE- DUPAGE-COOK-LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON- IROQUOIS-FORD-LAKE INDIANA-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- 1101 AM CDT SUN JUL 1 2012 /1201 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS... NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED: CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...THE STRONGEST CAPABLE OF PRODUCING: HAIL TO THE SIZE OF HALF DOLLARS. DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH. HEAVY RAIN. AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING: SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH MOST OF TODAY...THIS EVENING...AND ONCE AGAIN LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING...ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. DISCUSSION: A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WITH A LAKE BREEZE ALSO EXPECTED TO FORM LATER THIS AFTERNOON. BOTH OF THESE FEATURES WILL AID THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MUCH OF TODAY AS STRONG INSTABILITY WILL ONCE AGAIN BE PRESENT. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING AS AN UPPER LEVEL WAVE MOVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY WITH DAYTIME HIGHS IN THE 90S THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH ONLY SOME OCCASIONAL COOLING NEAR THE LAKE. PEAK AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES EACH DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH MOST OF TODAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ740>745-021615- WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR- WILMETTE HARBOR TO NORTHERLY ISLAND- NORTHERLY ISLAND TO CALUMET HARBOR-CALUMET HARBOR TO GARY- GARY TO BURNS HARBOR-BURNS HARBOR TO MICHIGAN CITY- 1101 AM CDT SUN JUL 1 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OVER 35 KNOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OVER 35 KNOTS. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868- 870-872-874-876-878-021615- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM MICHIGAN CITY IN TO ST. JOSEPH MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO THE MACKINAC BRIDGE AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CHARLEVOIX MI TO SOUTH FOX ISLAND 5 NM OFFSHORE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM CHARLEVOIX TO POINT BETSIE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM POINT BETSIE TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE TO STURGEON BAY WI- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM STURGEON BAY TO TWO RIVERS WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM TWO RIVERS TO SHEBOYGAN WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WILMETTE HARBOR IL TO MICHIGAN CITY IN 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PENTWATER TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WHITEHALL TO PENTWATER MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM GRAND HAVEN TO WHITEHALL MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM HOLLAND TO GRAND HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SOUTH HAVEN TO HOLLAND MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ST. JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- 1101 AM CDT SUN JUL 1 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON...AND ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH SOME POTENTIAL FOR ANY OF THE STORMS TO BE SEVERE WITH WIND GUSTS OVER 35 KNOTS. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO RODRIGUEZ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1212 PM CDT SUN JUL 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1210 PM TSTM WND GST BATAVIA 41.85N 88.30W
07/01/2012 M52 MPH KANE IL EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1229 PM CDT SUN JUL 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1202 PM HEAVY RAIN 4 NNW COAL CITY 41.34N 88.30W
07/01/2012 M1.23 INCH GRUNDY IL COCORAHS
RAIN FELL IN 30 MINUTES.
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1232 PM CDT SUN JUL 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1226 PM TSTM WND GST WINFIELD 41.87N 88.15W
07/01/2012 E90.00 MPH DUPAGE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN AND ROOF DAMAGE
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1237 PM CDT SUN JUL 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1210 PM HAIL 3 NW JOLIET 41.55N 88.16W
07/01/2012 M0.25 INCH WILL IL COCORAHS
1217 PM TSTM WND GST WEST CHICAGO 41.89N 88.22W
07/01/2012 M75.00 MPH DUPAGE IL ASOS
1217 PM HAIL PLAINFIELD 41.62N 88.20W
07/01/2012 M0.75 INCH WILL IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
1256 PM CDT SUN JUL 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1218 PM TSTM WND GST ST. CHARLES 41.92N 88.30W
07/01/2012 E70.00 MPH KANE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO PEA SIZE HAIL
1238 PM TSTM WND GST ELMHURST 41.90N 87.94W
07/01/2012 E80.00 MPH DUPAGE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREES DOWN
1243 PM TSTM WND GST OHARE AIRPORT 41.98N 87.90W
07/01/2012 M61.00 MPH COOK IL ASOS
1245 PM HAIL LA GRANGE PARK 41.83N 87.87W
07/01/2012 M0.75 INCH COOK IL TRAINED SPOTTER
LA GRANGE RD AND CERMACK
1246 PM HAIL 2 SE BEECHER 41.33N 87.59W
07/01/2012 M1.00 INCH WILL IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
102 PM CDT SUN JUL 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 PM HAIL WHEATON 41.86N 88.11W
07/01/2012 M1.50 INCH DUPAGE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
1242 PM TSTM WND GST OAK BROOK 41.84N 87.95W
07/01/2012 M48.00 MPH DUPAGE IL CO-OP OBSERVER
PEA SIZE HAIL
1247 PM TSTM WND GST CHICAGO 41.88N 87.63W
07/01/2012 E60.00 MPH COOK IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
ACSThe Chicago radar (KLOT), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:03 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts to 80 mph were measured near Cline Avenue and Ridge Road.
Nickel size hail was reported near Interstate 65 and Route 231.
Trees and power lines were blown down across many areas of southwest Porter County.
Wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph.
Wind gusts were estimated to 70 mph at Lakes of the Four Seasons.
A gust to 60 mph was measured at Burns Harbor.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, July 2012
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: 391727, 392137, 392142, 392144, 392145, 392141, 392136.