Strong thunderstorms trained over portions of northwest Indiana dropping heavy rain. 20 inches.
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.
Strong thunderstorms trained over portions of northwest Indiana dropping heavy rain. A trained spotter in Whiting measured 3.20 inches. Minor flooding was reported in Hammond.
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 Sep 18, 5:42 PM CST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 642 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013 .DISCUSSION... 336 PM CDT MAIN CHALLENGES/CONCERNS THIS FORECAST PERIOD ARE WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NEAR TERM...POSSIBLE PERSISTENT SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT...AS WELL AS BETTER CHANCES FOR SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. CONTINUE TO MONITOR AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS THAT HAVE CONTINUED TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST TODAY. LATEST RADAR IMAGERY DEPICTING A CONTINUED DEVELOPING TREND IN BOTH COVERAGE AND INTENSITY WITH THIS AREA OF PRECIPITATION...AND EXPECT THIS TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MCV IS THE MAIN DRIVING FORCE FOR THESE SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LATEST RAP ANALYSIS SHOWING LOWERING CIN AND AN AXIS OF 1000 J/KG OF SB CAPE EXTENDING INTO NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. ALTHOUGH NOT THE GREATEST...THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE ENOUGH TO HELP THIS PRECIP TO HOLD TOGETHER WHILE IT SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH NORTHEAST ILLINOIS THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN NORTHWEST INDIANA THROUGH EARLY EVENING. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED...A PORTION OF THESE STORMS ALONG THE I-80 CORRIDOR HAVE EXHIBITED SOME STRENGTHENING TRENDS WITH BRIEF HIGHER WIND SIGNATURES. SO FOR THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...EXPECT ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS IN THIS GENERAL AREA TO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SPORADIC WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL WITH AN OUTSIDE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISOLATED SEVERE WIND THREAT. WITH THE DEPARTURE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS...MOST OF THE CWA SHOULD OBSERVE A LULL IN PRECIP BEFORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN OVER NIGHT. SEVERAL WEAK MID LEVEL FEATURES WILL CONTINUE TO TRAVERSE CURRENT ZONAL FLOW OVERHEAD...WITH LOW/MID LEVEL FLOW VEERING OVERNIGHT. AS THIS OCCURS...IT APPEARS AS BETTER WAA WILL ORIENT ITSELF MORE TOWARDS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE IS NOT THE GREATEST FOR COVERAGE TONIGHT...DID MAINTAIN LOW CHANCE POPS FOR MOST AREAS MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT OWING TO THIS POTENTIAL. WHATEVER DOES DEVELOP SHOULD BE MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE...AND THEN BEGIN SHIFTING EAST OUT OF THE CWA WHILE DIMINISHING EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. WITH BROAD SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW PERSISTING ON THURSDAY AND A FAIRLY MOIST ENVIRONMENT OVERHEAD...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE. ALTHOUGH...CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION SHOULD REMAIN LOW WITH ONCE AGAIN ANYTHING THAT DOES DEVELOP REMAINING SCATTERED. WITH THIS PERSISTENT WAA...CONTINUED WARMUP WILL CONTINUE ON THURSDAY. MADE LITTLE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAX TEMPS FOR THURSDAY KEEPING UPPER 80S FOR MOST LOCATIONS...WITH SOME UNCERTAINTIES TO PRECIP AND EVEN CLOUD COVER REMAINING. IF ENOUGH CLEARING OCCURS...THERMO PROFILES WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF SOME LOCATIONS REACHING OR SLIGHTLY EXCEEDING 90 DEGREES. MAIN FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT SHIFTS TOWARDS THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING WITH AN APPROACHING TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AND COLD FRONT. AS LARGE VORT MAX DROPS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS...SEVERAL WAVES OF ENERGY WILL LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION. THIS WILL HELP TO SHIFT THIS TROUGH/FRONT AS WELL AS INDUCING SOME FURTHER PRESSURE FALLS OUT AHEAD OF IT. WITH POTENTIAL FOR PRE FRONTAL TROUGHINESS TO OCCUR TOMORROW AFTERNOON...SOME GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO DEVELOP PRECIP OUT AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. ALTHOUGH I FEEL THIS IS A BIT OVERDONE...AND HAVE HELD BACK ON POPS FOR THURSDAY DURING THE DAY. HAVE EVEN TRENDED TOWARDS A SLOWER SOLUTION/TREND WITH THIS FRONT/TROUGH WITH BEST CHANCES FOR SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS REMAINING OVER WEST/NORTHWEST ILLINOIS FOR MOST OF THURSDAY NIGHT. ITS NOT UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING THAT THIS FRONT GETS A GOOD SOUTHEAST PUSH WITH BEST FORCING MOVING OVERHEAD. GOOD SWATH OF PRECIP SHOULD SHIFT SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA THROUGH MID DAY FRIDAY...WITH THIS PRECIP THEN EXPECTED TO SHIFT OUT OF THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. IT DOES APPEAR AS IF THE STRONGER STORMS SHOULD REMAIN JUST WEST OF THE CWA...BUT WITH SOME POTENTIAL FOR THEM TO REACH THE FAR WESTERN CWA THURSDAY EVENING/NIGHT. IF INSTABILITY CAN INCREASE ON FRIDAY...THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A LINGERING STRONG TO SEVERE THREAT ACROSS THE CWA BEFORE THE STORMS SHIFT OUT OF THE CWA. RODRIGUEZ && .AVIATION... //ORD AND MDW CONCERNS...UPDATED 00Z... * CURRENT TSRA MOVING OUT OF THE AREA BY 0030 UTC. * LOW CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL SHRA/TSRA LATE TONIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING. * GUSTY SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WINDS THURSDAY. KJB //DISCUSSION...UPDATED 00Z... THINGS SHOULD BEGIN QUIETING DOWN NOW FOR MUCH OF THE EVENING. THE LAST BATCH OF THUNDERSTORMS...CURRENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENHANCED