An area of thunderstorms initiated across southwestern Minnesota in an area of increased instability and 30 knot low level jet. These storms progressed southeast across Wisconsin into Illinois and eventually northern 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.
An area of thunderstorms initiated across southwestern Minnesota in an area of increased instability and 30 knot low level jet. These storms progressed southeast across Wisconsin into Illinois and eventually northern Indiana. As the storms moved into northeastern Illinois and northern Indiana a cold pool became established, with reports of wind damage in several locations, especially across Starke county. Ahead of the line, additional thunderstorms developed and produced more isolated wind and hail reports.
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 24, 2:44 AM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 344 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012 .SHORT TERM... TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... SERIES OF CONVECTIVE COMPLEXES DEVELOPING TONIGHT ALONG NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF 500MB RIDGE. LEAD MCS OVER SOUTHERN MN PRIMARY CONCERN FOR POTENTIAL IMPACT IN OUR AREA LATER THIS MORNING. 40KT LLJ COMING UP THROUGH NEBRASKA AND INTO SE SD WILL LEND SUPPORT TO REGENERATIVE NATURE OF CONVECTION...BUT MODELS STILL SUPPORT A FORWARD PROPAGATION OF ONGOING CONVECTION WITH NW/SE ORIENTED THICKNESS PATTERN TAKING IT DOWN TOWARD OUR CWA. MEANWHILE...NEW CONVECTION FIRING OVER SW CWA...INITIAL DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED TO BE OUT OF THE AREA NEAR ISSUANCE BUT WILL NEED TO MONITOR FOR ADDL DEVELOPMENT. OTHERWISE PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS TODAY AND SEE HOW MCS HOLDS TOGETHER AS IT TRACKS DOWN TOWARD THE AREA. MODELS THEN SHOWING GOOD AGREEMENT IN LIFTING FRONTAL WAVE TO THE NE OUT OF THE PLAINS...PLACING OUR AREA IN A WELL CAPPED WARM SECTOR FOR MUCH OF WED/WED NIGHT. HAVE TRENDED WX/POP GRIDS ACCORDINGLY AND INTRODUCED PERIOD OF DRY WX FOR SOUTHERN PORTION OF CWA WED AFTN/EVE. EXPECT SIMILAR RESPONSE AS TEMPS DID ON MONDAY WITH SURGING LOW LEVEL THERMAL RIDGE IN WARM SECTOR WILL SEND TEMPS BACK INTO THE MID TO UPPER 90S OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70 WOULD EXPECT HEAT INDICES EXCEEDING 100 FOR SW PORTIONS OF THE CWA AND WILL NEED TO MONITOR FOR POSSIBLE ADV WED AFTN. && .LONG TERM... THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY...A SIGNIFICANT SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION LATE THIS WEEK. INITIAL CONCERN FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE STORMS GIVEN 345K 850 MB THETA E AND BETTER BULK SHEAR VALUES WITH THIS SYSTEM. ALSO DIURNAL TIMING APPEARS FAVORABLE FOR STORMS CONSIDERING A LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON FRONTAL PASSAGE. THEREFORE...KEPT THE CHANCE FOR STORMS THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY FOLLOWED BY DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH SUNDAY. STILL SOME POTENTIAL FOR HEAT ADVISORY CONDITIONS THURSDAY OVER SOUTHERN AREAS GIVEN HOT TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS IN THE LOWER 70S. CURRENT THINKING IS THE HEAT INDEX OVER AREAS FROM MARION TO PORTLAND SHOULD REACH CLOSE TO 100 DEGREES BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. && .AVIATION /06Z TAF ISSUANCE /... MCS FINALLY TAKING SHAPE OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TONIGHT. EXPECT THIS COMPLEX TO WORK DOWN INTO OUR AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. ENOUGH UNCERTAINTY REMAINS TO GO WITH JUST VCTS AND AMEND AS NECESSARY. A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS IN AND AROUND THE AREA AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM AND WILL FACTOR IN SIMILAR FASHION. STILL NO CIG OR VSBY RESTRICTIONS ANTICIPATED ATTM. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && SHORT TERM...LOGSDON LONG TERM...SKIPPER AVIATION...LOGSDON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 456 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-250900- 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 456 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012 /356 AM CDT TUE JUL 24 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TODAY COULD CONTAIN WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND SMALL HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY PEAK AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES OF AROUND 100 UP TO 105 DEGREES ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY OVER NORTHERN INDIANA. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-250900- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 456 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT. WINDS AND WAVES ARE LIKELY TO BE HIGHER NEAR THUNDERSTORMS...WITH WIND GUSTS ABOVE 40 KNOTS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. GUSTY WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. && 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
259 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012
INZ013-015-020-022-023-240730-
CASS IN-FULTON IN-MIAMI IN-PULASKI IN-WHITE IN-
259 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHEASTERN WHITE...CASS...
