A line of severe thunderstorms developed in eastern Iowa during the afternoon hours of June 30th. Plenty of instability and moisture was available for the line to mature into a severe bow-echo with the bulk of this racing northwest of the area into Wisconsin and Central Lower Michigan.
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 line of severe thunderstorms developed in eastern Iowa during the afternoon hours of June 30th. Plenty of instability and moisture was available for the line to mature into a severe bow-echo with the bulk of this racing northwest of the area into Wisconsin and Central Lower Michigan. The southern flank of this line did briefly take on bowing characteristics and produce gusty winds over southern Lake Michigan into portions of northwestern Indiana and far southwestern Lower Michigan before dissipating. Behind this line, a much stronger line of thunderstorms rapidly developed on a pre-frontal trough in northern Illinois. This line entered a more favorable environment with deep layer shear to 50 knots and a rapidly increasing low level jet to 50 knots. As this line raced into northwestern Indiana during the late evening hours, several stronger circulations were noted along the leading edge. There were multiple tornado confirmations and swaths of extensive wind damage. The second event continued into July 1st with additional wind damage and confirmed tornadoes occurring during the early morning hours.
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 30, 3:18 PM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 518 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 350 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 A COLD FRONT MOVING EAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE THUNDERSTORMS IN OUR AREA OVERNIGHT... WITH REDEVELOPMENT ALONG THE FRONT POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA ON TUESDAY. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. LOWS TONIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE LOWER 70S WITH HIGHS TUESDAY RANGING FROM THE UPPER 70S NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN TO THE UPPER 80S IN WEST CENTRAL OHIO. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 516 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 WRN FLANK OF MORNING OUTFLW BNDRY HAS MIXED OUT RAPIDLY THIS AFTN AHD OF SIG BOW ECHO CROSSING MS RIVER LT THIS AFTN. THUS GIVEN RAMPANT ESCALATION OF BOTH SFC BASED CAPE AND 1000-850MB MEAN MIXING RATIOS INTO NW INDIANA XPC THIS SYS WILL MAINTAIN ITS INTENSITY EASTWARD INTO WRN CWA BTWN 7-8 PM EDT. ERN EXTENT OF SVR RISK SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN GIVEN PERSISTENCE OF OUTFLW INDUCED CINH HWVR LARGER SCALE MIDLVL SPEED MAX OF 60KTS MAY INDEED CARRY DAMAGING WIND RISK FARTHER EAST THEN IMPLIED IN SVR WATCH 375 AS EVEN ERN AREAS MAY RECOVER SUFFICIENTLY BFR SUNSET. ZONE UPDATES ALREADY ISSUED W/SIG POP/WX GRID CHGS MADE TO REFLECT EWD EXTRAPOLATION OF SEVERE BOW ECHO. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 SHRTWV EVIDENT ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY MOVG INTO THE NRN PLAINS THIS AFTN WILL SIGNIFICANTLY AMPLIFY FLOW ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS THIS PERIOD. DIURNAL HEATING/DESTABILIZATION IN OUR AREA HAS BEEN LIMITED BY STRATUS AND CONVECTIVE DEBRIS TODAY... BUT CLOUDINESS SHOULD CONT TO DIMINISH THE REST OF THE DAY ALLOWING FOR AT LEAST MODERATE INSTABILITY BY LATE AFTN. THIS INSTABILITY EXPECTED TO BE MAINTAINED THIS EVE AS A 50KT LLJ DEVELOPS OVER MO AHEAD OF APCHG SHRTWV/CDFNT. STRONG UPR LEVEL DIVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF STRENGTHENING UPR LEVEL JET OVER THE UPR GRTLKS WILL ALSO OVERSPREAD OUR AREA TONIGHT HELPING TO MAINTAIN MCS CURRENTLY OVER IA THROUGH MOST IF NOT ALL OF OUR CWA OVERNIGHT. BASED ON PERSISTENCE OF LAST NIGHTS MCS LONGER THAN MODELS INDICATED... PREFER WRF ARW/NMM SOLUTIONS WHICH SUGGEST ORGANIZED CONVECTION PERSISTING INTO OH BY DAYBREAK TUE. THIS SCENARIO REFLECTED WELL IN CURRENT POP/WX GRIDS AND ONLY MINOR CHANGES MADE FOR OVERNIGHT. AS INDICATED BY LATEST SPC OUTLOOK... GOOD POTENTIAL FOR MAINTAINING SVR STORMS AT LEAST INTO NW PORTION OF OUR CWA OVERNIGHT... WITH GREATEST THREAT DAMAGING WINDS. IT WILL BE ANOTHER WARM/MUGGY NIGHT BUT SHOWERS/CONVECTIVE OUTFLOWS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO FALL NEAR 70... ESPECIALLY ACROSS NW PORTION OF CWA WHERE THERE IS THE BEST CHC OF HEAVIER/MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION. FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS IA THIS AFTN IS EXPECTED TO SURGE EAST TO WRN PORTION OF OUR CWA LATE TONIGHT... AND THEN BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFUSE TUE AS LEAD SHRTWV LIFTS NE ACROSS THE UPR GRTLKS AND A SECOND SYSTEM DIGS SE ACROSS THE NRN PLAINS INTO THE DEEPENING UPR LEVEL TROF. THUS... CAA WILL GENERALLY BE WK ACROSS OUR AREA TUE RESULTING IN ANOTHER WARM DAY FOR MOST OF THE CWA WITH HIGHS IN THE M-U80S. EXCEPTION WILL BE NW WHERE MORE SGFNT COOLING EXPECTED... ESPECIALLY NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN. DRIER AIR SHOULD ADVECT INTO THE AREA FROM THE SW TUE AND WITH CONVERGENCE ALONG FRONT WKNG... STRONGEST INSTABILITY EXPECTED TO SHIFT TO THE EAST OF OUR AREA BY LATE AFTN... BUT STILL A RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT THROUGH EARLY AFTN ACROSS SERN PORTION OF OUR CWA. IF STORMS DO DVLP GIVEN MODERATE INSTABILITY AND 30-35KT 0-6KM SHEAR... SVR STORMS AGAIN A POSSIBILITY. && .