Indiana, 2015

Strong Wind in Indiana, August 2, 2015

August 2, 2015 · NWS IWX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Sunny skies ahead of a strong cold front allowed for the mixing of stronger winds aloft to the ground. While wind gusts only peaked out at between 30 and 40 mph, they were sufficient to cause damage to a tree in South Bend which fell onto several people in bleachers.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
4
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS IWX wrote it up.

Sunny skies ahead of a strong cold front allowed for the mixing of stronger winds aloft to the ground. While wind gusts only peaked out at between 30 and 40 mph, they were sufficient to cause damage to a tree in South Bend which fell onto several people in bleachers.

What forecasters said that day

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 2, 1:26 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 1:26 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
226 PM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
ISSUED AT 322 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND STRONG COLD FRONT CROSSING THE
GREAT LAKES TONIGHT WILL SPARK SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME
STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE. AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM...A WARM AND
WINDY DAY IS EXPECTED WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS FROM THE UPPER 80S TO
LOWER 90S.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 224 PM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

REGIONAL RADAR LOOP SHOWING ONGOING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY OVER THE
NORTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH A FEW NEW
CELLS NOW FIRING OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY
DEPICTING STRONG SHORT WAVE ENERGY MOVING INTO WESTERN ONTARIO AS IT
ROUNDS INTO THE BASE OF HUDSON BAY CLOSED LOW. ASSOCIATED SURFACE
LOW OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN WILL MOVE E/NE AND DRAG COLD FRONT INTO
THE AREA OVERNIGHT...BRINGING CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH IT.
AIRMASS RAPIDLY DESTABILIZING OVER THE REGION AS SPC MESOANALYSIS
AND LAPS SOUNDINGS SHOWING SB CAPES OF 3500-4000J/KG. HOWEVER...VIS
SAT SHOWING MAINLY CLOUD FREE SKIES OVER THE CWA AT THE MOMENT AS
PARCELS STRUGGLE TO BREAK MODEST CAPPING INVERSION. WHILE HIRES
GUIDANCE STILL HINTING AT SOME CONVECTION LATE THIS AFTERNOON OVER
THE NW HALF OF THE CWA...BEST CHANCES FOR MORE ORGANIZED STORMS WILL
BE LATER THIS EVENING AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES. MID LEVEL FLOW
EXPECTED TO INCREASE THIS EVENING AND BRING EFFECTIVE SHEAR VALUES
UP TO 30-40KTS AND WITH A LARGELY UNIDIRECTIONAL WIND PROFILE EXPECT
ANY STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL BRING DAMAGING
WINDS AS THE MAIN THREAT. TIMING REFLECTED IN GRIDS LOOKING ON TRACK
WITH ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS...OCCURRENCE OF CONVECTION LOOKS LIKE A
GOOD BET BUT SOME UNCERTAINTY WRT AREAL COVERAGE SO HAVE GONE WITH
SCT WORDING IN 02-05Z TIMEFRAME WHEN CONDITIONS APPEAR MOST
FAVORABLE. LINGERING CHANCE FOR PRECIP INTO MONDAY MORNING IN THE SE
CWA OTHERWISE COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS BUILD INTO THE REGION
MONDAY WITH HIGHS U70S-L80S.