SOUTHERN MIAMI...SOUTHERN PULASKI AND SOUTHWESTERN FULTON COUNTIES...
AT 253 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WALTON...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF LOGANSPORT...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
GRISSOM AFB AND PERU...
BUNKER HILL...
LINCOLN...NEAD AND WELLS...
MIAMI AND FLORA...
SANTA FE AND PEORIA...
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES.
SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 4107 8694 4099 8648 4076 8595 4059 8595
4058 8637 4070 8638 4070 8653 4075 8653
4075 8670 4086 8693
TIME...MOT...LOC 0658Z 301DEG 30KT 4062 8630SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
401 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012
INZ012>015-020-022-023-240845-
CASS IN-FULTON IN-MARSHALL IN-MIAMI IN-PULASKI IN-STARKE IN-WHITE IN-
401 AM EDT TUE JUL 24 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHEASTERN
WHITE...CASS...MIAMI...PULASKI...SOUTHWESTERN MARSHALL...FULTON AND
SOUTHERN STARKE COUNTIES...
AT 356 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WINAMAC...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
ROCHESTER...
LOGANSPORT...
ROYAL CENTER...
MEXICO AND WALTON...
STAR CITY...LAWTON AND HEADLEE...
THORNHOPE...KEWANNA AND BRUCE LAKE STATION...
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES.
SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 4124 8693 4128 8679 4134 8669 4117 8609
4109 8608 4106 8605 4077 8594 4065 8594
4065 8589 4058 8587 4059 8636 4061 8638
4070 8638 4070 8653 4075 8653 4074 8661
4094 8693
TIME...MOT...LOC 0800Z 306DEG 35KT 4101 8662The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:24 UTC.
16 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management officials reported several trees uprooted or snapped, especially in the Upland area. Damage to a home on the north side of Upland was noted, but no further details were available as to the extent of the damage.
The public reported a large tree was blown onto a fence at a residence in Wanatah.
The county highway department reported a tree was blown down onto U.S. 421, north of U.S. 30.
Emergency management officials and local media reports indicated damage to several hangars at the Starke county airport in Knox. Several planes suffered varying degrees of damage with some tipped forward or suffering wing damage.
Local media reported estimated winds to 70 mph in the town of Knox. Trees were reported uprooted with some falling onto cars near the county court house.
An 85 mph wind gust was observed by airport staff on the automated weather system before power was lost.
The highway department reported several trees were blown down, blocking State Route 143, between U.S 421 and Medaryville.
Local media reported several small limbs down along U.S.6, between Bremen and Nappanee.
A trained spotter estimated wind gusts to 60 mph. Several small diameter limbs were blown down in the area.
A trained spotter measured a 60 mph wind gust.
County highway officials reported a tree was blown down, blocking U.S. 35, between Royal Center and Logansport.
Law enforcement officials reported a tree was blown down in the city of Rochester, as was several signs. Trees and power lines were also reported down across other portions of the county.
The automated weather sensor at the Grissom Air Force base recorded a 58 mph wind gust.
An off duty NWS employee estimated a wind gust to 60 mph in Peru.
Emergency management officials reported a tree was blown down on Grayston Avenue in Huntington.
A large branch was blown down near State Route 9 and County Road 100 South.
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: 391849, 391851, 391852, 392006, 392014, 392015, 392007, 392008, 392009, 392016, 392010, 392011, 392017, 392018, 392012, 392013.