A weak upper level system moved through the central Great Lakes during the evening hours of the 21st. Widely scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of the system, with an isolated report of wind damage as one of the larger storms collapsed.
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 upper level system moved through the central Great Lakes during the evening hours of the 21st. Widely scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of the system, with an isolated report of wind damage as one of the larger storms collapsed.
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 21, 7:13 PM EST, 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 813 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 413 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST THIS AFTERNOON WHICH MAY SPARK A STRAY AFTERNOON SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM. ANOTHER DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY LATE TONIGHT PROVIDING A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE DAY ON MONDAY. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 807 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 ONLY MINOR CHANGES IN EVE UPDATE. COUPLE OF BOUNDARIES EVIDENT OVER NRN PORTION OF THE CWA WHICH HAVE PROVIDED FORCING FOR ISOLATED SHOWERS/TSTMS LATE THIS AFTN. A LITTLE MORE ORGANIZED ACTIVITY DEVELOPED IN STRONGER LOW LEVEL LAKE BREEZE CONVERGENCE ZONE WEST OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND WAS SUSTAINING ITSELF AS IT MOVED ACROSS THE LAKE THROUGH A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS WITH 30-40KT DEEP LAYER SHEAR. THESE STORMS OR NEW STORMS ALONG OUTFLOWS FROM THEM COULD IMPACT NRN PORTION OF CWA THIS EVE... THUS BUMPED POPS UP ACROSS THIS AREA A BIT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 413 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 A FEW MID/UPPER DISTURBANCES WILL ADVECT EASTWARD IN A QUASI ZONAL FLOW REGIME TONIGHT AND MONDAY...BRINGING LOW PRECIP CHANCES TO THE AREA. THE FIRST S/W ENERGY MOVING INTO SRN WI/NRN IL FROM ERN IOWA THIS AFTERNOON KICKING OFF SHOWERS/T-STORMS UPSTREAM. THIS WAVE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK INTO THE AREA AS IT SLOWLY SHEARS OUT THROUGH THE EVENING INTO TONIGHT. MODEL CONVECTIVE SIGNALS APPEAR TO BE STRONG ACROSS THE AREA FOR LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING. CONTINUED WITH CHANCE POPS FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE AREA BEGINNING LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. AMPLE LOW LVL MOISTURE WITH DECENT LAPSE RATES AHEAD OF THE S/W...ALONG WITH RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF 250 MB JET ACROSS LWR GRT LKS SHOULD YIELD SUPPORT FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION...HOWEVER SHEARING OUT NATURE OF THE SHORTWAVE AND LACK OF SFC FORCING WARRANTS ONLY CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. ADJUSTED TEMPS UP A DEGREE OR TWO OVERNIGHT WITH EXPECTED CLOUD COVER. SHEARING OUT SHORTWAVE WILL PHASE WILL STRONG MID/UPPER LVL ENERGY ...CURRENTLY ACROSS SW MO...OVER THE OHIO VALLEY BY MONDAY MORNING. THIS WILL CONTINUE CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE AREA...WITH THE HIGHEST ACROSS SOUTHERN/SOUTHEASTERN AREAS. GIVEN THE UPPER JET PULLING OUT OF THE REGION AND MAIN MID LVL ENERGY DISPLACED SOUTH OF THE AREA...ONLY POPS IN THE MAX 30-40 RANGE ARE WARRANTED FOR THE AREA. NO MAJOR CHANGES FOR HIGH TEMPS MONDAY. && .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 413 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 MADE ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CURRENT FORECAST GRIDS IN THE LONG TERM. CONFUSION WITH THE MODEL TIMING AND RESOLUTION OF THE FAST MOVING SHORTWAVES IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW. CONSISTENCY FROM RUN TO RUN AND MODEL TO MODEL IS LACKING AND THUS CONFIDENCE OF ANY SPECIFIC MODEL SOLUTION BEING BETTER HAVE KEPT THE GRIDDED FORECAST BLENDED WITH MORE WEIGHT ON THE OFFICIAL GRIDDED FORECAST THAN ON MODELS. TROF/SHORTWAVE/FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY MORNING...LINGERING THROUGH WEDNESDAY. MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AND DEFORMATION AXIS ACROSS THE AREA WILL SLOW THE PROGRESS OF THE SURFACE FRONT...NET RESULT...PROLONGED PERIOD OF CHC PCPN. TROF AXIS SHIFTS EAST AND BEGINS TO DEEPEN MID-WEEK LEADING TO ANOTHER SHORTWAVE/TROF/FRONT SWEEPING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES