A weak disturbance moved into northern Indiana during the late afternoon and early evening hours. Roughly 1000 J/Kg of surface based CAPE was available with a very weak flow aloft (10 to 20 knots).
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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 disturbance moved into northern Indiana during the late afternoon and early evening hours. Roughly 1000 J/Kg of surface based CAPE was available with a very weak flow aloft (10 to 20 knots). Thunderstorms slowly developed across the area and given the weak flow moved very slowly. Isolated wind damage and flooding was reported from a few storms.
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 Aug 17, 2:19 PM EST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 319 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 316 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DOT THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON AN UPPER LEVEL CROSSES THE REGION. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 316 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 SW TROUGH OVR SRN IL IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING AS IT EJECTS NEWD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS AFTN. FVRBL DIURNAL DESTABILIZATION UNDER DECENT BACKGROUND SYNOPTIC FORCING YIELDING ISOLD-SCT STORMS ACRS CWA BUT FAR BTR ECHO COVERAGE NOTED WWD FM CNTRL-NE IL WITHIN DEEPER THETA-E RIDGING AND THROUGH SW IN ALG NE ARC OF DEEPER SYNOPTIC VERTICAL MOTION. REGARDLESS ACTIVITY XPCD TO DIMINISH W/LOSS OF SFC HEATING AND RAPID DECAY OF FORCING ASSOCD/W NEWD EXIT OF WKNG SW ALTHOUGH SOME SHOWERS MAY PERSIST THROUGH FAR NW COUNTIES IN PROXIMITY TO BTR ECHO ORGANIZATION TAKING PLACE CURRENTLY OVR NE IL. OTRWS TRUNCATED SHRA MENTION OVERNIGHT TO WRN AREAS IN PROXIMITY TO LL THETA-E RIDGE AND MORE ROBUST CHANNEL OF LL FLW/MASS FLUX SITUATED AHD OF SFC FNTL ZONE. SIMILAR SCENARIO XPCD ON TUE W/NO DOWNSTREAM PROGRESSION OF FTRS NOTED IN RESPONSE TO SIG FLW AMPLIFICATION ALOFT BACK WEST ACRS THE CNTRL PLAINS AND GENERALLY BORNE OUT IN MOS GUIDANCE AND HIGHRES GUIDANCE TRENDS. THUS SEE LTL REASON TO CARRY POPS OVR SE HALF. && .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 316 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 PRIMARY FOCUS OF LONG TERM STILL ON WEDNESDAY'S COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. SEASONABLY STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET (120+ KTS) WILL DIG INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS ON TUESDAY AND CARVE OUT A VERY SHARP MID/UPPER TROPOSPHERIC TROUGH BY TUESDAY NIGHT. AS THIS JET ENERGY ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE TROUGH...GOOD UPPER DIVERGENCE IN COUPLED UPPER JET STRUCTURE AND NOTABLE CVA DOWNSTREAM OF MIDLEVEL HEIGHT FALL CENTROID WILL FAVOR STRONG SURFACE CYCLOGENESIS IN THE VICINITY OF DULUTH. TRAILING MIDLEVEL HEIGHT FALLS/VORTICITY FILAMENT WILL PUSH ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT THROUGH OUR CWA SOMETIME LATE WEDNESDAY WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS. LATEST NUMERICAL MODELS STILL SHOWING SOME SUBTLE TIMING DIFFERENCES BUT OVERALL ARE CONVERGING ON THIS GENERAL PICTURE. SOME PRECIP VIRTUALLY ASSURED BUT LINGERING QUESTIONS REGARDING EXACT TIMING AND COVERAGE PRECLUDE CATEGORICAL POP AT THIS TIME. MAIN QUESTION REVOLVES AROUND SEVERE WEATHER CHANCES. TO THIS POINT NOT A WHOLE LOT HAS CHANGED. STILL EXPECT WARM SECTOR TO BE POLLUTED WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES (AND POSSIBLY RAIN) IN THE MORNING. THIS SHOULD LIMIT DIABATIC HEATING WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE LOW 80S. SURFACE DEWPOINTS DO CLIMB INTO THE LOWER 70S BUT MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES CHECK IN AT A TEPID 6 C/KM. THIS GENERATES ONLY AROUND 2000 J/KG OF SBCAPE AT BEST. THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT BEST MIDLEVEL FLOW AND ASSOCIATED DEEP LAYER SHEAR LAGS WELL BEHIND THE FRONT AND AREA OF INSTABILITY. THIS IS BORNE OUT BY SHERBS3 AND SHERBE VALUES TOPPING OUT ONLY AROUND 0.6-0.7. THERE MAY BE SOME THREAT RIGHT ALONG THE LOW LEVEL FRONT IF THERE IS ENOUGH INSTABILITY LEFT BY THE TIME FLOW RAMPS UP BUT THAT CHANCE APPEARS TENUOUS TO SAY THE LEAST. 850MB WINDS WILL BE AROUND 35 KTS SO SOME GUSTY WINDS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE WITH ANY SUSTAINED UPDRAFTS BUT...FOR NOW...THREAT OF ANY WIDESPREAD/SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER SEEMS LOW. DEFINITELY WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON DURING THE NEXT 24-36 HOURS THOUGH. HIGH PRESSURE AND DRY/STABLE REGIME RETURNS ON THURSDAY AND WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. EXPECT SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPS WITH MUCH LESS HUMID CONDITIONS. NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN ARRIVES ON SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 316 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 VFR CONDS XPCD THROUGH THE PD. ISOLD-SCT TSRA DVLPMNT DOWNSTREAM OF EJECTING SW TROUGH OUT OF SRN IL WARRANTS CONTD FVRD VCTS MENTION THROUGH LT AFTN. OTRWS QUITE OVERNIGHT W/SOME MVFR VSBY REDUCTION IN FOG PSBL LT PENDING ON WHAT FALLS INVOF TERMINALS THIS AFTN. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...T SHORT TERM...T LONG TERM...AGD AVIATION...T VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 330 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-181000- 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 330 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY EVENING. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS PERIODIC CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM IS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. .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 LMZ043-046-181000- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 330 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THE STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM IS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP WEDNESDAY AND PERSIST INTO THURSDAY. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY BECOME HAZARDOUS FOR SMALL CRAFT WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 314 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2015 INZ003-012-013-172100- STARKE-LA PORTE-PULASKI- 314 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2015 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WESTERN STARKE...NORTHWESTERN PULASKI AND SOUTHERN LA PORTE COUNTIES... AT 311 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR LA CROSSE...OR 9 MILES WEST OF KNOX...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING AND MOVING NORTH OVER THE SAME GENERAL AREA. WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH LOCATIONS UNDER THE STORMS SEEING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN INCH OR MORE OF RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND IN LOW AREAS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LA PORTE...WESTVILLE...NORTH JUDSON...KINGSFORD HEIGHTS...WANATAH... MEDARYVILLE...LA CROSSE...HANNA...KINGSBURY...SAN PIERRE... STILLWELL...TOTO...PINOLA...TRACY...UNION MILLS...HASKELL...DENHAM... PINHOOK...SOUTH CENTER AND LOMAX. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 80 IN INDIANA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 38 AND 45. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 4164 8693 4162 8657 4105 8671 4104 8693 TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 187DEG 22KT 4131 8681 FISHER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
422 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015
INZ016-172045-
KOSCIUSKO-
422 PM EDT MON AUG 17 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN KOSCIUSKO COUNTY...
AT 419 PM EDT...A LONE THUNDERSTORM HAS REMAINED NEARLY STATIONARY
NEAR SYRACUSE OVER THE PAST HALF HOUR.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. IN ADDITION...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS
STORM WITH ONE AND A HALF TO OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN ESTIMATED BY
RADAR. LOCALIZED PONDING OF WATER IS LIKELY OCCURRING IN LOW AND
POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LAKE WAWASEE.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 4140 8565 4135 8571 4137 8576 4144 8572
4144 8565
TIME...MOT...LOC 2019Z 215DEG 4KT 4140 8568
FISHERThe Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 5 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:23 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A survey of the area around Waco Drive on the southwest side of Lake Wawasee revealed several tree limbs were blown down as a result of a wet microburst from a stationary storm over the area.
Emergency management officials reported several tree limbs down along with scattered power outages.
An off duty reported a tree was uprooted in her yard, with high water into her garage. Tree was uprooted to the east. Result of an isolated wet microburst.
A thunderstorm remained over Lake Wawasee for nearly 90 minutes, dropping torrential rainfall. Rainfall totals peak out at just over 5 inches, on the northeast side of the lake. Flooding occurred on State Route 13, near the South Shore Golf Course, where high water signs had to be posted for several hours. Flooding was minimized across the area as a result of the majority of the rain likely falling into the lake. Rainfall amounts quickly diminished a few miles outside of this main area with the National Weather Service office picking up 1.86 inches of rain in the same amount of time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, August 2015
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: 599849, 599842, 599845, 599864.