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 350 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 COOL...TRANQUIL PATTERN FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL FEEL ALMOST FALL LIKE AS A TROUGH SETTLES INTO THE AREA BRINGING HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW TO MID 70S WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. CHANCE FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS ON WEDNESDAY AS A SECONDARY COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA BRINGING A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR THE COOLEST AIR OF THE PERIOD ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW SITES DROP INTO THE UPPER 40S THURSDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVERHEAD AND WINDS GO CALM ALLOWING IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING. DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE INTO INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND WITH MODERATING TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOW 80S BY SATURDAY. SOME INDICATIONS OF A SHORTWAVE BRINGING CONVECTIVE CHANCES AGAIN BY LATE SUNDAY...BUT PREFER SLOWER SOLUTIONS AND WILL KEEP FORECAST DRY ATTM. BETTER PRECIP CHANCES WILL ARRIVE BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A BOUNDARY SETTLES INTO THE AREA AND HIGHER DEWPOINTS RETURN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 112 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 MVFR STRATUS DECK LINGERING OVER NRN INDIANA EARLY THIS AFT... BUT SHOULD MIX OUT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. REST OF THE AFTN SHOULD BE VFR WITH JUST A SLIGHT CHC OF TSTMS DEVELOPING OVER THE AREA... TOO LOW TO MENTION IN TAFS. MCS OVER IA IS EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN ITSELF INTO NRN INDIANA TONIGHT... IMPACTING SBN AROUND 03Z AND FWA AROUND 05Z. POTENTIAL FOR SVR WIND GUSTS WITH THIS LINE. SOME MVFR STRATUS EXPECTED BEHIND THIS LINE LATE TONIGHT... BUT SHOULD MIX OUT FAIRLY QUICKLY TUE MORNING. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR INZ003. MI...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR MIZ077. OH...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM EDT TUESDAY FOR LMZ043-046. && UPDATE...T SYNOPSIS...JT SHORT TERM...JT LONG TERM...BENTLEY 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 503 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 INZ003>006-008-012>017-020-022>025-032-MIZ077>079-011000- LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-NOBLE-STARKE-PULASKI- MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH- HUNTINGTON-GRANT-BERRIEN-CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND... MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...KENDALLVILLE... LIGONIER...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON...WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...PLYMOUTH... BREMEN...ROCHESTER...WARSAW...WINONA LAKE...COLUMBIA CITY... SOUTH WHITLEY...MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...LOGANSPORT...PERU... WABASH...NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...MARION...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... STURGIS...THREE RIVERS 503 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 /403 PM CDT MON JUN 30 2014/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME SEVERE ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING WITH DAMAGING WINDS LIKELY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX INZ007-009-018-026-027-033-034-MIZ080-081-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016- 024-025-011000- STEUBEN-DE KALB-ALLEN IN-WELLS-ADAMS-BLACKFORD-JAY-BRANCH-HILLSDALE- WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANGOLA...AUBURN...GARRETT...FORT WAYNE... BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...BERNE...HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER... PORTLAND...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...WAUSEON...ARCHBOLD... DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA...PANDORA... VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA 503 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE STRONG TO SEVERE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA MID TO LATE EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-011000- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 503 PM EDT MON JUN 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/?N=MARINE
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:26 UTC.
16 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
The public reported a two foot diameter tree being snapped at the base.
The public reported downed tree limbs and power lines.
The public reported hail from the size of quarters to nearly half dollars.
Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down on the west side of South Bend, especially in the Edison Road area.