&&

.LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 224 PM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL BE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF JAMES BAY AT THE
START OF THE PERIOD...WITH A SLOW WEAKENING TREND IN STORE AS IT
MOVES NORTHEAST. ALTHOUGH THIS WOULD NORMALLY ALLOW OUR UPPER
LEVEL HEIGHTS TO INCREASE FURTHER AND KEEP US WARM A SERIES OF
WAVES WILL DROP FROM WESTERN CANADA INTO THE PLAINS AND KEEP A
SOMEWHAT COOLER AND POTENTIALLY WET FLOW ACROSS THE REGION. BEST
CHANCE FOR RAINFALL WILL COME MID TO LATE WEEK AS A STRONGER
DISTURBANCE MOVES TOWARDS THE REGION. 12Z GFS DEVELOPS A DECENT
SFC LOW REFLECTION THAT TRACKS ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA...WITH A
LARGE SHIELD OF RAIN NORTH OF IT STARTING WEDS AFTERNOON INTO
WEDNESDAY NIGHT. 00Z ECMWF HAS A SIMILAR...BUT FURTHER NORTH AND
SLOWER RESPONSE TO CYCLOGENESIS WITH SFC LOW TRACKING FROM WESTERN
IL THURS AFTERNOON TO NEAR INDY LATE THURSDAY EVENING. WHILE BOTH
TRACKS DO PAINT SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE SETUP FOR PRECIP CHANCES TIMING
AND TRACK ISSUES RESULT IN LOW CONFIDENCE ON BEST PERIOD TO PLACE
HIGHER EMPHASIS ON POPS. WITH A FEW DAYS LEFT TO WATCH TRENDS BEST
OPTION IS TO HOLD WITH CHC POPS WITH A COMPROMISE OF THE 2 MODELS.
FORECAST WITH CHC POPS AT BEST FOR THE TIME BEING.

HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY SETTLE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER
70S...COMPARED TO SEASONAL AVERAGES IN THE LOWER 80S.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED
AT 100 PM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS TO BEGIN
THIS TAF CYCLE. FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING THROUGH OVERNIGHT WILL BRING
CHANCE FOR TSRA TO BOTH SITE AND HAVE COVERED WITH TEMPO GROUPS
ACCORDINGLY. WIND SHIFT WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BRING NORTHWEST
WINDS FOR MONDAY.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...NONE.
MI...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR MIZ077.

OH...NONE.
LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT MONDAY FOR LMZ043.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR LMZ046.

&&

SYNOPSIS...T
SHORT TERM...LOGSDON
LONG TERM...FISHER
AVIATION...LOGSDON

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, Aug 2, 3:18 AM EST, 12 hours 3 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
418 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

INZ004>007-MIZ078>081-OHZ001-002-030815-
ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-
HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOUTH BEND...MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...
GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...ANGOLA...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS...
STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...
MONTPELIER...WAUSEON...ARCHBOLD
415 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA...
SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AND NORTHWEST OHIO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
EVENING INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS WIND GUSTS
IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

INZ003-MIZ077-030815-
LA PORTE-BERRIEN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...NILES...
BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN
415 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER
MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
EVENING INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS WIND GUSTS
IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.

THERE IS A HIGH SWIM RISK FOR BERRIEN COUNTY BEACHES TODAY INTO
MONDAY MORNING. SEE THE LATEST BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT FOR
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

INZ008-009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-OHZ004-005-015-016-024-025-
030815-
NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE-PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-
ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-
BLACKFORD-JAY-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...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...
DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA...PANDORA...
VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA
415 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO AND
NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE MID EVENING INTO MONDAY MORNING
AS A COLD FRONT DROPS IN. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...BEST CHANCES DURING THE LATE EVENING AND EARLY
OVERNIGHT ALONG AND NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY 24 CORRIDOR. THE PRIMARY
THREAT IS WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY MORNING INTO EARLY
MONDAY AFTERNOON. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED.

.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

LMZ043-046-030815-
NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-
415 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY INTO TONIGHT.

THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS
EVENING INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS WIND GUSTS
IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

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 radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Elkhart

When
August 2, 3:21 PM EST to 3:22 PM EST
Where
Elkhart forecast zone
Measured
30 kt (35 mph) measured gust
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries
4 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
41.597, -85.859 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A tree branch was blown down by gusty winds onto a bleacher at a soccer game in Studebaker Park. Five people of varying ages, including a ten month old girl were injured. The ten month old child died as a result of her injuries on August 5th. A ten year old child suffered severe head trauma with others suffering various cuts and bruises.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Strong Wind, Elkhart2015-08-041FemaleOutside/Open AreasDirect

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Indiana in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, August 2015

Sources

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: 585097.