FORCING FOR ASCENT WITH THE MID LEVEL VORT/MCV...IS MOVING ACROSS NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS. ONCE THIS ACTIVITY MOVES EAST EARLY THIS EVENING...SEVERAL HOURS OF QUITE WEATHER LOOKS TO BE ON TAP FOR THE AREA. THE WINDS ARE BIT DISTURBED FROM THE CURRENT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...BUT EXPECT WINDS TO QUICKLY COME BACK OUT OF THE SOUTH WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THAT ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT AS WE REMAIN IN AN UNSETTLED MID/UPPER LEVEL FLOW PATTERN AND A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER...CONFIDENCE STILL REMAINS LOW...SO I HAVE CONTINUED THE PROB 30 GROUP FOR LATE TONIGHT AFTER 09 UTC. SOUTH-SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL BE FAIRLY STRONG TOMORROW...WITH GUSTS UP AROUND 20 KT THROUGH THE DAY AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. CHANCES FOR CONVECTION WILL INCREASE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA. KJB //ORD AND MDW CONFIDENCE...UPDATED 00Z... * LOW CONFIDENCE ON SHRA/TSRA THURSDAY MORNING. * MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN WINDS ON THURSDAY. KJB //OUTLOOK FOR ORD/MDW FOR 12Z FRIDAY-12Z WEDNESDAY...UPDATED 00Z... FRIDAY...SHRA/TSRA LIKELY THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...SHRA POSSIBLY LINGERING INTO THE EVENING. MVFR POSSIBLE. WIND SHIFT FROM SWLY TO NWLY IN THE AFTERNOON. SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...VFR. WX NIL. KJB && .MARINE... 256 PM CDT AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE DAKOTAS IS TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY AS IT TRACKS NORTHEAST TO SOUTHERN CANADA BY MIDDAY THURSDAY. THE LOW THEN DEEPENS FRIDAY AND MOVES ACROSS JAMES BAY. AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD AND ACROSS LAKE MI DURING FRIDAY SHIFTING SOUTH AND SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS TO OUT OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST AND INCREASING TO STRONG BREEZES. AS LARGE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WINDS WILL GRADUALLY RELAX AS THEY VEER THROUGH NORTH AND EAST TO SOUTHEAST. TRS && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. IN...NONE. LM...NONE. && VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHICAGO.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 408 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019- 192115- 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- 408 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013 /508 PM EDT WED SEP 18 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS... NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA...MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 88. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG...WITH BRIEF GUSTS TO 50 MPH...UP TO PEA SIZE HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE DAY THURSDAY WITH GREATER POTENTIAL FOR STORMS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. SOME OF THE STORMS DURING THIS PERIOD COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS OR LARGE HAIL...MAINLY THURSDAY EVENING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON MAINLY TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 55. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. && LMZ740>745-192115- 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- 408 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY FOR THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS THIS EVENING...AND BOTH THE ILLINOIS AND INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY WITH A GREATER CHANCE OF STORMS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE GUSTS UP TO 35 KT. && LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868- 870-872-874-876-878-192115- 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- 408 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY WITH A GREATER CHANCE OF STORMS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE GUSTS TO OR IN EXCESS OF 35 KT. && BEACHLER VISIT US AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO (ALL LOWERCASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.CHICAGO.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSCHICAGO WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSCHICAGO
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
903 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0901 PM HEAVY RAIN HARWOOD HEIGHTS 41.97N 87.81W
09/18/2013 M1.11 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS
HAIL RANGED FROM PEA TO PENNY SIZE.
&&
CPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
909 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0738 PM HEAVY RAIN RIVER GROVE 41.92N 87.84W
09/18/2013 E1.57 INCH COOK IL PUBLIC
REPORT VIA TWITTER.
&&
CPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
917 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0911 PM FLOOD CHICAGO 41.88N 87.63W
09/18/2013 COOK IL NWS EMPLOYEE
PORTIONS OF LAKESHORE DRIVE BETWEEN FULLERTON AND
DIVERSEY HAS STANDING WATER AND MAY BE IMPASSABLE.
&&
BEACHLERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
930 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0915 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 NNW BURNHAM 41.66N 87.55W
09/18/2013 E2.55 INCH COOK IL COCORAHS
&&
CPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
939 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0935 PM HEAVY RAIN WHITING 41.68N 87.49W
09/18/2013 M3.20 INCH LAKE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
CPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
942 PM CDT WED SEP 18 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0941 PM HEAVY RAIN VALPARAISO 41.48N 87.05W
09/18/2013 M1.55 INCH PORTER IN OFFICIAL NWS OBS
&&
CThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Water was flowing across Cline Avenue in Hammond, but the road was still passable.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, September 2013
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: 478101.