A NWS storm survey of damage confirmed a brief tornado reaching EF1 intensity near Pinhook. Severe tree damage occurred at a cluster of residences on the southwest side of the intersection of US-2 and South Wozniak Road. Several large trees, some over 50 feet tall, were uprooted or twisted. A 2 story 25 foot by 60 foot barn was destroyed with the debris thrown to the northeast. The tornado continued quickly south causing additional tree damage before rapidly dissipating. Maximum winds are estimated at 105 mph.
A trained spotter estimated winds to 70 mph.
A survey of damage was performed north of Kingsbury along and either side of US-35. A detached garage was destroyed at a residence. A swath of corn, at least a quarter mile wide, was completely flattened adjacent to this building. Winds were estimated in the 80 to 85 mph range.
A NWS survey of damage in the Kingsford Heights area revealed a microburst began just to the west of the town and expanded east. An area of trees was found either snapped or uprooted in an easterly direction through Kingsford Heights. This swath of wind expanded in width and eventually spawned a EF-1 tornado east of town. The straight line winds were estimated at around 80 mph.
A NWS survey of damage east of Kingsford Heights revealed damage consistent with a tornado, embedded within a larger swath of straight line winds. The tornado tracked rapidly east through mainly wooded areas causing widespread snapped or uprooted trees along its path. Trees fell onto several homes, especially along South County Road 300 East. Maximum winds were estimated at around 95 mph.
A NWS storm survey confirmed damage consistent with a EF1 tornado touching down near the intersection of North County Road 300 East and East County Road 800 North. Extensive tree damage occurred along the track with several trees falling onto homes. A barn was destroyed near County Road 700 East and Robbins Road. Multiple center pivot irrigation systems were flipped. Maximum winds were estimated around 100 mph.
A NWS survey of damage confirmed a strong EF1 tornado traveled across mainly wooded areas of far northeastern Starke county. Touchdown occurred along County Road 800 east of County Road 850 East where several trees suffered limb damage. The tornado continued towards the northeast and slowly gained strength and reached peak intensity as it approached and crossed into Marshall county north of Koontz Lake. A quarter mile swath of healthy 18 to 24 inch diameter trees were snapped and uprooted (DI: TH DOD: 4). Maximum winds were estimated at around 110 mph. The total distance the tornado was on the ground across Starke and Marshall counties was 4.9 miles.
Law enforcement officials reported numerous trees down across northern parts of the county, especially north of Winamac.
A NWS storm survey confirmed a strong EF1 tornado exited Starke county, north of Koontz Lake along County Line Road and Starke County Road 900 North where extensive tree damage occurred. As the tornado moved northeast it weakened, producing more sporadic areas of tree damage before dissipating in a grove of trees just east of Union Road. The tornado traveled a total of 4.9 miles across Starke and Marshall counties. Maximum winds were estimated at around 110 mph near the county line.
A NWS storm survey found damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado. The tornado touched down just south of Donaldson where it caused extensive damage to hardwood trees. The tornado moved east and heavily damaged two residences on a farm on Sycamore Road, just south of the railroad tracks. The tornado continued to produce extensive tree damage as it tracked east-northeast into Plymouth to south of the Lear Corporation. Several trees were either topped or snapped with an empty semi-trailer being flipped. The tornado continued northeast with widespread mixed hardwood and softwood trees being snapped and minor structural damage to the Behavior Science Building on North Oak road. The tornado caused partial uplift of the northwest side of the roof and collapsed the interior cinder block wall on the east side of the Department of Transportation garage, just south of US-30 before lifting. Maximum winds were estimated at 105 mph.
The public reported several trees and tree limbs down around Pine Lake.
A NWS storm survey confirmed a brief EF-1 tornado touched down near the intersection of Lilac Road and Plymouth Goshen Trail, just northeast of Plymouth. Widespread hardwood tree damage was noted with several uprooted and snapped trees. A small shed was also flattened at a residence. As the circulation moved northeast it shifted a barn off its foundation and caused widespread tree damage in a grove of trees before lifting on the other side of the tree grove. Winds were estimated at 95 mph. While this tornado was in close proximity to the longer tracked Plymouth tornado that occurred west of US-30, it was determined by radar evidence and ground truth to be a separate circulation.
Amateur radio operators reported several trees blown down along Greenlawn Road near the zoo.
The Automated Weather station at South Bend Regional Airport measured a 68 mph wind gust.
A trained spotter reported tree limbs down at a residence. One landed on a vehicle. No damage estimates were available.
A swath of damage was surveyed along Jefferson Boulevard from the St. Joseph River east to just south of Bethel College. Many trees were uprooted along this path, consistent with straight line winds estimated to 80 mph.
Emergency management officials reported multiple trees, tree limbs, power lines and poles down across the county.
The public reported several trees down as well as at least one power pole in the Bremen area.
Emergency management officials reported trees down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Indiana, 2014Warnings in Indiana, June 2014
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: 529917, 529914, 529915, 529921, 529916, 530497, 529946, 529955, 529958, 529960, 530498, 530499, 529924, 530501, 530732, 529922, 530733, 529941, 529947, 529949, 529952, 529950, 529948, 529951.