TO BE AT OR BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 722 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 GIVEN PROXIMITY TO SBN RECENTLY FORMED TS JUST EAST OF TERMINAL ALONG NEARLY STNRY WK NW-SE ORIENTED SFC BOUNDARY AND POTENTIAL FOR NEW CELLS TO POP UP ALONG OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS... MAINTAINED VCTS AS PREVIOUSLY FCST AT SBN THROUGH 03Z. SCATTERED TSTMS PSBL LATE TONIGHT AND MONDAY AS A SHRTWV OVER WI- IA MOVES EAST ACROSS OUR AREA WITH PRBLY LESS BUT STILL SUFFICIENT MUCAPE IN PLACE FOR DEEP CONVECTION. POPS AT THE TERMINALS CONT TO BE TOO LOW IN THIS TIMEFRAME TO ADD MENTION OF TS. CONSIDERABLE HIGH CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE APCHG SHRTWV SHOULD LIMIT RADIATIONAL COOLING OVERNIGHT... THUS BR NOT EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE TERMINALS AND WITH PSBL EXCEPTION OF LOW CHC TS... VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONT THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && UPDATE...JT SYNOPSIS...NG SHORT TERM...NG LONG TERM...LEWIS AVIATION...JT VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.NORTHERNIN.GOV WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 544 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 INZ004>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ078>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-222145- 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 544 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 /444 PM CDT SUN JUL 21 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE ARE PERIODIC CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...AND AGAIN LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX INZ003-MIZ077-222145- LA PORTE-BERRIEN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN 544 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 /444 PM CDT SUN JUL 21 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE ARE PERIODIC CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...AND AGAIN LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS AT LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES DUE TO HIGH WAVES AND RIP CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE TUESDAY TO WEDNESDAY TIMEFRAME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-222145- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 544 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 KNOTS COULD ACCOMPANY STORMS... SHOULD THEY OCCUR TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE ARE PERIODIC CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...AND AGAIN LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT ARE POSSIBLE BY TUESDAY NIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY. && 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 706 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 INZ005-MIZ078-079-212345- CASS MI-ELKHART IN-ST. JOSEPH MI- 706 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD SOUTHEASTERN CASS... SOUTHWESTERN ST. JOSEPH AND NORTHERN ELKHART COUNTIES... AT 705 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM NEAR SIMONTON LAKE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... BRISTOL... MIDDLEBURY... UNION AND SHAVEHEAD LAKE... MOTTVILLE... 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 4189 8570 4164 8567 4166 8606 4182 8606 TIME...MOT...LOC 2306Z 264DEG 10KT 4177 8595 CEO
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
804 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013
MIZ078-079-220030-
CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-
804 PM EDT SUN JUL 21 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHEASTERN CASS AND
NORTHWESTERN ST. JOSEPH COUNTIES...
AT 802 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTH OF MARCELLUS...OR 10 MILES WEST OF
THREE RIVERS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
THREE RIVERS AND MARCELLUS...
WAKELEE...
COREY LAKE...
CLEAR LAKE...
HOWARDSVILLE...
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 4196 8555 4186 8580 4193 8593 4207 8580
4207 8579
TIME...MOT...LOC 0004Z 215DEG 10KT 4193 8583
CEOThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:24 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Pictures were posted on a local media outlets social media page of large tree branches being blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, July 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: 461096.